MLS takes steps to mitigate the impact of Messi’s retirement

The Club World Cup currently taking place in the United States is once again highlighting the strength of soccer in the country. But it’s also drawing attention for all the wrong reasons: sparsely attended stadiums and, above all, a lack of atmosphere have stood out in the early matches of the tournament. This is particularly striking given that the country is due to host the World Cup next year. So how strong is soccer in North America, really? Has Major League Soccer (MLS) truly found its footing following the arrival of global superstars?

MLS to prepare for post-Messi

The arrival of megastars – led, above all, by Lionel Messi – has helped accelerate the consolidation of MLS, a league founded a few years after the 1994 World Cup in the US and which gained momentum when David Beckham joined the competition. Now, with the massive platform of hosting two World Cups in two consecutive summers, the league is preparing for its next big test: surviving the post-Messi era.

“The true test of MLS’s strength will come after Messi retires. Only then will we see whether the league has built a sustainable structure capable of maintaining its growth beyond the boost of one global figure – and avoid the collapse that followed Pelé’s retirement in 1977,” says Juan J. López, a native of Alicante and owner of The Game Management agency, which operates in the MLS market, and of La Fabrique Academy soccer school.

So while fans enjoy Messi’s final years on the pitch, the league is actively working to soften the blow of his eventual retirement – whenever the Argentine star decides to hang up his boots. One of the main strategies underway is the import of talent, mainly from Europe and South America. “There’s no shame in putting forward an offer to bring in talent – whether coaches or players,” López explains.

That claim is backed up by FutbolJobs, the leading soccer employment platform in Europe, also based in Spain. Over the past two months alone, it has received more than 90 job postings from the United States – the majority in youth soccer. “Just like in other markets such as Saudi Arabia, where money is the main draw, the appeal of the US market is the chance to be part of soccer’s growth in one of the world’s most important countries,” says FutbolJobs CEO Valentín Botella Nicolás. “Salaries in MLS aren’t very high. For instance, a player coming out of college might earn around $60,000 if they’re average, and up to $120,000 if they arrive with a certain level,” López adds.

Talent flow to and from MLS

Still, this flow of talent is no longer meant to be one-way. The goal now is two-way exchange. A prime example is Taty Castellanos, a striker signed at 18 by City Group for New York City FC, who after loan spells at clubs including Girona, was transferred in 2023 to Lazio for $16.2 million. This season in Italy, he has scored 14 goals and delivered 8 assists. A recent listing on FutbolJobs reinforces this shift: “MLS team seeks U22 central midfielder” – and they’re even willing to pay a transfer fee of up to $3.25 million.

But it’s not just players fueling the US soccer ecosystem. The plan also involves recruiting coaches to help develop local talent. “There’s a huge amount of football knowledge in Europe, so when a coach arrives in the US, they have a lot to offer,” says López. “North American clubs are constantly putting out job offers for youth coaches,” adds Botella.

Some current listings on FutbolJobs include: head coach for Chicago Fire, performance coach for Seattle Sounders, youth coach for Teamsy Soccer, and head of performance at the New York Red Bulls Academy.

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