When you’re in desperate need of a big broadcast deal and some major American sponsors in the next few months, the time for subtlety has passed.
Lionel MessiInter Miami have qualified — with the word qualified doing more heavy lifting than a skinflint picking up the bar tab after a big night out — for next summer’s new-fangled, massively-enlarged Club World Cup, to be played in the United States.
How and why have Lionel Messi Inter Miami been deemed worthy of a spot among the top 32 football clubs in the world? Why, by winning the 2024 Supporters’ Shield in MLS, of course!
Inter Miami celebrate winning the Supporters’ Shield (Chris Arjoon/AFP via Getty Images)
If it all feels far too convenient, well, that’s because it is. Miami and Messi being involved in a worldwide tournament that is in aching need of being a financial success right out of the box makes sense for FIFA, but does it make sense to normal people?
By handing Miami a spot via the Supporters’ Shield, which is the trophy (OK, shield) handed to the MLS side with the best record over the regular season (but before the big end-of-season MLS Cup play-offs decide the champions), FIFA has shone a light on the legitimacy and authenticity of the new-look Club World Cup. Yes, set your faces to stunned.
To be fair to Miami, they have just broken the MLS record for most points won in a regular season, with 74 from 34 matches, a total reached on the final day of the campaign when they thrashed New England Revolution 6-2 with Messi scoring an 11-minute hat-trick off the bench and Luis Suarez netting twice.
It’s Miami’s first MLS silverware since joining the league as an expansion team in 2020, following on from their winning the Leagues Cup (a tournament for sides in MLS and Liga MX, the top division in Mexican club football) last year.
“You have shown that in the United States, you are consistently the best club on the field of play,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was on the pitch at Miami’s home ground for the big Supporters’ Shield celebrations, said. “Therefore, I am proud to announce that, as one of the best clubs in the world, you are deserved participants in the new FIFA Club World Cup 2025.”
Could the first new-look Club World Cup really have taken place in the USA without Messi? (Chris Arjoon/AFP via Getty Images)
Whether you think Miami should be shoehorned into the tournament or not, there are two obvious points to take issue with from those quotes.
Miami haven’t proved they are “consistently the best club” in the United States. They’ve definitely proved they’re the best club in the Eastern Conference of MLS, which is only half the United States (and a couple of bits of Canada). Yes, they went unbeaten in their six league games this season against Western Conference teams, but they only won three of them. It all feels a bit like saying Celtic have proved they’re the best side in the United Kingdom by winning the Scottish title.
“One of the best clubs in the world”, Gianni, really? They might have some elderly legends playing for them, but if you can’t guarantee they’d beat, say, Crystal Palace in a one-off tie tomorrow, they don’t get that moniker.
Miami become the 31st club to reach the Club World Cup and the only ones to qualify solely via a domestic league. The other 30 so far have got in via continent-wide competitions or rankings among teams from said continent. In basic terms, either win a confederation tournament or have a good, consistent record in competitions involving sides from more than one nation.
Africa (by way of the CAF Champions League) has four teams going to the Club World Cup, as does Asia (AFC Champions League). Europe has 12 (UEFA Champions League), the North and Central America and the Caribbean region has four via the CONCACAF Champions League, South America (CONMEBOL Libertadores) has five and there is one from OFC via the continent’s ranking, namely Auckland City, and one from the host country, which is Miami.
How will the 32nd and final team qualify? Will FIFA give it to the Disney+ All Stars? Maybe a Mohammed bin Salman Select XI?
Well, no, it’ll be the 2024 Copa Libertadores champions, joining its winners from 2021 (Palmeiras), 2022 (Flamengo), 2023 (Fluminense) and the two highest-ranking clubs in the CONMEBOL confederation, River Plate and Boca Juniors. Fine. That works.
Even if the same criteria means Chelsea qualify because they won the 2021 Champions League final, a triumph which was that long ago it involved Roman Abramovich, Thomas Tuchel (four Chelsea managers ago), Timo Werner and Olivier Giroud, there is validation because they won Europe’s biggest tournament.
And even if the ranking criteria means Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg, who have lost their first two Champions League fixtures this season 3-0 and 4-0, somehow sneak in despite only progressing beyond the Champions League group stage on one occasion in the past four years, again, so be it. You be you, FIFA.
This isn’t a gripe about a team from the host country being handed a place in the competition. Far from it. There should be a home team in the tournament, just like the host nation is rightly guaranteed a place in the World Cup. FIFA couldn’t guarantee there would be a home team via CONCACAF (as it transpires, Seattle Sounders are involved having won the confederation’s Champions Cup in 2022), so to state from the outset that a U.S. side would be there isn’t an issue. Except they only announced yesterday that the Supporters’ Shield-winning team would qualify.
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How else should they have done it? A wildcard place to ensure some U.S. involvement wouldn’t have been unreasonable at all.
This is common in tennis, where top players who may not have a high enough ranking to reach one of the four Grand Sam events for whatever reason, such as a long-term injury, can be handed a place in Wimbledon or the U.S. Open. Goran Ivanisevic once won Wimbledon as a wildcard and Andy Murray and endless Brits have been handed places at the London tournament over the years. It boosts crowd numbers and TV audience figures.
Chucking Miami into the Club World Cup for the same reason, as a wildcard who would bring in bigger attendances and attract more eyes to maybe watch Messi versus old foes Real Madrid or his former Barcelona mentor Pep Guardiola and Manchester City, wouldn’t feel particularly wrong.
But by ham-fistedly making up the rules and giving the Supporters’ Shield team a spot instead of the MLS Cup winners (which Miami may well go on to win in early December) or maybe a one-off game between the Shield and Cup winners if they are different, you open yourself up to ridicule. Even more so when you’ve pre-emptively dubbed this the “greatest, most inclusive and merit-based global club competition” to have existed.
A competition that is already struggling for respectability just took another reputational hit.
(Top photos: Lionel Messi and Gianni Infantino; Getty Images)
First, he sank to the ground, grimacing. Play continued for a few seconds and then came the communal gasp.
Lionel Messi was down. And Lionel Messi is not a player who goes down for nothing.
Argentina’s playmaker and talisman clutched his right ankle. He had fallen on his own, with no obvious kick to point to as the cause of the injury that he knew meant his evening was over.
He took off his right boot and stood up gingerly. The physios asked him how he was but they must have known. He shuffled to the touchline, every step a little dagger in Argentine hearts. Then the board went up: Nicolas Gonzalez on, Messi off.
Messi walked slowly to the bench and threw his boot onto the floor. He sunk into his seat, placing his face in his hands. Leandro Paredes, his team-mate, ruffled his hair but said nothing. What was there to say?
A second or two later, the camera returned to Messi, zooming in on the most recognisable face in football. Humanity, even. And Messi, the arch stoic, was no longer able to hold back the emotion.
The crowd chanted his name. Messi was sobbing.
The tears were for the moment — Argentina needed him; they always do — but it was impossible to abstract them from the wider context. For Messi, wherever he treads in this extended career outro, is always accompanied by the unmistakable sense of an ending.
Messi is 37. He confirmed earlier in the week that this was to be his final edition of the competition. The mood music around the Argentina camp has suggested that it might be his last major tournament, period. He will be 38 when the next World Cup starts in the United States, Mexico and Canada, and will turn 39 during the tournament.
Those endless summer days spent watching Messi gambol around the football pitches of our souls? They could now be numbered.
Stopping is never an appealing prospect for any sportsperson. Athletes die twice, they say. Messi’s incredible longevity — and continued excellence — has been an effective shield against retirement talk but no one can run forever. At some stage, everything you do becomes the last time. Everything comes laced with heavy finality.
Messi, clearly, seems to have some inkling of what awaits him on the other side of the great beyond. “I am a bit scared of it all ending,” he told ESPN Argentina earlier this year. “I try not to think about it. I try to enjoy it. I do that more now because I’m aware there’s not a lot of time left.”
Here, on a stifling, charged night at the Hard Rock Stadium, he surely wasn’t banking on being denied a chunk of that remaining balance. As he sat there on the bench, an ice pack on his swollen ankle and yellow vest covering his blue and white jersey, it was tempting to wonder what was going through Messi’s mind.
(Juan Mabromata/AFP via Getty Images)
Perhaps, in that instance, he simply became a fan. Perhaps the vision of the team playing without him — an image he will have to get used to in the decades ahead — twisted his already knotted guts into new, uncomfortable shapes.
