MLS
Christian Pulisic wanted by MLS after the 2026 World Cup to replace Messi as the league’s iconic figure
The USMNT star is reportedly wanted by MLS to replace Messi as the face of the sport in North America.
Christian Pulisic, according to reports, is said to be wanted by the league as the new face of the sport in the United States, and will be brought to MLS after the World Cup in 2026. Standing still in football is often said to be the precursor to moving backwards, and that is exactly not what MLS are doing. The league in the United States is front-flipping and cartwheeling down the road, making huge, gliding steps forward in a direct effort to increase the standard of the competition, making it more appealing to viewers both stateside and beyond.
The news that Lionel Messi is joining Inter Miami, if you have not been on a gap year to the dark side of the moon, will no doubt have reached you with the amount of force that is to be expected; a huge coup for the team and the league in general, the World Cup winner will bring a new enthusiasm for the league when he makes his debut against Cruz Azul.
Pulisic to become the face of MLS
But standing still, as said, is equivalent to moving backwards in the ultra-competitive world of sport, so MLS are already drawing up plans to rejuvenate the image and face of the league when the time comes for Messi to disappear. Pulisic, already known in the USMNT as ‘Captain America’, is the chosen one, the player wanted by MLS to be the standout figure of the division.
The news comes from Will Forbes, of @MLSMoves on Twitter (remember Twitter?), who says that the interest is “mutual” and that the player is wanted “after the World Cup in 2026″, which will, of course, be hosted in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Until then, however, there is plenty of football to be played, and Pulisic is heavily linked to moves away from Chelsea, with potential deals in Italy and France said to be on the cards. Reports suggest that AC Milan are the frontrunners to strike a deal, and that they have already agreed terms with the player, with just the fee to the English club yet to be sorted after an opening bid of €14 million ($15.3 million) was rejected.
Pulisic likely to complete AC Milan move ahead of jump to MLS
Forbes is one who says that the likely option for Pulisic until 2026 is a move to Champions League semi-finalists, AC Milan, who will, in 2026, receive a transfer fee for the player who will have one year remaining on his deal. The league will pay a fee for Pulisic, which is something they have done before for USMNT stars, such as Clint Dempsey, Kellyn Acosta and Michael Bradley.
For now, then, Lionel Messi is the main man and the story on everyone’s lips as we gear up for the presentation and debut of the player who has won everything there is to win in football. And he’s got a huge mission ahead of him at the struggling Inter Miami side, but luckily he will have the help of Tata Martino, Sergio Busquets, and potentially even more friends may join him.
