Superstars to make a comeback in the 2022 MLS campaign
The 27th regular season is scheduled to start on 26 February and some of the league’s biggest stars want to make a comeback and win the MLS Cup.
The wait is over as the Major League Soccer season is officially back. The 2022 campaign is scheduled to start on 26 February and 28 teams will fight to win this year’s MLS Cup. The road to the final will not be easy and there are some ‘superstars’ seeking a comeback this year to help their respective clubs lift the trophy.
There are so many talented players in the league, but due to injuries some of them were unable to showcase their talent during the 2021 MLS regular season. This are the cases of Carlos Vela (LAFC), Alexandre Patro (Orlando City) and Javier Hernández (LA Galaxy).
Carlos Vela - LAFC
The former Mexican international has proven he can be the best player in the league. Back in 2019, Carlos Vela won the golden boot and was named the Most Valuable Player, but he has been dealing with injuries in the past two seasons. This is Vela's final year with LAFC and it is unclear if he will extend his contract. What is clear is that the 32-year-old is eager to come back stronger and fulfill his promise of leading LAFC to win the MLS Cup.
Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández - LA Galaxy
The 33-year-old started the 2021 MLS season strong and he scored 10 goals in the opening 10 games with Los Angeles Galaxy. ‘Chicharito’s’ hot streak came to an end when he suffered a serious injury that kept him sidelined for almost two months. The Mexican international finished with 17 goals in 21 games, but the Galaxy failed to make it to the playoffs.
Hernández is back in top form and eager for the new season to start. ‘Chicharito’ has been vocal this off season that it is not about how many goals he can score, it is about the team winning and the first goal is to make it to the playoffs. If healthy, Hernández has proven he can provide the goals the Galaxy need in order to win games this campaign.
Alexandre Pato - Orlando City
There was a lot of hype around the 32-year-old striker when he joined Orlando City, but he didn’t meet the expectations. Unfortunately, Pato got injured in the first game of the 2021 season and only played four games for a total of 106 minutes. The ‘Lions’ decided to retain the Brazilian striker for this campaign and give him an opportunity to showcase his talent.