“Leo has something that everyone should have,” said Scaloni. “He’s the best in history and, even with an ankle like that, he doesn’t want to go off.
“It’s not because he’s selfish but because he doesn’t want to let his team-mates down. He was born to be on a pitch.”
At least there was, in the end, relief. When Lautaro Martinez stroked home the winning goal four minutes before midnight in Miami, it was telling that the biggest huddle of players was not around the scorer. No, Argentina’s players flocked to Messi, their guiding light.
(Juan Mabromata/AFP via Getty Images)
“When we talk about players who have left a mark on the history of football, we try to extend their careers when we begin to see the end,” his Inter Miami coach, Tata Martino, said recently. “I believe that Leo and his family are preparing themselves for when that ending will come. It comes for everyone.”
It has not come for Messi quite yet. He will play on in MLS when this injury heals, maybe even do his bit to get Argentina to the World Cup, but this was the final episode of Messi Does Tournaments and another staging post on the way to The End. The real end. The day this absurd, magical, laugh-out-loud-good little sprite of a footballer skips away into the past tense.
“I’m lucky I can do something I’m passionate about,” Messi said in the Apple documentary about his American adventure. “I know these are my last years and I know when I don’t have this, I’m going to miss it dearly because no matter how many things I find to do, nothing is going to be like this.”
No more big finals, potentially. No more nights like this, raw and glorious for his nation. And so, long before the celebrations, he cried. You could understand it.
(Top photos: Juan Mabromata; Buda Mendez; Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images; design: Ray Orr)
The napkin upon which Lionel Messi’s first Barcelona agreement was informally written has gone on sale at auction.
Bonhams — a privately owned, London-based international auction house — are running the auction until May 17, with a starting price of £220,000 ($274.55k), on behalf of Argentine player agent Horacio Gaggioli.
The agreement was reached on December 14, 2000, with Barcelona director Carles Rexach desperate for the club to sign Messi, then aged 13.
Messi had impressed during his two-week trial with Barcelona in September 2000, but the club was initially reluctant to sign such a young, non-European player.
Rexach became concerned that the Catalan club would miss out on the signing of Messi, who had returned to his home city of Rosario in Argentina.
Gaggioli told The Athletic last year that he had informed Rexach in December 2000 that if they could not commit to signing Messi — the teenager would be offered to other clubs, including Real Madrid.
Rexach invited Gaggioli to dinner in Barcelona to make a final decision over Messi, but there was one problem: Rexach did not have time to draw up or print out a contract but needed the relevant signatures on a document that would later become legally binding.
His solution was to take a napkin and write down contractual words which would then be signed by the relevant parties, to signal a legal commitment.
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The napkin read: “In Barcelona, on December 14, 2000, and in the presence of the gentleman (the agent, Josep Maria) Minguella and Horacio (Gaggioli), Carles Rexach, technical secretary of FCB, commits under his responsibility, despite the opinion of others who are against signing Lionel Messi, as long as the agreed fees are maintained.”
Rexach signed the napkin along with football agents, Minguella — who had worked on multiple Barca deals in the past, including Diego Maradona — and Gaggioli.
“This is one of the most thrilling items I have ever handled,” Ian Ehling, head of fine books and manuscripts at Bonhams New York said. “Yes, it’s a paper napkin, but it’s the famous napkin that was at the inception of Lionel Messi’s career.
“It changed the life of Messi, the future of FC Barcelona, and was instrumental in giving some of the most glorious moments of football to billions of fans around the globe.”
Messi made his Barcelona debut in 2004 and scored 672 goals for the club in 778 appearances before leaving in 2021 (Lluis Gene/AFP via Getty Images)
Commenting on the event years later, Gaggioli called it a “marvellous moment”.
“That napkin broke the deadlock,” he added.
“My lawyers looked at it. The napkin had everything: my name, his name, the date. It’s notarised. It was a legal document.
“It’ll be a part of me for the rest of my life. The napkin will always be at my side. I live in Andorra and I’ve kept the napkin in a safe inside a bank.”
On Wednesday, Minguella told Catalunya Radio that the napkin had been in his office for years and that he had offered Barcelona the chance to display it in the club’s museum.
He claims he did not receive a response from Barcelona and that he will now ask lawyers to discover who is the legal owner of the napkin and how anyone can prove that they legally own it to put it for sale.
Minguella has insisted he does not wish to profit from the napkin, but that he would prefer to see it in Barcelona’s museum or that if it is sold, for the money to go to the club’s foundation.
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While the summer transfer window looks set to be headlined by Kylian Mbappe and the saga of his potential switch from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid, the world’s biggest clubs will be on alert as they attempt to navigate the contract situations of some of the best players in the world.
Who might move? Who looks likely to stay at their club? Which teams are interested in Alphonso Davies and Joshua Kimmich, whose contracts also expire in 2025?
The Athletic explains below.
Mohamed Salah
Who is the player most synonymous with Liverpool’s success during the Jurgen Klopp era, if not Salah?
The Egypt international is out of action after suffering a hamstring injury during the Africa Cup of Nations. Still, he remains as important as ever to his club as they aim to win their second Premier League title.
The 31-year-old was the subject of significant interest during last summer’s transfer window, with Saudi club Al Ittihad testing Liverpool’s resolve with a bid of £150million ($188m), and this saga appears likely to continue into next summer providing the prolific forward does not sign a new contract.
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Sources close to Al Ittihad indicated they had not given up hope and were prepared to pay up to £200million for the most famous Arab footballer on the planet — a move that would place him alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar as poster boys for the Saudi Pro League. The package offered, understood to be worth around £1.5million ($1.9m) per week, around four times his current salary, would help grease the wheels, too.
Salah appears to be in his prime years, unlike Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, whom Liverpool sold to Saudi clubs last summer, and has shown no signs of agitating for a move. However, with Liverpool’s future uncertain in light of Klopp’s upcoming summer departure, Salah may want to wait for key roles to be addressed before committing his future to the club.
(John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Neymar
All is not well for Brazil’s biggest star in Saudi Arabia.
In recent weeks, he has addressed claims from Saudi supporters that he has put on weight during his injury rehabilitation, with Neymar responding in Portuguese, “Overweight, great. But fat? I don’t think so!” in a video posted on Instagram.
Due to his unfortunate start to life in Saudi, Neymar’s long-term future is in the air. With the World Cup coming to the United States in 2026, Brazil’s record goalscorer may want another attempt to win one of the only trophies that has evaded him, potentially opening the door for a return to Europe to ensure he plays at the highest level before the tournament. A homecoming to Brazil cannot be ruled out either, nor can staying with Al Hilal, where Neymar is due to earn an estimated $300million (£235m) over two years.
Lionel Messi
Fresh from being named men’s player of the year at the FIFA Best Awards in January, Messi is travelling the world on a pre-season tour with Inter Miami and a few of his best friends — Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
His decision to depart Europe for Major League Soccer before staying with PSG, returning to Barcelona or following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo and going to Saudi Arabia looks like the right one.
While his move has been an undoubted commercial success, the prospect of rejoining his hometown club in Argentina, Newell’s Old Boys, retains its appeal.
Messi will be 38 on the expiry of his contract, leaving the prospect of staying in Miami, returning to Rosario, or even retiring as genuine possibilities. As is customary for MLS players, his contract expires in December (the end of the American soccer season) rather than June, with an option to extend his deal until 2026, which would take him to the age of 39.
(Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Joshua Kimmich
Before Harry Kane’s arrival, Kimmich was arguably Bayern’s most important player.
Since joining the club in 2015 from RB Leipzig, the 28-year-old has made 248 league appearances and won eight Bundesliga titles, as well as the Champions League once. With Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller approaching the end of their careers, all seemed set for Kimmich to take over the mantle as club captain and play the remainder of his career in Bavaria — which makes it more surprising that his contract situation is not yet sorted.
Manchester City are exploring a move for the midfielder as they look for someone to play alongside Rodri, as well as providing cover for his position, but they know a deal will not be straightforward. If Kimmich does not sign a new contract with Bayern in the coming months, with negotiations yet to begin, the German giants are expected to put him up for sale in the summer. That would be a shocking development for a player that former club executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge described as “the embodiment of world class” in 2021.
