Imagine Lionel Messi, getting ready to play with his national team after another grueling yet fruitful season. He’s just come off a legacy-defining World Cup and a Ligue 1 title before shocking the world as he announced his intentions to leave Paris Saint-Germain to join Major League Soccer.
As we approach the halfway point in the season, destinies become clear. Moments become more important as every point carries increased weight in the race for the postseason. Hosting in the playoffs is great, but winning is better, and many teams have set themselves up for both outcomes after Matchday 17.
Rivalry Week in MLS is a special time. Chaos wrapped in pandemonium served with a side of unpredictability. The best sides find a way to rise above the volatility, to keep their heads when all about them are losing theirs. Rivalry week separates the wheat from the chaff, and MLS Matchday 14 embodied that.
MLS Matchweek 7 proved severely dichotomous to the league’s image. Fans were treated to the best that MLS offers with individual brilliance, age-defying heroes, local rivalries and close games. However, it was an alleged incident that occurred between San Jose and New York that left an extremely sour taste in fans' mouths.
For the third time in seven seasons, Minnesota United's home opener was played in snow. It wasn't nearly as cold as the infamous World Cup qualifier between the USMNT and Honduras at Allianz Field in February of last year, but Saturday's 30-degree weather and continuous flurries made for a sticky layer of snow outside of the well-maintained 18-yard boxes.
This summer, Minnesota is bringing together six different clubs from four different leagues to determine which shines brightest in the North Star State. Although in its inaugural infancy, this is a great concept that'll only get better with time — other states should follow suit.
There are and have been different variations of Minnesota's Super Cup, but this competition promises head-to-head action with a tournament structure similar to the World Cup.
Now that almost every team has released its new jerseys, it's clear that this year is going to be special. From California to Chicago and DC to Dallas, every single team has produced some magic making a list like this almost impossible. Honorable mentions must go out to Columbus, New England and Real Salt Lake who all just missed out but undoubtedly deserve recognition for creating spectacular kits for their cities. These ten were just a step above.
As Major League Soccer enters its 28th season, one example of the league's growing strength is just how difficult it is to determine which 10 stadiums you'd like to visit most.
The Leagues Cup this summer featuring Liga MX and MLS teams will be a historic tournament and crossover between the two leagues. For the first time every team from both leagues will compete in the same tournament at the same time.
Usually, the only time an MLS and Liga MX team faced off was in the Concacaf Champions League for just a select few. Now every team is involved and guaranteed to play at least one opponent from the rival league.
Wondering who your favorite team will play? Let’s look at the Leagues Cup draw that happened on Friday.
The Eastern Conference playoff bracket was set earlier in the day, and now the Western Conference side is clear after the dust settled on Sunday's Decision Day action.
The marquee matchup out West was a winner-takes-all clash between free falling Minnesota United and a climbing Vancouver Whitecaps side in front of a record crowd at Allianz Field in Saint Paul.