Major Legaue Soccer completes a clean sweep in the first leg of this week’s CCL quarterfinal. This feat is encouraging, but not quite fully satisfying, yet.
Look, even if I look at MLS’ sweep this week in the CCL, as both a fan and journalist, it’s still ideal to see. You always want to cover or root for the best possible, most respectable product. But having three MLS clubs finally defeat three Liga MX clubs is only the start.
There is this narrative that most people don’t take the MLS seriously on a global scale, even not in the mainstream United States of America. It’s growing more and more by the year, but in order for MLS to get its rightful place in the mainstream, pop culture of America, it needs to, as a whole, consistently put on performances like what we saw this week.
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New York Red Bulls bested a great team by two goals on the road; perhaps the best team to be representing the MLS, its champions, Toronto FC, notched a win; Seattle Sounders, arguably the leagues most popular club, got it done at home as well. However, as encouraging as this is, everything is far from over. There is a leg left for each team in these quarterfinals.
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Although the MLS is not completely trophy-less in the CCL, it’s been a while since they’ve won — LA Galaxy in 2000 was actually the last time that an MLS side lifted the trophy. Since that time, however, MLS has been growing a lot. New generations of sports fans have rolled in. There is a buzz surrounding the league. It is being increasingly covered by the national media. The MLS deserves to have people talking about it. I hope this becomes a week to remember for a long time. It’s been fun and historic.
If the league really wants to take off, this week, though, must not be the pinnacle. It must only be a peek into what is to come. There are a ton of great clubs in the MLS, but none are ever considered ‘world class’. Why? I would argue that it is because an MLS teams do not win regularly outside of the States.
But, if the MLS can pull off another sweep with their three teams in the next leg (or at least advance on aggregate), then we can truly start glorifying it. The MLS teams are getting better and better, but the cream of the crop of this continent is Liga MX.
The road to ‘world class’ begins by earning respect in their own backyard. By holding on, and maybe even by rooting for each other, an MLS club showing they can win this league again would establish them as a serious threat to anybody.
This week’s clean sheet is a baby step. Those first steps are always encouraging, but they need to finish the job.
It’s time for an MLS squad to win the CCL and bring some serious buzz back to the MLS. It’s long overdue. This week should give it’s fans and clubs the utmost confidence and desire to keep it rolling. It’s time to break the stereotypes.
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The MLS is fully capable of world-class recognition and respect. Now they just have to prove it.