With playoffs less than two weeks away, Major League Soccer teams are fighting for a chance to compete for MLS Cup glory. The playoffs disregard consistency, offering a clean slate to all who enter and open the door to the underdog. In the last 10 years, only two Supporters’ Shield winners won MLS Cup. The league ostracizes itself from the rest of the soccer world by creating a playoff system, and that’s a good thing—for now. Last year, the world watched
In 2008, David Beckham played his first game in MLS, opening American eyes to the possibilities of the sport as a cultural and economic phenomenon—a Hollywood celebrity in the form of an athlete. Fast-forward a few years, and global superstar signings are now the norm in MLS. As league expansion accelerates, salaries multiply and money becomes a much more significant influence every season. For teams that can afford it, throwing money at big-name players acts as a strategy for marketing the franchise
USA takes on Mexico at a sold-out Rose Bowl Saturday at 6 p.m. in a highly-anticipated, high-stakes rivalry clash. The winner will represent CONCACAF in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia. “It’s huge. It’s big. There’s a lot riding on the game,” said U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan. “We’re confident in each other and we’re confident as a team.” The Confederations Cup is especially important because it serves as a “dress-rehearsal” of sorts to the 2018 World Cup. Teams can acclimate to weather, travel, stadiums, lodging and