Like in 2014, when Toni Kroos was allowed to depart for Real Madrid, Bayern could lose a top-class player in his prime for under market value.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Like Jamie Carragher or Steven Gerrard — up until his late-career move to the LA Galaxy — it is difficult to see Alexander-Arnold, who grew up a 10-minute drive away from Anfield, ever playing for a club other than Liverpool.
Having been promoted to vice-captain by Klopp before the start of the season, Alexander-Arnold has grown under the extra responsibility and he looks set to wear the armband permanently in the future. With 18 months remaining on his contract, Liverpool will look to tie down the 25-year-old to a long-term deal that reflects his importance to them.
While the departures of Klopp and his staff may complicate things slightly, given the German coach gave him his debut and has retained faith through more challenging moments in recent seasons, Alexander-Arnold is a bedrock for Liverpool to build on when they enter a new era.
Alphonso Davies
Alongside Kimmich and Leroy Sane, Davies rounds off the trio of world-class talents whose contracts are set to expire with Bayern in 2025.
Still only 23, Davies broke into Bayern’s first team in 2019 at 18 and has since won five Bundesliga titles and a Champions League. He’s already considered among the best full-backs in the world and there are few players, if any, who can replicate his pace and attacking quality in his position.
Bayern are expected to put him up for sale in the summer if they cannot agree a contract extension beforehand. Many clubs will be interested in a move this summer andReal Madrid are monitoring his situation. Considering he has started in all but one of the 27 games he has played for Bayern this season, they will not let him depart easily.
(Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Kevin De Bruyne
Despite missing half of the season through injury, it has not taken long for De Bruyne to find his best form. In his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury on the season’s opening day, he scored and assisted in City’s 3-2 win against Newcastle United in January.
On January 31, in his first start back, he assisted Julian Alvarez as City made light work of Burnley in a 3-1 win. For almost any other player with De Bruyne’s injury history, a club with City’s resources would likely be searching around Europe for his immediate replacement. Still, the Belgian is arguably the best midfielder in the world and any alternative in the same position would be a certain downgrade.
Given De Bruyne’s age (32) and injury history, it would be irresponsible for City not to be preparing alternatives. With most clubs in Europe unable to offer a salary he would demand, there are very few realistic options available, particularly if he can put his recent injury woes behind him, and City will be keen to keep their star creator.
Leroy Sane
After three years in Munich, Sane has found his best career form under Thomas Tuchel. In 20 Bundesliga matches this season, he has scored eight goals and laid on 11 assists, an excellent return for the wide player who has adjusted brilliantly to the arrival of Kane.
Yet if his contract is not renewed in the coming months, Sane will likely be put up for sale in the summer. Expect Bayern to be keen to renew his deal, given his immediate connection with Kane, but the former Manchester City man will have suitors.
The prospect of attracting the versatile 28-year-old — a left-footed wide player capable of playing on either wing — at a cut price means top European clubs will keep an eye on his situation before this summer’s transfer window.
Son Heung-min
Following the departures of Hugo Lloris and Kane from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, Son has taken on the mantle as club captain and star player this season. Under Ange Postecoglou, the South Korea international has put last season’s struggles behind him — scoring 12 goals and adding five assists in 20 league games.
Son signed his most recent deal in 2021, a four-year contract with an option to extend by a year — something Tottenham are expected to do. But this will likely be Son’s last major contract as he will turn 34 in 2026.
Since being given the captain’s armband by Klopp in pre-season, Virgil van Dijk has quietened suggestions that his prime years are behind him with some dominant performances at the heart of Liverpool’s defence. But with 18 months remaining on his contract, he and Liverpool are caught in a dilemma.
Van Dijk is one of the Premier League’s greatest centre-backs, combining athleticism, technical quality and defensive anticipation in a way that few have ever done, making Liverpool’s decision whether to invest heavily in the future more challenging.
He is turning 33 this summer and there will be question marks on whether he can replicate his best form as his physical qualities decline, particularly as Van Dijk is one of the club’s highest-paid players.
With Klopp’s departure this summer, Liverpool’s future is still being determined. Asked whether he sees himself as part of the next era, Van Dijk responded: “That’s a big question. I don’t know.” He later clarified that he is still “fully committed to the club”, indicating he is not considering his long-term future while Liverpool remain in the hunt for four trophies this season.
It seems the right decision for all parties for Toney to depart Brentford this summer. After serving an eight-month ban for betting offences, the England striker has returned to action in excellent form, scoring two goals in two league matches — immediately picking up where he left off last season, where he was one of only three players to score 20 Premier League goals or more.
Fortunately for suitors, Toney has made it clear he sees his long-term future away from Brentford several times.
“You can never predict when the right time to move elsewhere is but I think it’s obvious I want to play for a top club,” Toney told Sky Sports in January. “Everybody wants to play for a top club, (one) fighting for titles. Whether it’s this January that is the right time for a club to come in and pay the right money, who knows?”
In January, Brentford head coach Thomas Frank said it would take an “unbelievable price” to take Toney away from the west Londoners. Still, with one year remaining on his deal in the summer, it would be in the club’s best interests to facilitate a move, with their star striker seemingly seeing his future elsewhere.
Warren Zaire-Emery
PSG are known for producing some of the best talent in Europe. Kingsley Coman, Adrien Rabiot, Christopher Nkunku, Patrice Evra and Nicolas Anelka have all graduated from the Parisians’ academy in the last three decades. Zaire-Emery could turn out to be the best out of the lot.
The 17-year-old has already made his international debut, becoming the youngest player to be called up for France since 1914, scoring a goal in a 14-0 win over Gibraltar. As a versatile midfielder capable of playing as a No 6, 8 and 10, he has drawn comparison to Jude Bellingham, three years his elder. Zaire-Emery is a different type of player but they share world-class potential.
So PSG, who are preparing for the eventual departure of Mbappe, will be keen to tie Zaire-Emery down long term. Born in Montreuil, an eastern suburb around 6km from the centre of Paris, he is the ideal face of a post-Mbappe PSG. If discussions stall, however, expect all of Europe’s top clubs to react quickly.
(Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
Weston McKennie
For those who followed Leeds United’s relegation from the Premier League last season, it might be a shock to see McKennie starting regularly for Juventus. Under Massimiliano Allegri, however, he has developed into a critical cog in Juventus’s midfield as they compete to win Serie A.
With a home World Cup in 2026, McKennie will want to play regular club football to ensure he retains an important role for the United States. Clubs needing a high-energy midfielder will monitor his situation if he falls out of favour. Until then, though, McKennie looks settled and happy in Turin.
If Almada departs Atlanta United this summer, he will likely become the most expensive player to leave Major League Soccer in its history. The record is Miguel Almiron’s transfer from Atlanta to Newcastle United for £21million ($27m) in 2019, and Almada, already a World Cup winner with Argentina, is expected to fetch around $30m.
Like Toney, Almada is keen to secure a move to a top European club. Eager to take advantage of a franchise-altering fee, Atlanta will facilitate a transfer, providing a club meets their valuation. They will have slightly more time than Brentford, however, as the 22-year-old’s deal expires in December 2025. Still, given the potential for a big sale, the MLS outfit will be keen not to let the value decline by allowing Almada’s contract to run down.
As the England international is an academy-trained player, a fee received for Gallagher will count as pure profit in the club’s accounts. Having spent over £1billion since Chelsea’s owners took over in May 2022, the money will help when it comes to Profit and Sustainability rules. However, Gallagher has played regularly under Mauricio Pochettino and has worn the armband several times this season — indicating the manager’s trust in him.
A potential departure may upset Chelsea fans, who have seen academy graduates depart frequently in recent seasons, but if there were a decision to part ways, the 23-year-old would not be short of suitors.
The napkin upon which Lionel Messi’s first Barcelona agreement was informally written will be sold at auction.
Bonhams — a privately owned, London-based international auction house — will run the auction between March 18-27, with a starting price of £300,000 ($381k), on behalf of Argentine player agent Horacio Gaggioli.
The agreement was reached on December 14, 2000, with Barcelona director Carles Rexach desperate for the club to sign Messi, then aged 13.
Messi had impressed during his two-week trial with Barcelona in September 2000, but the club was initially reluctant to sign such a young, non-European player.
Rexach became concerned that the Catalan club would miss out on the signing of Messi, who had returned to his home city of Rosario in Argentina.
Gaggioli told The Athletic last year that he had informed Rexach in December 2000 that if they could not commit to signing Messi — the teenager would be offered to other clubs, including Real Madrid.
