The MLS It is fashionable in the world. A league that brings together the best teams from the United States and Canada, which barely has 27 years of existenceand could afford, in the coming days, to have the world champion most followed by fans of this sport: Lionel Messi.
The Argentine seems to have everything agreed with him Inter Miami, new franchise and who is in South Florida to continue his career after playing the last two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain. For many, a little-known tournament that has the ill-conceived “Retirement League” label. However, it is one of the leagues with an average age that, as recently as 2022, was younger than other peers (25 years and 194 days), such as Spain -27.5- for example.
In the following paragraphs it will be explained essentially how MLS works, its teams, little history and the stars who have come to play in their fields.
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MLS teams in 2023
Like the other North American divisions (NBA, MLB, NFL), MLS has a league system where teams are divided into two conferences (East and West) and currently consists of 29 clubs. The last to join was St. Louis City, which has surprised everyone Well, they are one of the league leaders and have left other traditionally strong teams like Seattle Sounders or LAFC in the background.
This does not mean that, by 2025, the league will incorporate another franchise: San Diego FC, thus adding 30.
After 16 games of the 2023 season, this is how the tables look.
Eastern Conference
| pos. | Equipment | degrees | PJ | PG | P.E | PP | gf | GC | D.F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cincinnati | 39 | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 26 | fifteen | +11 |
| 2 | Nashville SC | 31 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 24 | eleven | +13 |
| 3 | Philadelphia Union | 30 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 27 | fifteen | +12 |
| 4 | New England | 27 | 16 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 25 | twenty | +5 |
| 5 | Columbus crew | 24 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 33 | 24 | +9 |
| 6 | Atlanta United | 24 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 32 | 28 | +4 |
| 7 | DC United | 23 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 24 | Twenty-one | -3 |
| 8 | Orlando City | 23 | fifteen | 6 | 5 | 4 | twenty | 17 | +3 |
| 9 | charlotte fc | Twenty-one | 16 | 6 | 3 | 7 | twenty | 26 | -6 |
| 10 | Montreal | 19 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 9 | fifteen | 27 | -12 |
| eleven | New York RB | 19 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 6 | eleven | 16 | -5 |
| 12 | Toronto | 18 | 17 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 16 | twenty | -4 |
| 13 | Chicago Fire | 17 | 16 | 3 | 8 | 5 | Twenty-one | 25 | -4 |
| 14 | New York FC | 17 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 22 | -5 |
| fifteen | Inter Miami | fifteen | 16 | 5 | 0 | eleven | fifteen | Twenty-one | -6 |
western conference
| pos. | Equipment | degrees | PJ | PG | P.E | PP | gf | GC | D.F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis City | 28 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 32 | 14 | +18 |
| 2 | Seattle Sounders | 27 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 6 | Twenty-one | 14 | +7 |
| 3 | LAFC | 25 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 10 | +13 |
| 4 | Dallas | 23 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 18 | +1 |
| 5 | SJ Earthquakes | 23 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| 6 | Vancouver | Twenty-one | 16 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 26 | twenty | +6 |
| 7 | Minnesota | twenty | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | fifteen | 18 | -3 |
| 8 | austin fc | 19 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 23 | -6 |
| 9 | Royal Salt Lake | 19 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 27 | -9 |
| 10 | Houston Dynamo | 18 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | fifteen | 18 | -3 |
| eleven | Portland Timbers | 17 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 24 | -5 |
| 12 | Kansas City | 17 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 24 | -8 |
| 13 | Colorado | 13 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 25 | -eleven |
| 14 | LA Galaxy | 12 | fifteen | 3 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 26 | -13 |
MLS Format: How the tournament is played
The MLS format is similar to that of other leagues in that it is played on a schedule where crossovers between teams from the same conference take precedence, as well as other matches between the two. In this 2023, teams from the West play two games against each of their coastal opponents, plus one game against six or seven opponents from the East, plus two additional games against some opponents from their group.
In contrast, in the East, they face each other twice, plus six times against as many opponents from the western hemisphere of the country.
As is the tradition in every sport in America, there’s also an All-Star game. This time it will be held on Wednesday, June 19 at Audi Field in Washington DC, home of DC United. For his part, he Decision daythe last day of the regular season will be played on Saturday, October 21.
Once the regular season days (34) are completed, they advance to the playoffs, which have some special features: the 1-7 seeds of each conference will automatically advance to the first round, while the 8-9 of each region will play. a single match for the 2023 Audi MLS Cup Playoff Wild Card. 5).
The first round is played for the best of three games (i.e. whoever wins two heats), matches that cannot end in a tie (there are penalties after 90 in any tie). After the first round, they advance to straight knockout matches until they reach the conference finals and the MLS final that follows.
The stars of MLS 2023
MLS has been characterized in recent years for continuing to attract luminaries from other latitudes, but at the same time for training players who have made the jump and are now in the best European leagues. However, The vision of the teams in the league has also been geared towards attracting new figures Let them play here first and then go to the old continent.
Cases like his Thiago Almada for example, with Atlanta United. The same with his compatriot Alan Velasco (Dallas FC), the Uruguayan Facundo Torres (Orlando City) or the Brazilian Talles Magno (NYCFC). As for players training in MLS itself, there are cases Cade Cowell (USA U20 player and San Jose Earthquakes) or the same future Messi’s teammate, Benjamin Kremaski, who at 18 is already a starter with Inter Miami and can represent both Team USA such as Argentina.
Other famous players in the league are:
- Sebastian Giovinco and Federico Bernardeschi: Toronto FC
- Xherdan Shaqiri: Chicago Fire FC
- Emiliano Rigoni: austin fc
- Roman Burki: St. Louis City
- Hany Mukhtar and Walker Zimmerman: Nashville SC
- Keri Carlos: LAFC
- Javier Hernandez and Ricardo Puig: LA Galaxy
- Nicholas Lodeiro: Seattle Sounders
- Carlos Gil: New England Revolution
- Christian Benteke: DC United
- Hector Herrera: Houston Dynamo
The history of MLS: when it started and how the tournament evolved
The MLS as such first established in 1996, after the success of the 94 World Cup held in the United States. In that first campaign, DC United retained the trophy. It involved 10 teams and its format was far from what it is today.
Except the rules were a bit… different: the clock went from back to front (like in basketball), there were no ties either, so games had to be decided by The Shootingswhich was a kind of maximum penalty, outside the area, where the players set in a 1vs1 against the goalkeeper.
Remember that craziness that was implemented in the MLS? 🤪 What do you think about these shots ⚽️pic.twitter.com/9hn07Ap4wv
— MLS in Col (@MLSenCOL) April 14, 2020
However, over the years, the rules became more in line with normal FIFA regulations, so these experiments were shelved. At the same time, more clubs joined the league and fans became more involved in the sport.
A significant impact was the one he had the arrival of David Beckham in 2007, when he was signed by the LA Galaxy; because it represented the acquisition of a poster player who had played in the best leagues and teams in the world and who came to make the product grow. On a marketing, structural and financial level it was a tremendously positive change.
David Beckham becomes first MLS player to be honored with his own statue 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Zm8Cht8WIH
— B/R football (@brfootball) March 3, 2019
Now, the former England player is on the board of Inter Miami, a club that will have Lionel Messi in its ranks and will mark another era in soccer in the United States and neighboring Canada. The lights point to the north of the continent he’s long wanted to star in… and now he’ll have the biggest main figure of them all.
