MLS season kicks off today
With no U.S. World Cup team to tout, Major League Soccer is putting an emphasis on new young talent.
The U.S. national team failed to qualify for soccer’s biggest tournament, which means the domestic league’s American stars are staying home from Russia.
That translates to fewer marketing opportunities for MLS connected to the World Cup: in 2014, for example, the league’s motto was “For Club And Country.” And the so-called “World Cup Bump” in attendance and TV viewership might not materialize this year.
“It’s disappointing that the U.S. men are not going to be in Russia. These moments are always ones that rally the country behind the red, white and blue, behind our sport, and in many cases, behind our players,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “But we have to accept the fact that qualifying for the World Cup is not a birthright. Italy, Holland and Chile all are experiencing the same disappointment.”
Even without U.S. participation, MLS expects to have as many as 26 league players (a record) representing different nations in the World Cup. Among them are Seattle’s Roman Torres, who plays for Panama, LAFC’s Carlos Vela (Mexico) and Portland’s Andy Polo (Peru).
The league stresses that growth now depends on raising the quality of play to that of the established European leagues and Liga MX in Mexico. Many of most exciting new players in MLS this season are from Latin America.
There are lots of things that are new for the league this season, among them:
JOINING IN: When Chivas USA folded in 2014, MLS promised that a new Los Angeles team would eventually take its place. LAFC launches this season under veteran coach Bob Bradley. The team made a splash with its first signing, Mexican national team forward Carlos Vela.
And there seems to be excitement around the club: season tickets have already sold out at the team’s $350-million Banc of California Stadium, which will host its first match on April 29 versus the visiting Seattle Sounders.
COACHES’ CORNER: The league has six new head coaches this year. LAFC’s Bradley has coached in the league before, leading Chicago to an MLS Cup title in the team’s first season. Following the sudden departure of Caleb Porter, the Portland Timbers brought in Giovanni Savarese, formerly head coach of the lower-tier New York Cosmos. Anthony Hudson will lead the Colorado Rapids this season after a stint as New Zealand’s coach. Former U.S. national team goalkeeper Brad Friedel has taken over as coach of the New England Revolution. Former Lyon coach Remi Garde is new for Montreal, and Swedish coach Mikael Stahre now leads the San Jose Earthquakes.
FRESH FACES: MLS is no longer a league known for old European players in the twilight of their careers. This year’s crop of MLS newcomers is the youngest ever — averaging 24.86 years old. One of the youngsters generating buzz is 18-year-old Ezequiel Barco of Argentina, acquired by Atlanta United for an MLS-record $15-million transfer fee from Argentina’s Independiente. Fans will have to wait to see him, though, because Barco was injured in preseason training and won’t be available for the first month of the season.
SOUNDERS INJURY: Seattle also lost a key player in Jordan Morris, crumpled to the field in El Salvador with a torn knee ligament, ending his 2018 season before it began. But the Sounders still have aspirations of a third straight appearance in the MLS Cup final.