The next big-name players in North America will be crucial as Major League Soccer looks for ways to keep raising its profile.
David Beckham made the jump to Major League Soccer back in 2007, after spending a successful career in Europe that saw him lift multiple titles in England and Spain. At 31 years-old, the English midfielder could’ve joined almost any top team in Europe. Still, in what was a shocking move at the time, he made the decision to start a new challenge in America as an ambassador of the game.
The rest, as they say, is history.
By the time he retired in 2012, the Beckham experiment was deemed a success, both for the player and the league. The Spice Boy lifted two titles with the LA Galaxy and increased his already-marketable brand in the United States. Meanwhile, Major League Soccer expanded the Designated Player rule, added five new teams and built soccer-specific stadiums in places like Philadelphia, Kansas City and Houston.
It tends to be forgotten, but back in 2007 it was absurd to think of such a prominent star performing in some football stadium for a second-rate league. Nowadays, recognizable international soccer personalities like Kaká, David Villa, Didier Drogba and Giovani dos Santos compete in that same – but much-improved – league.
Who will they bring next?
It’s a very important question as MLS executives keep looking of ways to raise the league’s profile. While they still have to focus and improve in a lot of other areas, it’s certainly undeniable that MLS has been taking the right steps over the years.
And so, here are five international soccer stars that we’re bound to see at a local MLS franchise in the future.
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<p>Things have certainly changed for the Colombian international, who has been rotting away in an English bench since his arrival at Manchester United in 2014. Now at Chelsea, Falcao’s dip in form continues as he’s scored just once in 11 games this season.</p>
<p>Hindered by injuries and lack of opportunities, the 30-year-old could benefit from a move to MLS as he’d be guaranteed playing time in for any of the teams in the league.</p>
<p>Columbus Crew has already read into Falcao’s predicament and tried to attract him to the <strong><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/31/5-international-stars-will-end-mls/"http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2016/01/04/transfer-watch-columbus-crew-sc-interested-chelsea-forward-radamel-falcao" target="_blank">league earlier this year</a></strong>. The Colombian seems confident that he can still perform at the highest level, revealing that he <strong><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/31/5-international-stars-will-end-mls/"https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/16/epl-chelseas-falcao-confident-despite-uncertain-future/" target="_blank">declined offers from China in order to stay with Chelsea</a></strong>. Still, with his time running out in the Premier League and an uncertain future looming, MLS could become a very realistic option in the near future.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/31/5-international-stars-will-end-mls/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_407884" class="wp-caption alignleft">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-407884" src=https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/31/5-international-stars-will-end-mls/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_393,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2016%2F03%2F514597952-chelsea-fc-v-paris-saint-germain-uefa-champons-league-590x900.jpg" alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 9: Zlatan Ibrahimovic of PSG celebrates his goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Stamford Bridge stadium on March 9, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)" width="590" height="393" srcset="https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2016/03/514597952-chelsea-fc-v-paris-saint-germain-uefa-champons-league-590x900.jpg 590w, https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2016/03/514597952-chelsea-fc-v-paris-saint-germain-uefa-champons-league-300x600.jpg 300w, https://playingfor90.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2016/03/514597952-chelsea-fc-v-paris-saint-germain-uefa-champons-league-768x0.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px"><p class="wp-caption-text">LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 9: Zlatan Ibrahimovic of PSG celebrates his goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Stamford Bridge stadium on March 9, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic</h3>
<p>At 34 years old, the Swedish superstar is still one of most effective and enigmatic forwards in the world. And with his time at Paris Saint-Germain reportedly coming to an end after this season, Ibrahimovic will be looking for a challenge as unusual as his personality.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>“I would like to play in U.S., absolutely,” he told <strong><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/31/5-international-stars-will-end-mls/"http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-fc-yahoo/zlatan-ibrahimovic-says--absolutely--he-d--like-to-play--in-major-league-soccer-031808119.html" target="_blank">Yahoo Sports</a></strong> last year. “I think it would be an amazing experience. I see that soccer is growing a lot in U.S.”</p>
<p>And while he refused to say where he’d like to play, it seems like the great Zlatan might just be the player Beckham and his group of investors might be looking to bring as they work to create a franchise in Miami.</p>
<p>“If Ibrahimovic is still active, then I want to buy him right away. He is a magnificent physical specimen, so it’s entirely possible,” Beckham said in December to a <strong><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/31/5-international-stars-will-end-mls/"http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11820/10106905/david-beckham-wants-to-sign-zlatan-ibrahimovic-for-mls-team" target="_blank">Swedish newspaper</a></strong>.</p>
<p>Never one to shy away from the spotlight, Ibrahimovic would be the perfect signing for a Beckham-led franchise in the south of Florida.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/31/5-international-stars-will-end-mls/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">1. Cristiano Ronaldo</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—></p><hr id="pagebreak"><h2><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/31/5-international-stars-will-end-mls/"https://playingfor90.com/files/2015/08/cristiano-ronaldo-5.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-403330"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-403330 alignleft" src=https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/31/5-international-stars-will-end-mls/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_443,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Ffiles%2F2015%2F08%2Fcristiano-ronaldo-5-590x900.jpg" alt="cristiano-ronaldo-5" width="590" height="443" srcset="https://playingfor90.com/files/2015/08/cristiano-ronaldo-5-590x900.jpg 590w, https://playingfor90.com/files/2015/08/cristiano-ronaldo-5-300x600.jpg 300w, https://playingfor90.com/files/2015/08/cristiano-ronaldo-5.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px" /></a></h2>
<h3>1. Cristiano Ronaldo</h3>
<p>A world superstar with a hugely marketable brand looking to take on the ultimate challenge in the United States… sound familiar?</p>
<p>The Real Madrid star has not been shy about his intentions to play “someday” in MLS. Still, he has also gone on record saying that his<strong><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/31/5-international-stars-will-end-mls/"http://www.marca.com/en/2015/10/14/en/football/real_madrid/1444817347.html" target="_blank"> dream is ending his career at Real Madrid</a></strong>.</p>
<p>Judging by his current situation at the Bernabéu, it certainly seems like the Portuguese attacker might be thinking of moving on after this season. And while a move to MLS seems highly unlikely this coming summer, <strong><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/03/31/5-international-stars-will-end-mls/"http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/03/17/jurgen-klinsmann-mls-usmnt-fitness-cristiano-ronaldo-monaco-falcao" target="_blank">Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl</a></strong> cited a source that revealed the 31-year-old would be ready to make the move in 2018.</p>
<p>With expansion club LAFC looking to join the league that year, it would seem like a match made in heaven for Ronaldo, who would want to make his own history in MLS and still experience the Hollywood way of life Beckham enjoyed.</p>
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