MLS: Carles Gil changes perceptions and unveils league growth

Carles Gil came to MLS in the prime of his career. Here is how he is changing perceptions of the league and unveiling the next step in how it will grow.

Major League Soccer has been fighting an uphill battle for a long time. It wants to grow, to compete in the American sports landscape and against the elite leagues elsewhere in the world, and to rid of the ‘retirement league’ moniker as former European soccer stars play out their careers.

The tide seems to be turning. First off, MLS is creating stars that go on to bigger and better places. Right now, the world is getting to see just how talented Alphonso Davies is. He started his career with the Vancouver Whitecaps. There is also Tyler Adams, who turned his time with the New York Red Bulls into an opportunity to head to Germany to play for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga.

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And we are also now getting the stories of players who leave Europe to come to play in the U.S., even before they have reached their latter years. Sebastian Giovinco was one such example. His replacement, Alejandro Pozuelo, is another. So is Bradley Wright-Phillips. And now Carles Gil presents another perfect example of embracing MLS.

Gil arrived with the New England Revolution with experience with major clubs under his belt. He had played in both the Premier League and La Liga. He was never able to really settle in with his clubs over in Europe and so he came to the United States. The move paid off.

Gil won the Newcomer of the Year award in 2019 scoring 10 goals and 12 assists. He has quickly become apart of the foundation of the New England Revolution. And in a recent interview with Stats Perform News via BIEN Sports, Gil spoke about how the European perception of the league is misguided:

"“[MLS] has surprised me positively. I believe we have a different view from Europe about what this league is. Probably we think it has a much lower level than it actually has, looking at players who come here to end their career. This is changing a lot and we will be aware of it as the years go on.”"

This is music to MLS’ ear. It is clear that the global reputation of the league is growing. It is no longer dismissed like in previous years. European teams now regularly scout MLS for potential talent, and European-based players are beginning to value playing in the league. There is still a lot of work to go, but examples like Gil are major steps in the right direction.

There are some parts of MLS that make them unique to many other leagues across the world. Some people will argue that there needs to be relegation, while the convoluted roster designation rules are confusing and the travel makes the league very difficult to many other European leagues.

At 27 years old, Gil is still rather young. He could yet deny his time in the States and return to Europe, but given how content he is with life in New England and the league, he seems set to stay for many years. That he is embracing the league in his prime is hugely significant and could lead to others following.

Recently, rumors claimed that James Rodriguez could make the Stateside switch. He will only turn 29 this summer. Gone are the days of Andrea Pirlo and Bastian Schweinsteiger using the league to pad their numbers.

European players are now moving to MLS in their primes. And as Gil highlights, they are enjoying their time in the league. As the league continues to grow, this is the basis of the next step.