Rexach invited Gaggioli to dinner in Barcelona to make a final decision over Messi, but there was one problem: Rexach did not have time to draw up or print out a contract but needed the relevant signatures on a document that would later become legally binding.
His solution was to take a napkin and write down contractual words which would then be signed by the relevant parties, to signal a legal commitment.
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The napkin read: “In Barcelona, on December 14, 2000, and in the presence of the gentleman (the agent, Josep Maria) Minguella and Horacio (Gaggioli), Carles Rexach, technical secretary of FCB, commits under his responsibility, despite the opinion of others who are against signing Lionel Messi, as long as the agreed fees are maintained.”
Rexach signed the napkin along with football agents, Minguella — who had worked on multiple Barca deals in the past, including Diego Maradona — and Gaggioli.
“This is one of the most thrilling items I have ever handled,” Ian Ehling, head of fine books and manuscripts at Bonhams New York said. “Yes, it’s a paper napkin, but it’s the famous napkin that was at the inception of Lionel Messi’s career.
“It changed the life of Messi, the future of FC Barcelona, and was instrumental in giving some of the most glorious moments of football to billions of fans around the globe.”
Messi made his Barcelona debut in 2004 and scored 672 goals for the club in 778 appearances before leaving in 2021 (Lluis Gene/AFP via Getty Images)
Commenting on the event years later, Gaggioli called it a “marvellous moment”.
“That napkin broke the deadlock,” he added.
“My lawyers looked at it. The napkin had everything: my name, his name, the date. It’s notarised. It was a legal document.
“It’ll be a part of me for the rest of my life. The napkin will always be at my side. I live in Andorra and I’ve kept the napkin in a safe inside a bank.”
On Wednesday, Minguella told Catalunya Radio that the napkin had been in his office for years and that he had offered Barcelona the chance to display it in the club’s museum.
He claims he did not receive a response from Barcelona and that he will now ask lawyers to discover who is the legal owner of the napkin and how anyone can prove that they legally own it to put it for sale.
Minguella has insisted he does not wish to profit from the napkin, but that he would prefer to see it in Barcelona’s museum or that if it is sold, for the money to go to the club’s foundation.
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There may not be a soccer player on the world stage more divisive and controversial than Uruguay’s Luis Suarez. Throughout the course of his 18-year career, the 36-year-old forward who is finalizing a move to Inter Miami has been accused of racism and called a cheat. He has been banned on three separate occasions for biting opponents during matches, both at the club and international levels. Many fans around the world see him as the devil incarnate.
Suarez is also among the best goalscorers that the sport has ever produced.
The anthology of his career exploits is best summed up by his numerous nicknames. Suarez was the “S” in “MSN” — the acronym used to describe the legendary three-man Barcelona strike force of Lionel Messi, Suarez and Neymar. His oldest nickname relates to his signature goal celebration. He points both hands like he’s carrying two guns and fires off several imaginary rounds, earning the moniker “El Pistolero” (The Gunman) for his lethal scoring talents. But in 2010, Suarez was also dubbed the “Cannibal of Ajax.”
He was the captain of Dutch giants AFC Ajax that season when he inexplicably bit PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal on the shoulder during a match. The incident occurred inches away from the referee, but Suarez was not punished.
There was no video assistant referee (VAR) at the time, but because of the overwhelming video evidence, Ajax suspended Suarez for two matches after the incident. The Dutch Football Federation then charged Suarez with committing a violent act and doubled down by handing the Uruguayan a seven-game ban of their own. He would not play again for Ajax, but his more than 80 goals across four seasons caught the eye of Liverpool. Despite that biting incident and subsequent suspension, the Premier League club signed Suarez in the winter of 2011.
Further controversy soon followed. During a match against rivals Manchester United that season, Suarez was accused of using a racist slur toward United defender Patrice Evra, who is Black. Evra said that Suarez had referred to him using the N-word. Suarez in turn admitted to saying “negro” (pronounced “neh-gro” in Spanish) in the same way a Spanish speaker may refer to someone as “flaco” (skinny) or “rubio” (blonde), he claimed.
Backed by Liverpool, Suarez maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty when the English FA began its investigation. He was ultimately given an eight-match ban for racially abusing Evra. In a 2014 book written by Suarez titled “Crossing the line: My Story,” Suarez insisted that he is not a racist.
“I was horrified when I first realized that is what I was being accused of,” Suarez wrote. “And I’m still sad and angry to think that this is a stain on my character that will probably be there forever. Put ‘Luis Suárez’ into an internet search engine and up comes the word ‘racist.’ It’s a stain that is there forever. And it is one that I feel I do not deserve.”
Two seasons later, Suarez attacked Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic with another ferocious bite to the forearm. A horrified Ivanovic fell to the ground as Suarez acted as if nothing had happened. But, once again, consequences soon followed. Suarez was handed a 10-game ban.
Ivanovic pushes Suarez away after getting bit on the arm on April 21, 2013. (Photo: ANDREW YATES/AFP via Getty Images)
Suarez phoned Ivanovic after the bite and apologized. The Serbian defender would later refer to the ordeal as “really strange.”
“When it happened I was surprised and angry. But after the game I calmed down and all was forgotten,” Ivanovic said. “We spoke on the phone, I accepted his apology, the police did not press charges.”
A little over a year later, at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Suarez bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder during a group stage match in Natal. Suarez’s chomp was clear as day, and despite the tooth marks on Chiellin’s shoulder, Suarez again escaped the referee’s punishment in the moment.
“Dare I say it. He’s had a little bite at Chiellini,” said television analyst Stuart Robson that day, after the broadcast replayed the moment. “Surely not again. Surely. Not. Again,” replied commentator Jon Champion, clearly stunned by what he had witnessed. Soon after, FIFA suspended Suarez for nine games, ending his World Cup, plus an additional four-month ban from club and international soccer.
Chiellini shows the bite marks on his shoulder while Suarez holds his teeth during the 2014 World Cup match. (Photo: DANIEL GARCIA/AFP via Getty Images)
Four years earlier in South Africa, Suarez was branded a cheat by an entire continent. During an intense World Cup quarterfinal between Uruguay and Ghana, Suarez intentionally handled the ball inside his own penalty area in a desperate bid to prevent what would have been a decisive goal for Ghana. With the match tied 1-1 late in extra time, Suarez parried away Dominic Adiyiah’s header with both hands, preventing a surefire winner for the African nation. A penalty was awarded to Ghana and Suarez was sent off, leaving the field in tears.
With the chance to secure the first-ever World Cup semifinal berth for an African country, Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan clattered his penalty kick off the crossbar. Suarez, who had made his way to the stadium’s tunnel following his ejection, ran out and celebrated, to the ire of Ghanaian faithful. Uruguay would win in a penalty shootout and advance to the semifinal.
If Diego Maradona’s goal against England at the 1986 World Cup was deemed the Hand of God, Suarez’s two-handed goal line save was quite the opposite.
“The whole of Ghana hates him and the whole of Africa hates him,” former Ghana midfielder Ibrahim Ayew told The Athletic last year.
Uruguay and Ghana met again at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in the final match of the group stage for both teams. Naturally, talk of revenge for Ghana dominated the headlines. The day prior to the match, Uruguay surprisingly made Suarez available to reporters, fueling the fires for one of the tournament’s most anticipated clashes. Inside a nearly packed auditorium at the Qatar National Convention Center, Suarez held court.
Right away, a Ghanaian reporter referenced the handball, asking Suarez if he had ever considered apologizing for that decision. The reporter told Suarez that in Ghana, Suarez was considered “el diablo, or the devil himself.” Mild laughter was heard from those in attendance. Suarez, though, never cracked a smile.
“The first time, I didn’t apologize about that because I took the handball, but the Ghana player missed a penalty. Not me,” Suarez replied in English. “Maybe I can apologize if I make a tackle, injure the player and take a red card. Maybe I would apologize. But in this situation I took the red card. The referee called a penalty. It’s not my fault because I didn’t miss the penalty. The player who missed the penalty, he’d do the same (as me) in this situation. It’s not my responsibility to shoot the penalty.”
Suarez then accepted that he had “f—ed up” when he bit Chiellini in 2014. “Did I mess up? Yes. I accepted it,” Suarez said. There was no apology for Evra, however. Uruguay would go on to defeat Ghana 2-0 behind an inspired Suarez. But the win wasn’t enough. Uruguay were eliminated in the group stage on goal differential. Ghana, too, were out of the World Cup, but the Ghanaian fans cheered when a tearful Suarez was shown on the stadium’s big screen.
