Soccer (Football)
MLS is back and here's why we can't wait
The new Major League Soccer season is set to be as unpredictable as ever and with a young and hungry New York Red Bulls ready to go, there's plenty to look forward to.
New York Red Bulls kicked off their MLS campaign with a stellar 3-1 win against San Jose on Saturday, February 26. They'll be looking to continue this flying start to a unique season as the next matches come thick and fast.
A frenetic eight months of action is now ahead of us before the North American league concludes just in time for the World Cup in Qatar—and with the MLS continuing to grow in size, quality and drama, we can't wait for the action to begin.
Here are seven things we can all look forward to.
01
It's always so unpredictable
In an era where some of the biggest leagues on the planet are dominated by one club, the MLS is an outlier of unpredictability.
During the past five years, five different clubs have finished with the most points at the end of the regular season to capture the Supporters' Shield, and the MLS Cup has been won by five different clubs in the same period.
Who will have their name on the trophy this time around?
The young players have shown me they've developed very quickly in the direction of what we want
02
New York Red Bulls are young and hungry
The Bulls are heading into the season with a fresh, young squad of talent hoping to build on the success of reaching the playoffs last time around, and head coach Gerhard Struber has been hard at work formulating a plan of attack.
He said: "We have a very young team, but the young players have shown me they've developed very quickly in the direction of what we want. We have big goals, but at the same time, we need to build this new group together.
"The most important thing is to find the right setup, where we can create a lot of chances in the game with our typical style of play."
Keeper Carlos Coronel has joined on a permanent deal from Red Bull Salzburg
© GEPA pictures
03
A long wait for captain Aaron
One huge bonus for Coach Struber is that his new captain, experienced defender Aaron Long, is back available for selection. The 29-year-old US international ruptured his Achilles last May and is eager to make up for lost time. "It's an honor to be named captain. I'm so excited to get back out there and help the group any way I can," said Long.
Struber added: "He has leadership, he has experience and he's smart. It was a very easy decision to make him captain. I hope he can achieve his personal goals this season, both for us and for the national team.”
04
Soccer on the menu for 10 straight months
MLS campaigns can often be disrupted by major tournaments in the summer, forcing either awkward mid-season breaks or leading teams to field weakened sides with key players on international duty. Often the playoffs are disrupted by international windows, too. But this year is different.
The World Cup in November and December means a straight run to the end of the regular season on October 9. The playoffs will conclude with the MLS Cup on November 5, just 16 days before the start of the World Cup.
05
Charlotte joins the party
The New York Red Bulls will have a new opponent in the Eastern Conference this season in the form of Charlotte FC. CLTFC will become the 28th club in the league and will play at the Bank of America Stadium, the home of the NFL's Carolina Panthers.
The new addition marks impressive growth for a league that had just 10 clubs in 2004 and makes MLS the biggest top-flight division in the world.
06
Will Insigne make his mark?
The big new arrival in MLS this season is Italy's Euro 2020 winning striker Lorenzo Insigne, who has joined Toronto FC from Serie A club Napoli. The forward, who has 53 caps for his country, will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of compatriot Sebastian Giovinco, who scored 68 goals in 114 appearances for Toronto between 2015-19 and helped TFC to the 2017 MLS Cup.
The Italian will be coached by Bob Bradley, who joins as coach to reunite with his son, Toronto and United States midfielder Michael, the former AS Roma and Chievo player.
07
Caden Clark is back at the Red Bull Arena
The attacking midfielder burst onto the MLS scene as a 17-year-old, scoring on his debut for the Bulls. His impressive performances earned him a transfer to RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga but he is back on loan to continue his development and it will be fascinating to track the progress of the highly-rated teenager who could yet make a push for the U.S World Cup squad.
His teammate Dru Yearwood is stoked to see him again: "Everyone knows the little bromance we have! I'll always look out for him. It's exciting to have him back."