Federico Higuaín is relishing his fourth season with Columbus Crew SC, both on and off the pitch. Not only has the midfielder embraced the Capital City as his home, he is thrilled with the progress the club has made over the years.

“Ever since I got here, the club has just gotten better and we’re achieving things on a greater scale,” he says.

"Pipa" made an immediate impact when he arrived in Columbus from Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2012, earning the MLS Newcomer of the Year award in his first season followed by back-to-back Crew SC Barbasol MVP honors in 2013 and ‘14. This season, Higuain has scored nine goals and served 10 assists. More importantly, however, the team’s overall productivity has increased.

“The change is incredible,” Pipa says. “It’s due to our ownership, our staff, our technical staff, and it’s really a progress that happens month-by-month. It’s kind of incredible to think that two seasons ago, when all this change was happening, that we were going to be where we are. Last year, to be knocked out when we shouldn’t have been and now to be in this position where we deserve to be, it’s something that we appreciate and that I enjoy and love.”

Higuaín has played a large role in Columbus’ recent success, helping the team advance to the Eastern Conference Championship for the first time since 2008. Crew SC Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter says Pipa’s technical abilities contribute immensely to his team's style of play.

“He’s able to operate at a high speed under extreme pressure and make it look effortless,” he says. “That's a quality that really helps us play our game, because he can receive the ball in any type of position and be able to control it and find the next pass. He's really integral to how we play.”

The Designated Player is one of the best attacking midfielders in MLS. His 35 career goals tie Eddie Gaven for the fifth-most in club history. His distribution is also impressive, dishing out 32 career assists, 10 of which were game-winners. That’s tied for fourth all-time in the Crew SC record books.

“I think the amount of running he does and the effort he puts in often gets overlooked,” Berhalter says. “But he's a guy that does an incredible amount of work for the team, both offensively and defensively.”

The Argentinian’s contributions have become well-known among Columbus supporters, particularly his impressive signature chips. As Crew SC supporters respond to his “magic,” Pipa feeds off their passion for the club and attributes the great atmosphere to the improvements Investor-Operator and chairman Anthony Precourt and Berhalter have made.

“Just to feel that, that’s something that we feel as players and we give our best to give back,” he says. “To be fair, it’s just something that you feel is growing and growing, and we’d like for that to continue.”

And it’s not just Higuaín who appreciates Columbus embracing him, it’s his entire family, including his son Santino, his wife Veronica, and their new baby girl, Nicolino.

“My wife, my family, myself, we love it here,” he says. “We feel the support from not only the organization, but from the supporters. And for me, it’s a pleasure to don the Black & Gold for the club every matchday.”

As he takes pride in putting on his jersey with No. 10 printed below his name, Pipa says it’s simple to explain why the Crew SC badge means so much to him: “Columbus is the most beautiful city in the United States.”

To pay back the city he now calls "home" and everyone who has supported him along the way, Higuaín wants to bring home the MLS Cup.

“It would be the biggest gift, especially for my daughter,” he says. “And not only that, but for the city, for the club, for everyone that supports Columbus Crew SC, and this whole project that’s been going on.”