Suarez was overcome with emotion after Uruguay was eliminated at the 2022 World Cup. (Photo: Maja Hitij – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
The Ghanaians will always view Suarez as a lawbreaker, but the Uruguayan remains a respected and revered player in Liverpool and Catalunya. After winning his first European Golden Shoe (given to the top scorer on the continent) with Liverpool in 2014, Suarez joined Barcelona that summer and clicked immediately with Neymar and Messi, his good friend. Suarez was clearly one of the best strikers in the world — a tenacious goal scorer and a big-game performer. He scored 198 goals in six seasons for the Catalan club, forming a telepathic relationship with Messi on the pitch, and close bond with the Argentine and his family off it.
Suarez won four La Liga titles, another European Golden Shoe, and a Champions League trophy with Barcelona. His intelligent movement and clinical finishing made him a centerpiece of every team he played for, enticing clubs to look past his list of transgressions. However, the combination of relentless production and nefarious behavior cemented Suarez as one of the game’s great villains in the eyes of many around he world.
After the World Cup in Qatar last year, Suarez, then a free agent, returned to his boyhood club Nacional de Montevideo to a hero’s welcome, complete with a viral social media campaign that captivated the soccer world. Nacional is one of Uruguay’s biggest clubs and a three-time Copa Libertadores champion. Suarez debuted for Nacional as an 18-year-old in 2005.
Today Suarez is a club legend. He solidified that status after he led Nacional to a league title last fall. Curiously, his brace last October against Uruguayan side Liverpool (not to be confused with Suarez’s previous employer in England) clinched the league championship. Suarez then moved to Brazilian club Gremio in January of this year. Gremio is a former South American powerhouse that was relegated to Brazil’s second division in 2021. There, too, Suarez became a club idol. He finished with 27 goals in 52 appearances with Gremio, adding two domestic trophies.
When Messi signed for Inter Miami last summer, reports immediately linked old friend Suarez with a move to south Florida. A reunion with Messi felt inevitable when the Argentine’s former Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba quickly joined him. However, Suarez, who acts as his own agent, continually denied speaking to Miami. He also told reporters in Brazil in July why he had sought to end his contract with Gremio one year early, which raised questions about his view of the standards of MLS.
“I feel that next year I will not be able to perform due to my fitness and the high demands of the Brazilian championship, which is why the club and I have spoken about ending my contract (with Gremio) a year early,” Suarez said. “That would be in December (of 2023). The club agreed and I’m grateful to them. I don’t know if I’ll continue to play somewhere else because I have a chronic issue with my knee that you all know about.”
Yet, he’s now set to continue his career in MLS.
Uruguayan journalist and television commentator Rodrigo Romano, who has followed Suarez’s career from the start, calls Suarez “a peculiar person” and someone who is prone to emotional outbursts. That doesn’t diminish his standing in Uruguay, though.
“Luis is an icon,” Romano told The Athletic. “And that goes beyond the historical statistics that he holds as the national team’s all-time leading goal scorer. He has a unique sporting resilience that allows him to get up when he’s knocked down and do fantastic things. I think he’s the most important striker in the history of Uruguayan football. That’s the best way to define Suarez.”
In 2011, Suarez helped Uruguay win their 15th Copa América title and was named the tournament’s best player, one year after Uruguay’s semifinal run at the World Cup. The national team has always been Suarez’s refuge — an insulated environment devoid of criticism. Thanks to his success with his country, Suarez became the rare player who could play for Nacional and still be respected by fans of archrival Peñarol whenever he wore the Uruguay shirt.
“That’s very unique,” Romano said.
“Suarez always found a special place within the national team in spite of the badge that he represented,” continued Romano. “From day one, the people in Uruguay have protected him. He has always been embraced by the fans in Uruguay.”
That support came during Suarez’s darkest moments. He isn’t a villain in his home country. Suarez’s attitude and fighting spirit are embraced as part of the garra Charrúa — Uruguay’s sporting identity, one of perseverance and courage.
“The people in Uruguay backed him after the incident with Chiellini at the World Cup in Brazil, and after the accusations of racism towards Patrick Evra, which could never be proven,” said Romano. “He was persecuted in England and that created a sense of victimization. That’s what happened with Luis.”
Suarez’s international future was in doubt after the 2022 World Cup. And when Marcelo Bielsa took over as the national team’s manager in May, bringing with him his traditional high-tempo, high-pressing tactics, Suarez’s regular place in the team was in jeopardy.
After the first four matches of the South American 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Suarez was not called up. Bielsa finally included Suarez in round five against Argentina, a match that Uruguay won 2-0 in Buenos Aires. Suarez did not play, but he was briefly reunited with Messi.
The former Barcelona teammates hugged each other before the match, and will now begin the final chapter of their careers together in MLS. Suarez is coming to America, but not to rescue his career. Not to reshape his image, either.
Suarez is coming to MLS to be who he has always been — a dangerous player in more ways than one.
(Top photo: Richard Ducker/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Soccer superstar Lionel Messi’s move to Major League Soccer has made an impact on ticket sales, as prices for late-season games in the U.S. have surged by over 1,700% on the secondary market, compared with last year.
Messi signed a blockbuster contract with the club Inter Miami CF in July for $50 million to $60 million per year, which includes an equity stake in the team, CNN reports. Messi also signed undisclosed revenue-sharing agreements with Apple TV and Adidas.
Messi coming to the U.S. has created a surge of interest in the team and MLS, which isn’t commonly considered among the world’s top-tier leagues in terms of overall talent.
With Messi’s signing, subscriptions to “MLS Season Pass” on Apple TV have doubled, according to Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas. Inter Miami’s Instagram account has grown from 1 million to 14 million followers, according to the Miami Herald. And demand for Messi-branded jerseys has been so strong that the MLS’ official online store has pushed off delivery on orders until as late as October.
Perhaps most strikingly, Inter Miami ticket prices have increased for both home and away games.
For home games, the average list price on the secondary market is up from $152 to $864 since Messi’s signing, an increase of 468% as of Aug. 18, according to data provided by TicketIQ.
The effect is more pronounced for the away games, which include larger markets such as New York and Los Angeles. For all remaining away games combined, average ticket prices are up by 1,002% compared with last year, as of Aug. 15.
Here’s a look at the average ticket prices for Inter Miami’s remaining games this season.
For an upcoming game against the New York Red Bulls, the average ticket price is $1,674. Last year, the average ticket price against the same team was only $90 — a 1,760% difference.
Similarly, the average ticket price for a game against rival Orlando City SC was only $97 in 2022, but has skyrocketed to $1,755 with Messi’s arrival — a 1,709% difference.
Even the cheap seats have bumped up in price. The lowest-cost ticket for a game against the New York Red Bulls has shot up from around $36 to $578 with Messi’s arrival, according to TicketIQ data. Likewise, the cheapest ticket for a match against Chicago Fire FC was $23 last year but has since climbed to $192.
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MIAMI (AP) — A hamburger and drink combination called the Lionel Messi. A huge sketch of the soccer star’s smiling face on a restaurant wall beside a viral meme from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A beer with a pink label matching the color of the Inter Miami jersey he will wear.
Wherever you turn in Miami these days something reminds you of the arrival of the Argentine soccer legend.
There is no hiding the euphoria generated by Messi in Miami as he begins the new Major League Soccer phase of his career in one of the most Latino cities in the United States. But his arrival is also bringing a note of sadness as fans know that at age 36 he is nearing the end of his career.
Nigeria and South Africa have been drawn in the same World Cup qualifying group in a re-shaped African competition that will lead to at least nine teams at the 2026 showpiece in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Manchester City has topped the list of FIFA payments to clubs whose players were selected for the 32 national teams in Qatar.
The Women’s World Cup will be played with new programs in place to help protect players and other participants.
At the behest of players from across the globe, FIFA has agreed that a chunk of the prize money pool at the Women’s World Cup go straight to the players — all 732 of them.
Messi announced on June 7 that he will play for Inter Miami in a move that is expected to energize soccer in the United States and South Florida with one of the sporting world’s best-known figures. More than 100,000 Argentines live in Miami, which will host World Cup matches in 2026.
