Lionel Messi's arrival at Inter Miami in MLS in July 2023 was earth-shattering. The Argentine, coming off of lifting the 2022 FIFA World Cup and en route to his eighth Ballon d'Or, launched a movement the likes of which the league has never seen.
His move from Europe to MLS was unquestionably the most impactful, but there were predecessors: David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, and David Villa, among others. They all found relative success in the league, even if not to the level of Messi - not only has he led the Herons to the inaugural 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield and the No. 1 overall seed in the 2024 MLS Playoffs, he's also been core to record attendance, streaming growth, revenues and overall interest in the league.
Other ex-European stars such as Xherdan Shaqiri, Andrea Pirlo, Steven Gerrard, Ruud gullit and Rafa Marquez - they did not find success in MLS. Rather, they were disastrous signings that, in retrospect, are absolute head-scratchers.
As a result of those moves, front office members around the league are now more judicious when considering bringing in aging European talent. Even in 2024, the Olivier Giroud experiment with LAFC is off to a underwhelming start, while Marco Reus has yet to find a spot in the LA Galaxy's starting XI.
Looking ahead to 2025, there's even more questions about how to pursue European stars, and if they're worth the flyer for a potential transfer. Notably, the three in regular consideration are Manchester city star Kevin De Bruyne, Al Hilal and Brazil attacker Neymar and Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann. There are positives and negatives for each, though there's no doubting their talent. But do they make sense for MLS clubs to pursue? And could any of the three make a Messi-like impact on the league?
The rumor mill, as is always the case in soccer, is swirling. Neymar recently bought a house in Florida, while De Bruyne's agent has already held talks with 2025 expansion franchise San Diego FC, and both are out of contract at the end of the 2024-25 season. Griezmann, meanwhile, is a U.S. sports fanatic - from the NBA to the NFL, he has stated multiple times he is appreciative of sporting culture and wants to end his career stateside.
Which might be a good fit? How might it all go wrong? GOAL examines the pros and cons of each potentially making a move to MLS.