The recent influx of stars (both young, and as in the most recent case of the 37 year old Didier Drogba; old) of the footballing world to the american top-league Major League Soccer (MLS) has been a focus of conversations ranging from social media to the world’s best football journalists. There are a plethora of ways that the recent migration of talents including Andrea Pirlo (36 years old), Sebastian Giovinco (28), Giovani Dos Santos (26), Steven Gerrard (35), and many others could impact both the MLS and the footballing world as a whole, but the most heated debate is whether this will turn Major League Soccer into a retirement home for aging superstars, or a future world-class league.
Some argue that in order to turn MLS into a world class footballing league, teams need to attract younger, brighter talents (more along the lines of Sebastian Giovinco, whom some are calling the best player to ever join the MLS, and Mexican international Giovani Dos Santos). However, on a seemingly normal basis, quality players in their prime such as Giovinco are simply not attracted to MLS, which has been gaining its identity as the retirement home of the footballing world since David Beckham joined the LA Galaxy at over 30 years old in 2007. There are many reasons players aren’t attracted to Major League Soccer during the prime of their careers, including obvious monetary reasons such as sponsorships, but also (more importantly to most) more competition, and opportunities to play amongst the best players and teams in the world. In the past, and ever increasingly in the present, the MLS has been an attractive destination for “past-their-prime” footballers who are looking to continue their love of the game, all the while earning decent amounts of money, and playing in a league that is considered to be much easier than the top flight leagues of the world. Players like Orlando City’s Kaka, New York City’s Lampard and David Villa, and LA Galaxy’s Andrea Pirlo, have only increased this view of the league. However, some analysts argue that the arrival of these players will actually benefit Major League Soccer and its growing player and fan base more than it will harm it. Many are stating that the MLS is simply following the lead of the English Premier League, which became one of the world’s largest and most popular leagues, at least partly due to a mass immigration of Italian players who were looking for more playtime than they could be given in an incredibly deeply talented Serie A league. This immigration led to the British Premier League growing, and all-star players found themselves staying in England, developing the league even further.
New York Red Bulls Striker and former MLS golden boot winner, Bradley Wright Phillips, stated to the LA Times that “It seems like it’s taking the same form, a lot of legends-- people’s favorite players -- go to a league … and they end up staying. I think we might be on to something.”
Whether or not the influx of older, international players will benefit or harm the future of the MLS in its pursuit to be a truly global standout league is yet to be seen. However, opinions on the impact that these players will have, vary broadly. Some state simply that the MLS will grow into the retirement home for world footballers, bringing the league down. Where others state that the veterans will improve the quality of the league, and develop the young talent that already exists in the league. In the case of LA Galaxy Forward and young United States starlet Gyasi Zardes, he is now been taken under the wings of stars such as Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard, taking in the massive stockpile of footballing knowledge and experience they have taken in from their time in the football world. The actual effect that these players will have on a currently expanding Major League Soccer, which debuted two new teams for the 2015 season, will have to be seen in the years to come. For now though, football fans of the whole world can relish the opportunity to see their aging stars play for a few more seasons in America.