The seven-time winner of the Ballon d’Or, the soccer world’s most prestigious individual award, is coming off two years with Paris Saint-Germain and is expected to make his Inter Miami debut against Mexican team Cruz Azul on July 21.
Staff at the Fiorito restaurant pose in front of a mural of Lionel Messi to celebrate after the Argentine soccer star announced he is joining the Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
In a career spanning more than 17 years with his country’s national team, Messi has scored more than 100 goals, including two against France at the 2022 World Cup final, a match Argentina won on penalties.
“I love that he’s in Miami because my children will be able to experience him like I experienced (fellow Argentina soccer star Diego) Maradona,” said Maximiliano Alvarez, one of the owners of the Fiorito restaurant, where a wall has a giant mural of Messi. “It also makes me sad, nostalgic, because it looks like it is the beginning of his retirement.”
“Coming to this league is not the same as playing in the European league,” said the Argentine businessman.
Álvarez and his brother Cristian had the original mural with Messi’s face painted in the restaurant in 2018, when many people criticized the soccer star for his role in the Argentine national team’s poor performance. His idea was to honor him and the resilience he brings, never giving up.
In 2021, they renovated the restaurant in Little Haiti in northeast Miami with another mural of Messi on the same wall, this one by Chilean-American artist Claudio Picasso.
On the walls of another restaurant called Kao Bar & Grill, in the Hallandale Beach area north of Miami Beach, Messi’s meme ”¡Andá pa’ alla bobo!” “Go over there, fool!” is immortalized along with a giant drawing of the soccer star.
Art depicting Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi adorns the wall at Kao Bar & Grill in Hallandale Beach, Fla., Monday, July 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Angry after Argentina’s heated victory over the Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup, Messi said those words to a Dutch player who was passing by while he was being interviewed.
Messi, who is known for his calm and cautious way of speaking, repented the comment, which immediately went viral.
“He regretted it, obviously … but it was left as a joke,” said Augusto Falopapas, the artist who drew the meme on the restaurant’s wall.
To the south, in Wynwood district, an area near downtown Miami known for its warehouse-turned-art galleries, other artists have painted murals of Messi. There are two giant images of the player, one with a smiling face, the other with him running as if in a game. And there are plans for more, including a 10-meter-high (32-foot-high) mural of Messi kissing the World Cup in an open parking lot.
Messi’s arrival has also impacted breweries like Prison Pals Brewing Co., which sells a beer bearing Messi’s number 10. The can is painted pink with black lettering, a replica of Inter Miami’s colors.
A bartender pours a beer brewed by the Prison Pals Brewery, labeled GOAT 10 in honor of Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi, at the Prison Pals Taproom, Tuesday, July 11, 2023, in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
The Argentine grill The Knife offers a Messi mojito and the Hard Rock Cafe is launching a new “Messi Chicken Sandwich” made from the soccer star’s favorite “milanesas.” Messi t-shirts, pants, sweatshirts with a hood and water bottles will also be for sale.
“When we found out that he decided to choose Miami as his South Florida home, it was incredible for us,” said Elena Alvarez, vice president of global sales for Hard Rock International. “We are very, very grateful and we have him as a brand ambassador and we are launching (the new sandwich) at the same time that he is moving here.”
Near Miami Beach, at the Café Ragazzi of Argentine-Venezuelan singer-songwriter Ricardo Montaner, they are welcoming his return.
Messi was there on vacation after he won the America’s Cup with Argentina in 2021. The star caused an uproar in the restaurant as fans came to greet him, forcing staff, including waiters and kitchen workers, to form a wall around him to protect him and allow him to exit to his car.
Now they want to offer the soccer legend more privacy and are thinking of putting up curtains.
Emiliano Valdés, the café’s general manager, said “He is revolutionizing the entire city,” and that Miami is welcoming Messi “with open arms.”
The curtain has come down on the 2022 MLS regular season, with 14 teams now preparing to contest the MLS Cup playoffs and another 14 waiting to watch them from home. There will be sides in both of those camps that likely are surprised to find themselves in the positions they occupy, for better or worse; such has been the unpredictable-as-ever nature of this campaign.
Few could’ve predicted Austin FC would be near the top of the Western Conference after a ho-hum inaugural season, while the New England Revolution following up a record-setting 2021 by missing the playoffs would’ve been met with similarly long odds eight months ago. That LAFC and the Philadelphia Union fought over the Supporters’ Shield all season, that was perhaps less surprising.
To definitively explain how these teams performed in 2022, ESPN asked Jeff Carlisle, Kyle Bonagura, Bill Connelly, Cesar Hernandez and Austin Lindberg to think back to the start of the year, consider each team’s expectations and deliver a final letter grade for all 28 sides.
Record: 10W-10D-14L Standing: 40 points, 11th in the East Grade: F
Based on points, Atlanta wasn’t the worst team in MLS, but considering the fact that its payroll of $21 million was the highest in MLS, combined with the fact that it finished 23rd out of 28 teams in the full league table, a failing grade is appropriate.
Sure, the numbers provided by the MLSPA don’t paint a complete picture. Season-ending injuries to the likes of defender Miles Robinson, midfielder Ozzie Alonso and goalkeeper Brad Guzan didn’t help. Neither did the continued drama surrounding striker Josef Martinez, but there was still enough talent on this team to at least get into the playoffs, and the Five Stripes didn’t get it done. The 2023 campaign is shaping up to be a put up or shut up year for manager Gonzalo Pineda. — Carlisle
Record: 16W-8D-10L Standing: 56 points, 2nd in West Grade: A-
FiveThirtyEight gave them a 31% chance of making the playoffs before the season and listed them as one of six teams with a less than 1% chance of winning the MLS Cup. But their early play was so strong that they had all but locked up a playoff spot by July, and now only LAFC, Philadelphia and Montreal have demonstrably better title odds.
They wobbled over the final month, losing five of their last 10, and we’ll see what legs they have left for the playoffs, especially in defense. But they’re here. Sebastian Driussi finished with 22 goals and seven assists in a possible MVP season, Diego Fagundez had six goals and 15 assists, and all in all, Austin FC enjoyed a miraculous second season. — Connelly
Record: 13W-3D-18L Standing: 42 points, 9th in East Grade: B+
They were top-3 in attendance, and thanks to a late hot streak they weren’t eliminated from the playoff race until the final week of their debut season. (And they pulled that off with an interim coach, Christian Lattanzio leading the way for more than half the season.) That is a success story in and of itself.
In the end, they just didn’t have enough firepower. They were 21st in goals scored — only Karol Swiderski hit double digits for the season — and opponents attempted far more shots than they did. But you can see the makings of a proper possession club here, and it will be interesting to see how they attempt to build on that this coming offseason. — Connelly
Record: 10W-9D-15L Standing: 39 points, 12th in East Grade: C-
There was a significant amount to feel positive about in the Windy City in 2022. Xherdan Shaqiri accumulated 18 direct goal contributions in his first season in the league, 18-year-old Gabriel Slonina emerged as one of the brightest goalkeeping prospects in recent memory (and subsequently sealed a transfer to Chelsea in the process), and 18-year-old forward Jhon Duran‘s debut campaign was so impressive (eight goals and three assists in just 1,274 minutes) that he earned a senior call-up with Colombia.
And yet, despite all that momentum, the Fire still finished 12th in the Eastern Conference and were eliminated from playoff contention with two matchdays left in the regular season. If Chicago’s reward for their promise in 2022 is the transfer fee generated by Slonina’s exit (and potentially Duran’s, too, with Chelsea and Liverpool credited with interest), then it’s hard to escape the conclusion that the club is facing another season of rebuilding in 2023. — Lindberg
Record: 12W-13D-9L Standing: 49 points, 5th in East Grade: A+
Qualifying for the playoffs for the very first time after spending the previous three seasons with the worst record in MLS? Not bad from FCC. It took until Decision Day and a result over bottom-of-the-table D.C. United, but Cincinnati made a statement with a 5-2 victory in the final weekend of the regular season.
The rebuild project under general manager Chris Albright and head coach Pat Noonan has undoubtedly been a success in 2022. They may not last long in the playoffs with their fragile defense, but they’ll be fun to watch if attack-minded players such as Brandon Vazquez, Luciano Acosta and Brenner continue to step up. — Hernandez
Record: 11W-10D-13L Standing: 43 points, 10th in West Grade: C-
A year after topping the Western Conference with 61 points, the Rapids swiftly fell back into obscurity. Only one team in the conference (San Jose) allowed more than the 57 goals conceded by Colorado, which gave up just 35 a year ago.
