Local flair at center stage as Red Bulls-NYCFC rivalry hits playoffs

The rivalry between New York City FC and the Red Bulls has been driven by a number of factors. Yes, the two clubs share the same geographic location, but beyond their proximity, the rivalry has added an element to it.A local flair among the two sides’ most important players has felt more noticeable this season. The Red Bulls boast a number of players who have grown up in the New York/New Jersey area and NYCFC makes a similar claim. Sean Nealis — the Red Bulls captain and brother to defender Dylan Nealis — hails from Long Island, midfielder Daniel Edelman comes from Warren, N.J., and defender John Tolkin was raised in Chatham, N.J. NYCFC defender Tayvon Gray is a Bronx native, midfielder Justin Haak hails from Brooklyn, defender Kevin O’Toole comes from Montclair, N.J.

and was a Red Bull Academy product and NYCFC star goalkeeper Matt Freese is from Wayne, N.J. “I think that local element is something new that fuels [the rivalry] as well,” AppleTV+ broadcaster Steve Cangialosi told The Post. Both clubs have seemed to mine the local talent pool well through the years, which has meant many of the first-team players have been playing with or against one another since their days playing in academies.Tolkin, for instance, has played with Red Bulls midfielder Peter Stroud — a Chester Township, N.J.

native — Roald Mitchell, who is from Montclair and Daniel Edelman, from Warren, N.J., have all played together since they were in the academy. That means he’s become quite familiar with the likes of fellow area natives James Sands — a Rye, New York native — Gray and Haak. “We always would play each other throughout the academy, so we’ve kind of all grown up together and came through the ranks together,” Tolkin told The Post.“It’s kind of on the big stage now.

It’s fun to stand across from each other and go at it again.… They always used to beat us in the academy, so whenever we beat them now, it’s a really good feeling.” The de...