The latest in order is Antoine Griezmann. The Atletico Madrid forward, starting next July, will officially become a player for Orlando City, the same team where Ricardo Kakà and Alexandre Pato played a few years ago. In recent months, however, other players have also chosen to move to MLS teams that represent less “media-centric,” less wealthy, and therefore less attractive cities. Timo Werner, for example, moved last January to the San José Earthquakes; also in the last transfer window, James Rodríguez chose Minneapolis (Minnesota) as his new home, and Minnesota United FC as his new team. Finally, for over a year, former Bayern Munich and German national team star Thomas Muller has been in Vancouver, Canada, where he plays for the Whitecaps. And it may not end here: there has been talk for some time of a possible negotiation between Neymar and FC Cincinnati.
In short: for some time now, even the big stars of European football seem more inclined to move to American locations that are, at least on paper, quieter and where they can lead a “normal” life away from selfies and autographs. This does not change the fact that New York, Los Angeles, and Miami have an initial advantage over other U.S. cities, due to some factors related to their cultural and economic importance. Most of the major signings made by MLS teams, in fact, are found in this American triangle: in Miami, there are Lionel Messi, Rodrigo de Paul, Sergio Reguilón, and Luis Suárez; New York has seen David Villa, Frank Lampard, and Andrea Pirlo, while Los Angeles has hosted Zlatan Ibrahimović, Gareth Bale, Giorgio Chiellini, and Hugo Lloris.
As mentioned, however, things are changing; MLS is also developing in smaller realities. Cincinnati, for example, has one of the most recent training centers in MLS, and in recent years, the city’s team has often hosted the U.S. national team within its sports facilities. “If I had been on a video call with a player nine years ago, I probably would have had to tell a few little lies to convince him to come here,” joked FC Cincinnati’s general manager, Chris Albright, in an interview with The Athletic, “But we are not used car salesmen; we have a product we can be proud of throughout the league.” Albright then reiterated that even less “postcard-like” cities are a nice place to live: “Cincinnati is a great place to raise kids, go to school, and work,” he added.
MLS, unlike a few years ago, is no longer just targeting players at the end of their careers. Clubs are moving according to sports logic and projects that go beyond the name: “We were not looking for just any star, but for Antoine Griezmann,” said Ricardo Moreira, the sporting director of Orlando City. The French forward, despite being 35 years old, is still one of the best in the world in his position. He was a starter in both semifinal matches of the Champions League against Arsenal and is one of the cornerstones of the French national team. The fact that he has decided to move to MLS is therefore significant: “It is much easier to convince a player to come to our league than it was five or ten years ago,” Moreira said. He then confirmed that players do not always choose an MLS team solely based on the city, but also based on the sports project: “Movies and TV series have always portrayed these places (New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, ed. note) as the best possible tourist destinations,” he continued. “But today, the charm of a city comes second. The first conversation with every player is about football and the real chances of winning.” A sign that the MLS of the future is not just made of skyscrapers, Hollywood, and beaches, but also of something more human-sized. And for the player.