At the most basic level, the regression is easy to understand. Over the last year-plus, the Rapids have lost midfielders Kellyn Acosta and Cole Bassett and defenders Sam Vines and Auston Trusty without coming close to replacing them with players at the same level. The most high-profile acquisition was striker Gyasi Zardes, who in 26 matches scored nine goals. However, the Rapids won just twice in his first 11 appearances, which derailed the season by the middle of the summer. — Bonagura
Record: 10W-16D-8L Standing: 46 points, 8th in East Grade: C-
Is this a good time to bring up the fact that head coach Caleb Porter said, “I’d bet my house” on Columbus making the playoffs?
Needing at least a tie on Decision Day to earn a playoff spot after failing to qualify last year, the Crew tripped over themselves once again through a 2-1 loss to Orlando. The defeat, which featured a second half game winner for Orlando from Facundo Torres, felt indicative of a Columbus squad that has become accustomed to closing out games all season.
Questions will need to be answered by Porter, who often found himself stuck in draws and narrow results. Over the past year, it’s difficult to say that much progress has been made by the players or the coach. — Hernandez
Record: 7W-6D-21L Standing: 27 points, 14th in East Grade: F
The District was a case study in Murphy’s Law in 2022. Paul Arriola was transferred to Dallas, where he enjoyed a career year; Julian Gressel was shipped to Vancouver, where his rate of a direct goal contribution every 346 minutes was slashed to one every 220; manager Hernan Losada was fired; new coach Wayne Rooney finished the year with a 2W-3D-8L record; and star forward Taxi Fountas is being investigated for using a racial slur in a loss to Miami last month.
This was a season when D.C. were meant to establish themselves as postseason contenders. Little more than seven months after the campaign began, it’s hard to name a club further away from contention. — Lindberg
Record: 14W-11D-9L Standing: 53 points, 3rd in West Grade: B+
In his first season with the club, manager Nico Estevez has been decisive in the efforts that have helped Dallas return to the playoffs after missing out in 2021. With only 37 goals allowed all season and important saves from Maarten Paes, Dallas’ defensive prowess was influential in their top-third finish in the Western Conference table.
Which isn’t to say that their frontline should be ignored. Twenty-one-year-old USMNT striker Jesus Ferreira was one of the best in the league with his 18 goals and six assists. In support, others such as Paul Arriola, Alan Velasco and Sebastian Lletget also stepped up in crucial moments. — Hernandez
Record: 10W-6D-18L Standing: 36 points, 13th in West Grade: D
The growing pains of a new era? Even with majority owner Ted Segal taking charge since 2021 through front-office hirings (including a first-ever role for a technical director) and the marquee signing of Mexican international Hector Herrera, nobody was able to halt a dismal run of form that led to a failure to qualify for the playoffs and the firing of head coach Paulo Nagamura.
Nagamura’s replacement will be tasked with not only finding the right combination to work with Herrera, but also reviving a team that hasn’t earned a playoff invitation since 2017.
Record: 14W-6D-14L Standing: 48 points, 6th in East Grade: B
Inter woke up! After finishing 10th and 11th in the East, respectively, in their first two seasons of existence, Phil Neville’s squad looked well on the way to making it three straight playoff-free years before turning on the jets. After August 1, they generated more points than any MLS team besides Montreal, nearly succumbing to a late-August funk but rallying — thanks in part to one last hot streak from retiring striker Gonzalo Higuain — to snare the No. 6 seed in the Eastern playoffs.
This is neither a young nor particularly creative team, but making the postseason was the goal and they did so. — Connelly
Record: 21W-4D-9L Standing: 67 points, 1st in West Grade: A
After compiling an 18-4-3 record, LAFC’s procession to the Supporters’ Shield took a minor detour at one point. But a 1-4-1 stretch run raised all kinds of questions, such as if adding the likes of Gareth Bale, Denis Bouanga and Giorgio Chiellini might have unsettled the squad with the playoffs approaching. Philadelphia, all of a sudden, was in with a shout of catching the Black-and-Gold, but timely wins against Houston and Portland allowed LAFC to finish with a kick and claim the Shield.
Considering that this side missed the playoffs last year and underwent a considerable overhaul in terms of personnel, it’s an impressive accomplishment for the club and first-year manager Steve Cherundolo. Now the MLS Cup beckons. — Carlisle
Record: 14W-8D-12L Standing: 50 points, 4th in West Grade: B
What a second half of the year for the Galaxy. At the All-Star break point, they were floundering in ninth place in the Western Conference, with the postseason not worth discussing. Since then, the conversation has changed. Los Angeles rose all the way to fourth in the conference to earn a home playoff game (Nashville, Oct. 15) and are very much among the contenders to win the whole thing.
A lot of that turnaround has be credited to the acquisition of Riqui Puig. In his 10 appearances (9 starts), the Galaxy is 4-5-1 and he contributed eight goal contributions (3 goals, 5 assists). In the 22 games prior to Puig’s arrival this season, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez had 11 goal contributions (10 goals, 1 assist) and averaged 0.5 goals per 90 minutes. In the 10 games after Puig arrived, Chicharito’s production took off. He averaged 0.91 goals per 90 minutes and had nearly as many goal contributions (8 goals, 1 assist) in fewer than half as many games. — Bonagura
Record: 14W-6D-14L Standing: 48 points, 6th in West Grade: B-
There was no more up-and-down team in MLS in 2022 than the Loons. From May to the end of June, Minnesota lost seven of 10 games — including a U.S. Open Cup round-of-16 defeat to third-tier Union Omaha — before following that up with a stretch of nine wins in their next 12, only to finish the campaign by losing five of their last seven. In the end, this was a team that did just enough to sneak into the playoffs.
Injuries undoubtedly played a role: Hassani Dotson played 630 minutes before he was lost for the season to a torn ACL, Romain Metanire featured for just 22 minutes as he rehabbed a series of hamstring injuries, and Bakaye Dibassy missed the final seven matches of the season (and won’t be available for the playoffs) after suffering a ruptured quadriceps tendon. However, the Loons had the fourth-oldest squad in MLS in 2022, and their young players have done little to suggest they’re ready to take this team to the next level. — Lindberg
Record: 20W-5D-9L Standing: 65 points, 2nd in East Grade: A
Behold, the power of continuity. Montreal came into 2022 having missed the (full-season) playoffs every year since 2016 and only made a couple of real offseason moves (and kept manager Wilfried Nancy), but they enter the playoffs with the East’s No. 2 seed and the third-best title odds thanks to a couple of prolific veterans (Romell Quioto and Kei Kamara combined for 24 goals and 13 assists) and a breakout season for 2021 addition Djordje Mihailovic (nine goals and six assists from 57 chances created).
In short, their front office was patient, and the patience paid off. — Connelly
Record: 13W-11D-10L Standing: 50 points, 5th in West Grade: C+
After finishing third in the West in 2021, Nashville flirted seriously with the idea of missing the playoffs, but what they lacked in general watchability – it’s not much of an exaggeration to say that every Nashville match this year was a 1-1 draw — they made up for in resilience. A six-match unbeaten streak in August and September assured them of a fifth playoff bid in five tries. Still, the defense grew leakier and the team got older, and they will head into the offseason with more questions than they had a year ago.
Unless there’s a deep playoff run coming, this season was a step backward. — Connelly
Record: 10W-12D-12L Standing: 42 points, 10th in East Grade: F
We’ll let head coach Bruce Arena summarize the 2022 season for the Revs: “I’m not going to miss it.”
One year after setting MLS’ single-season points record and lifting their first-ever Supporters’ Shield, New England faltered in 2022 with a spot outside of the playoffs and a dramatic collapse in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. Although the expectation wasn’t to hit the same heights of 2021 (especially with the exits of Tajon Buchanan, Matt Turner and Adam Buksa to Europe), qualifying for the playoffs was the minimum goal.
