MLS
MARCO D’ONOFRIO ASSESSES THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY FROM THE MLS SEASON SO FAR
FINISHED1ST THE GOOD
The Canadian men's national team didn't just qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986, they did it in emphatic fashion by topping the CONCACAF qualification table. In finishing ahead of both Mexico and the United States, who are ranked ninth and 13th in the world respectively, the Canadians proved they are no longer anybody’s little brother. Les Rouges drew with both Mexico and the United States on the road, while pulling off massive victories on home soil against both sides. Although they did lose two of their last three games of qualification, the Canadians already knew the job had been done by then. "We can go into this World Cup with absolutely no fear," Canadian head coach John Herdman said after his team's final game of qualification against Panama. "No one really expects Canada to go and win it. I don't think many people would expect us to get out of
the group... [But] we've travelled thousands of miles, we've played lots of minutes, we've kicked every ball, we've never quit, and we're on our way to Qatar. [We're] No. 1 in CONCACAF. I'll sleep well tonight." What makes the feat even more special is that so many players making the difference on the international stage are currently plying their trade in Major League Soccer or were initially developed by the league. Alphonso Davies, Cyle Larin, Richie Laryea and Tajon Buchanan are all playing in Europe but originally came up through the ranks and made their name in MLS. As the Canadian men's national team aims for a successful new era and becomes more and more relevant in international competitions, MLS will continue to play a crucial role in the development and harnessing of young Canadian talent from across the country.
‘CANADA CAN GO INTO THIS WORLD CUP WITH ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR’ THE BAD The United Soccer League (USL) has an ambitious and aggressive plan to one day surpass MLS as the top league in the United States. The last thing that the United States soccer scene needs though is more fragmentation and fighting amongst leagues who claim to have the best interest of players and teams at heart. Instead of working with MLS to help grow the game across the country, the USL is actively looking to compete with the league and one day surpass it. “It’s a very ambitious league, and we’ve got an aggressive and ambitious growth trajectory ahead for the league and its clubs,” USL President Jake Edwards said in an interview with The Bee. While Canada has the Canadian Premier League which sits at the top of the Canadian soccer pyramid, it only has three teams playing in MLS and the league was thought to be necessary in order to help get young Canadians more time on the pitch - which has proven to be the case thus far.
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SOCCER360 MAY • JUNE 2022
Instead of competing with MLS or USL teams, the CPL has worked alongside teams in MLS to help young Canadians live out their dream of playing professionally in their own country. Currently, the USL has three divisions (Championship, League One and League Two) and unlike in MLS where there is no promotion or relegation, the USL uses a more traditional European format that sees teams move up or down based on their performance. “The USL is focused on both growth and differentiation in the domestic landscape,” Edwards said. “Differentiation from the MLS, differentiation from other structures of sports here, as well as alignment with the global structure of the game of football, with the global norms of the structure of the sport.” The concern is whether the United States sports landscape really needs another domestic league and whether dividing fans and resources is the best way to develop the game from coast-to-coast.
