LAFC: Diego Rossi the best second-best player in MLS

LAFC’s Diego Rossi often gets overshadowed by his outstanding teammate, Carlos Vela. But the Uruguayan is a truly brilliant player in his own right.

Carlos Vela had the greatest individual season in Major League Soccer history. He set the single-season goalscoring record, added an insane 10 assists to that, and was named the league MVP in a runaway individual campaign.

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But the Mexican is not the only great wide attacker on his team. In fact, the man who often played opposite or alongside him was equally as potent but has had live in the shadow of the Los Angeles FC star.

Diego Rossi did not take long to hit the ground running in MLS. The Uruguayan was signed for $4 million in LAFC’s first-ever offseason. At just 19, he started their first-ever game, a daunting trip to the Seattle Sounders. Within 11 minutes, everyone knew precisely what he was about.

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His compatriot, Nicolas Lodeiro, one of the great modern-day MLS creators, was quite sure that Rossi would be brilliant from the moment the teenager stepped onto an MLS pitch:

"“Diego is a great soccer player, with a lot of talent and a bright future. He’s a young striker with a lot of speed and good technique. Honestly, he is an all-around player, who is living a great moment in his career, scoring a lot of goals and I’m also very happy for the fact that more Uruguayans players are coming to the league. I’m always trying to help them, but without a doubt, he’s going to do well because of his quality and also because I know he’s an excellent person, which is the most important thing to me, so let us welcome him here.”"

Rossi has not slowed down one iota. He totalled 12 goals and seven assists in his first season. He then followed that up with 16 goals and seven assists last season. This season, he has two goals in four appearances in all competitions and has shifted into a central striking role as Bob Bradley looks to accommodate he, Vela and fellow DP attacker, Brian Rodriguez.

Rossi’s performances have attracted interest from around the world. There was a report last summer that Fiorentina were negotiating over a $17 million deal. Rossi has always been linked with a European move and has spoken openly about his intentions to one day jump across the pond and try his hand at the elite level of the sport — LAFC signed him on the mutually beneficial premise that they would indeed sell him to Europe, when the time comes and for the right price.

But there is a sense that Rossi cannot step out of Vela’s shadow and into his own limelight. The two LAFC stars are similar players: small, shifty, excellent dribbles, goalscoring wide players who like to drift in between the lines, receive the ball in deeper positions before than carrying it forward. Only Vela is a more polished version with a sweeter left foot and more clinical edge in front of goal.

In recent list compiling the top 50 current players in MLS, Rossi was ranked 16th. This was behind the likes of Gustavo Bou and Carles Gil, Jozy Altidore, all three LA Galaxy DPs, including Javier Hernandez, and Raul Ruidiaz. Now, you can specific qualms about certain players here and there, but to see Rossi behind all of these, some of which have never even played in MLS, seems to undervalue just how brilliant his first two seasons in the league have been.

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In fact, I would go as far as to say that Rossi is the best second-best player in MLS, that is to say, he is the best second-best player on his team. He has been truly remarkable, and only Vela’s historic performances could have possibly overshadowed him.

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