Things didn’t go as planned either through injuries and the additions of veterans such as Sebastian Lletget, Jozy Altidore and Omar Gonzalez. Over the summer, Lletget was transferred to FC Dallas, while Altidore went on loan to Liga MX’s Puebla. As for Gonzalez, he was never able to establish a starting role. — Hernandez
Record: 16W-7D-11L Standing: 55 points, 3rd in East Grade: C+
As June beckoned, the reigning MLS Cup champions seemed to be making a solid push toward a repeat. On June 1, NYCFC was actually a point ahead of Philly, but then manager Ronny Deila left for Standard Liege, reigning Golden Boot winner Taty Castellanos was loaned to Girona, and things began to go wobbly They’ve gone just 7-7-5 since. Not awful, but not great either, and NYCCFC seemed to lose the high-pressing ethos that Deila instituted.
A three-game winning streak to end the season hints that things are improving under Nick Cushing, but the playoffs will be the ultimate judge of NYCFC’s season. — Carlisle
Record: 15W-8D-11L Standing: 53 points, 4th in East Grade: B+
The Red Bulls needed goals in 2022 if they were to have any chance of returning to their status as consistent Eastern Conference contenders. Striker Patryk Klimala registered just five this year, falling short of the impact expected of the Young DP signing from Celtic, but Lewis Morgan has been a revelation in New York, scoring 14 times in league play from the wing since his big-money arrival from Inter Miami in the offseason. As such, the Red Bulls saw their goals-for record improve from just 39 in 2021 (only three teams in the conference were worse) to 48 this season (sixth best).
This is a much improved team over last year, as evidenced by earning a Round One playoff contest at home, and Morgan’s emergence has a lot to do with that. Just imagine how dangerous Gerhard Struber’s side would be with some genuine productivity from the No. 9 position. — Lindberg
Record: 14W-6D-14L Standing: 48 points, 7th in East Grade: C+
The Lions remain one of the league’s enigmas. They broke through to win the U.S. Open Cup and also snuck into the playoffs on the last day of the season. Given that success and failure is largely playoff qualification-based, the tendency will be to look at the season as a positive. But looked at another way, Orlando finished seventh in a 14-team conference, basically midtable.
Given the money spent on the likes of Facundo Torres and Ivan Angulo, more was expected of an attack that ranked tied for 21st in the league with 44 goals scored. The minus-9 goal differential speaks to a lack of consistency on the defensive side of the ball as well. With a playoff spot secure, Oscar Pareja looks set to continue as manager, but plenty of questions need to be asked in terms of addressing the team’s weaknesses during the offseason. — Carlisle
Record: 19W-10D-5L Standing: 67 points, 1st in East Grade: A
The Union finished the year level on points with LAFC and only lost out on winning the Supporters’ Shield by virtue of having two fewer wins. From another vantage point, it’s easy to make the case the Union were the most dominant team in the league this year and had one of the best regular seasons in league history.
Their plus-46 goal differential was 18 better than LAFC this year and stands as the second-best mark in MLS history, behind only LAFC in 2019 (48). They led the league in goals scored (72), had the fewest goals conceded (26) and were the only team in the league to go unbeaten at home. Daniel Gazdag (22 goals) finished one shy of the Golden Boot and combined with Julian Carranza (14 goals) to finish as the top goal-scoring duo (tied with FC Cincinnati’s Brandon Vazquez and Brenner).
For all the Union accomplished, though, the only way to ensure a lasting place in history is to add an MLS Cup-size exclamation point. — Bonagura
Record: 11W-13D-10L Standing: 46 points, 8th in West Grade: D+
The Portland Timbers’ prominent role in Sally Yates’ report into systemic abuse in women’s soccer has deservedly overshadowed anything the team has done on the field in recent weeks. Not that there was much on the field to write home about: All Portland needed on Decision Day was a point against Real Salt Lake to ensure a place in the postseason. Instead, they came out disinterested and were outplayed in a 3-1 loss that saw the host jump out to a 3-0 lead before a late consolation goal.
It sets up an offseason in which the most important questions will be asked about Merritt Paulson’s future as owner, rather than how the Timbers will rebuild following a rare playoff miss. — Bonagura
Record: 12W-11D-11L Standing: 47 points, 7th in West Grade: C+
Let’s make sense of this: RSL lost longtime designated player Albert Rusnak in the offseason to Seattle and star midfielder Damir Kreilach appeared in just five games due to injury. Yet, the club still finished in seventh place, the same spot it did the prior season when it made a run to the Western Conference finals.
RSL beat Portland 3-1 on Decision Day to earn the final playoff spot and while that’s not exactly a conventional formula for postseason success, last year’s run should inspire some confidence that lightning can be captured in a bottle once again. No other playoff team scored fewer goals than Salt Lake, which outscored only four teams during the regular season. RSL also managed only 16 goals on the road, which doesn’t bode well for its trip to Austin, an offensive juggernaut. — Bonagura
Record: 8W-11D-15L Standing: 35 points, 14th in West Grade: D
The decision to keep Matias Almeyda as manager to start the season still looms large, though the 1.32 points per game the team has earned under Alex Covelo since then reveals that this side was always a borderline playoff team at best. A defense that conceded a whopping 67 goals, worst in the league, made it was even more of an uphill climb. Now this is new manager Luchi Gonzalez’s problem.
A trio of defenders — Carlos Akapo, Rodrigues and Miguel Trauco — have been brought in to start the defensive rebuild, but there’s frankly not enough data yet to determine if it will work. A space-covering holding midfielder is still needed. The attack looks in good shape with Jeremy Ebobisse, Cristian Espinoza and Jamiro Monteiro. Cade Cowell has promise, as does 17-year-old Niko Tsakiris, but 2023 has the makings of another “trying to sneak into playoffs vibe.” — Carlisle
play
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Herculez Gomez debates which team has had the worst MLS season out of Atlanta and Seattle.
Record: 12W-5D-17L Standing: 41 points, 11th in West Grade: C-
This grade very much takes into consideration that the Sounders claimed the CONCACAF Champions League. It was the first time in two decades that an MLS side reached the continental promised land, and the first since a home-and-away was used in the knockout rounds, but Seattle paid for it in the long run.
Joao Paulo went down in the CCL final with a torn ACL. His replacement, Obed Vargas, later suffered a long-term back injury as well. Emotional leader Cristian Roldan underwent surgery, and influential forward Raul Ruidiaz logged just 1,306 league minutes. And so it went. The Sounders could never quite get going and failed to make the postseason for the first time in 14 seasons.
Now the question looms large: Can Seattle rebound? The roster seems locked up for next year too, with its complement of DPs already in place. It will amount to a tricky job for president of soccer Garth Lagerwey and manager Brian Schmetzer. That said, if everyone can just heal up, the talent is definitely there. — Carlisle
Record: 11W-7D-16L Standing: 40 points, 12th in West Grade: D+
Despite having a promising end to the season with just two losses in their last 10 games, very few will be content with how 2022 went for SKC. Hit by major setbacks through two lengthy injuries for DPs Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda, head coach Peter Vermes and his roster never found much-needed rhythm until August and were subsequently left out of this season’s playoffs.
They have the potential to bounce back in 2023 — keep an eye on goal scorer William Agada next year — but some serious roster questions will need to be asked during the winter offseason. — Hernandez
Record: 9W-7D-18L Standing: 34 points, 13th in East Grade: D
Giving your rivals a five-month head start is rarely a recipe for success, yet that’s essentially what Toronto did in 2022. From the starting XI that opened the season in Dallas, just four names remained in the XI that hosted Miami little more than a week ago. The Reds averaged a point a game before the secondary transfer window opened, when the likes of Lorenzo Insigne, Federico Bernardeschi, Mark-Anthony Kaye and four others arrived, leaving the team in a position to need a points-per-game pace of 2.27 after the window closed if they were to make it into the playoffs. For context, Supporters’ Shield-winning LAFC averaged 2.03 PPG all season.
Maybe the 2022 season was an acclimation period for new coach Bob Bradley and his stable of star signings, and Toronto will put it all together for an almighty run in 2023. If not, this year’s D grade will look a lot worse. — Lindberg
Record: 12W-7D-15L Standing: 43 points, 9th in West Grade: D+
The Caps were six points worse off in 2022 than they were in 2021, when they made a surprise run to the MLS Cup playoffs. They also scored five fewer goals — the third-worst goals-for metric in the league — despite having another season to work together while adding coveted wide creator Julian Gressel.
There is an argument to be made that Vancouver even being in the playoff conversation on Decision Day was a mirage. Only Wooden Spoon winners D.C. United boasted a worse goal differential than the Whitecaps’ minus-17. It’s another offseason of “back to the drawing board” in British Columbia. — Lindberg
