The MLS All Star initial XI has been revealed, and the big names have made it - along with a few well-deserved surprises. GOAL's writers break it all down in the latest Rondo.
Lionel Messi and Co. remain favorites, but strong starts from Nashville, San Jose and Vancouver have the league nicely poised heading into a long break.
Lionel Messi remains the MLS MVP favorite if he plays enough minutes, but Sam Surridge, Hany Mukhtar, Timo Werner and others are building real cases of their own.
The 20-year-old South African defender will be disappointed again as he could not help the Men in Red see out a chaotic game where his team were unable to capitalize on a man advantage, nor profit from a 90th minute penalty, as they conceded at the death to to slip to defeat at Soldier Field.
The 20-year-old South African defender will be disappointed he could not help his team see out the game and secure the win over their Western Conference rivals that would have seen them through to the quarterfinals of America's premier cup competition.
With the future of the Argentine still uncertain after the World Cup, GOAL assesses some potential successors for the manager should he decide to walk away from the job.
The 20-year-old South African defender was rested ahead of a challenging run of cup and league matches and watched from the bench as his fellow countryman got his first start of the season. Dithejane joined Mbokazi on the bench after a disappointing hour of play with his side one goal to the good.
The 20-year-old South African defender will be disappointed he could not help his team see out the game and secure the points that would have put them right in the middle of the title race. Instead, they fall into a clutch of five teams all trying to chase down the Boys in Gold, who have only lost once all season, to Mbokazi's Chicago Fire.
The 20-year-old was superb as The Fire put in a resolute defensive display to protect their 1-0 lead to the final whistle. Afterwards, Mbokazi was officially awarded the best player accolade for his performance on the pitch and will head into their next assignment brimming with confidence.
The 20-year-old was part of a resolute defensive display as The Fire, fuelled by a record-breaking start at Soldier Field, put in a resolute defensive display to protect their 1-0 lead to the final whistle. Afterwards, Mbokazi was singled out by both the coach and his goalkeeper for his efforts after only returning to the United States late on Friday after international duty with Bafana Bafana.
The 20-year-old has been massive for the national team since getting his chance in mid-last year following convincing displays while with Orlando Pirates. Even after his move to the Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire, the youngster has shown no signs of stopping from delivering for Mzansi when given an opportunity.
Inter Miami were supposed to be among the favorites for a CONCACAF Champions Cup they pledged to win, but their Nashville loss is a total embarrassment.
Argentina teammates Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul were not included in Javier Mascherano’s matchday squad for Inter Miami’s road clash with Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium. Neither player is injured, and both were reportedly rested ahead of Miami’s second-leg meeting with Nashville SC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Inter Miami were forced to settle for a frustrating scoreless draw with Nashville SC in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup last 16 tie. Neither side created much, and Lionel Messi was kept surprisingly quiet in a poor fixture between two sides that looked more eager not to lose. The two teams combined for just five shots on target over the course of 90 minutes.
GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.
If you're wondering about the main dates for the upcoming Major League Soccer season, GOAL has you covered - plus more info on how to watch games on TV
GOAL spoke to GMs and chief soccer officers across MLS about the league’s 3.0 vision: the calendar change is progress, but executives say the next steps must come faster.
Nashville SC
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)