Starting with the 1994 World Cup in the United States, football in North America has come out of the wilderness and is beginning to regain its former status. After the North American Soccer League (NASL) folded, there was no top division football in the US or Canada. That all changed in 1996, with kick off in MLS. Since then, MLS has become a target for many major European players. Players such as David Beckham have given the league major marketing potential and a chance to improve the level of play. European players in MLS, or the former NASL for that matter, have had varying impacts on and off the pitch. Spanning two parts, we will look at what the relationship has been between many of these players in MLS and what has their impact has been on and off the pitch. In our second part, we will look at European managers and their time in MLS – focusing primarily on former Dutch internationals Ruud Guilit and Aron Winter.
Some of the best players in the world have played in the NASL and North America at some point. Players such as Pele, Beckenbauer and Best have all plied their trade in North America. With the formation of the MLS in 1996, more Europeans began to come to the league in its initial years. Players such as Roberto Donadoni (New York), Walter Zenga (New England), Lothar Matthaus (New York), Youri Djorkaeff (New York), Stoichov (Chicago, DC) and Mo Johnston (Kansas City) have played in MLS from the leagues inception to around 2006. During these initial 10 years of the leagues existence, the only European players who would come were old and looking for a last pay cheque. Matthaus made 16 appearances for New York, failed to score and overall, did not have much of an impact. Djorkaeff, although scoring 12 goals in 45 appearances, took leave of New York to go to France for ‘urgent family matters’ and was later spotted at a World Cup match. These early players did not have much of an impact on the league, both on and off the pitch. All this would change in 2007, when the most famous footballer of all time joined the LA Galaxy.
When David Beckham joined the Galaxy in 2007, expectations were high. He was supposed to bring new fans to the league and grow football in North America. Looking back in 2011, Beckham has had an up and down career with the Galaxy. His loan spells to AC Milan resulted in an Achilles injury that ruled him out of action for a long time. He had quarrels with current Galaxy captain Landon Donovan about his loan agreements and generally failed to have a large impact on the pitch during the first two years of his five year contract. Off the pitch however, ‘Beckham 23’ shirts sold around North America and the world. When Beckham did play, teams sold out their stadiums, with upwards of 50,000 people going to see Beckham in different markets in MLS. Since then, he has enjoyed on field success with the Galaxy, making the MLS Cup in 2009 and winning the Supporters Shield in 2010.
Beckham can also be seen as a drawing point for many other European stars coming to MLS. With Beckham’s arrival, the Designated Player rule came into effect. The rule allowed for one player on the squad to have their salary over $400,000 a year to be exempt from the salary cap. This meant if a player was making $5 million a year, only $400,000 would count against the cap. This rule has been expanded since 2007 to allow up to three designated players on a team. This rule has allowed players such as Thiery Henry, Torsten Frings, Freddy Ljungberg, Danny Koevermans, Robbie Keane, Eric Hassli and Frank Rost to join the league. Although this fails to account for players such as Abel Xavier (who did not have much success) and Darren Huckerby (who scored many key goals for San Jose) who came to the league and did not have DP status.
So what has the impact of European players been in the MLS? Not that great up until now. While Beckham has enhanced the image of the game in North America and has indirectly helped to bring many high profile European players to the league, it is still a league that is dominated by domestic players and players from South America. Since the leagues inception, no European player has won the MVP award, and only one has ever been a finalist. Many players come over with a ton of hype, such as Mista, and fail miserably. However this trend is beginning to change. Two of the top five scorers in the league are French, Beckham is second in assists, and a Swiss keeper leads the league in saves. This is the beginning of European players making their mark on MLS, with European managers slowly catching up.
Some of the best players in the world have played in the NASL and North America at some point. Players such as Pele, Beckenbauer and Best have all plied their trade in North America. With the formation of the MLS in 1996, more Europeans began to come to the league in its initial years. Players such as Roberto Donadoni (New York), Walter Zenga (New England), Lothar Matthaus (New York), Youri Djorkaeff (New York), Stoichov (Chicago, DC) and Mo Johnston (Kansas City) have played in MLS from the leagues inception to around 2006. During these initial 10 years of the leagues existence, the only European players who would come were old and looking for a last pay cheque. Matthaus made 16 appearances for New York, failed to score and overall, did not have much of an impact. Djorkaeff, although scoring 12 goals in 45 appearances, took leave of New York to go to France for ‘urgent family matters’ and was later spotted at a World Cup match. These early players did not have much of an impact on the league, both on and off the pitch. All this would change in 2007, when the most famous footballer of all time joined the LA Galaxy.
When David Beckham joined the Galaxy in 2007, expectations were high. He was supposed to bring new fans to the league and grow football in North America. Looking back in 2011, Beckham has had an up and down career with the Galaxy. His loan spells to AC Milan resulted in an Achilles injury that ruled him out of action for a long time. He had quarrels with current Galaxy captain Landon Donovan about his loan agreements and generally failed to have a large impact on the pitch during the first two years of his five year contract. Off the pitch however, ‘Beckham 23’ shirts sold around North America and the world. When Beckham did play, teams sold out their stadiums, with upwards of 50,000 people going to see Beckham in different markets in MLS. Since then, he has enjoyed on field success with the Galaxy, making the MLS Cup in 2009 and winning the Supporters Shield in 2010.
Beckham can also be seen as a drawing point for many other European stars coming to MLS. With Beckham’s arrival, the Designated Player rule came into effect. The rule allowed for one player on the squad to have their salary over $400,000 a year to be exempt from the salary cap. This meant if a player was making $5 million a year, only $400,000 would count against the cap. This rule has been expanded since 2007 to allow up to three designated players on a team. This rule has allowed players such as Thiery Henry, Torsten Frings, Freddy Ljungberg, Danny Koevermans, Robbie Keane, Eric Hassli and Frank Rost to join the league. Although this fails to account for players such as Abel Xavier (who did not have much success) and Darren Huckerby (who scored many key goals for San Jose) who came to the league and did not have DP status.
So what has the impact of European players been in the MLS? Not that great up until now. While Beckham has enhanced the image of the game in North America and has indirectly helped to bring many high profile European players to the league, it is still a league that is dominated by domestic players and players from South America. Since the leagues inception, no European player has won the MVP award, and only one has ever been a finalist. Many players come over with a ton of hype, such as Mista, and fail miserably. However this trend is beginning to change. Two of the top five scorers in the league are French, Beckham is second in assists, and a Swiss keeper leads the league in saves. This is the beginning of European players making their mark on MLS, with European managers slowly catching up.
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