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The 2020 season of the MLS will see the league hit the quarter-century mark, and it’s safe to say that football (or soccer, as the locals still insist on calling it) has come a long way in the States since the first-ever season kicked off in 1996. There was a time when the MLS was considered just a retirement home for washed-up former superstars looking to make a quick buck.
Ever since David Beckham signed for LA Galaxy back in 2007, a litany of big names have followed suit in during the fag end of their careers. From Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Patrick Vieira, Andrea Pirlo, and David Villa to the more recent arrivals (and subsequent exits) of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney, there is perhaps still a suspicion that the MLS is only too eager to welcome European stars who are ‘past it’.
At the same time, the MLS has also been losing its top home-grown talent to clubs in Europe, with players like Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard giving their best years to English clubs. Even today, even though the United States has been providing the footballing world with some of the hottest young prospects, the likes of Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, and Josh Sargent have all chosen to move across the Atlantic.
However, over the years, the US has proved itself to be a desirable destination for its top local talent, which is why around half of the top American players in and around the national side are currently playing in the MLS. And, with the league expanding its reach to include two more clubs in 2020 (Beckham’s Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC) talented American footballers have the opportunity to forge a long career at a high level while staying in the States. On that note, here are five American players currently playing in the MLS you should be looking out for when the 2020 season kicks off on February 29.
5. Walker Zimmerman, LAFC
While most of the spotlight is usually on attacking players like Carlos Vela and Diego Rossi whenever LAFC play, centre-back Walker Zimmerman has quietly emerged as one of the key members of their solid backline. Zimmerman is a large and mobile central defender who is equally adept at making blocks near his goal as he is snuffing out attacks high up the pitch. At 6’3’, he also happens to be a handy set-piece target and contributes with the occasional goal as well.
The 26-year-old has been on a steady upward trajectory since signing from FC Dallas in 2017, breaking into the US national team and also finishing as Defender of the Year runner-up in 2019. Having become much more efficient with the ball since his move, Zimmerman was rewarded with a new four-year deal in January 2019 and looks set to kick on from a strong season and claim the Defender of the Year award for himself in 2020.
4. Darlington Nagbe, Columbus Crew SC
To say that Darlington Nagbe had an eventful upbringing would be a major understatement. The civil war raging in his birthplace of Libera forced Nagbe and his mother to flee to Europe, where his father, Joe, a professional footballer himself, was turning out for the likes of Monaco and Nice. The Nagbes moved around Europe as and when Joe was transferred, eventually ending up in the United States when Darlington was 11 years old.
It didn’t take long for the footballing pedigree to shine through, as Nagbe soon caught the eye while playing college football for Akron. He was the second overall pick in the 2011 MLS Superdraft, joining the Portland Timbers and becoming an instant hit. He received his green card in 2012, became a US citizen in 2015 and soon became a regular in the US men’s national team. He later moved on to Atlanta United and joined has Columbus Crew this off-season, where he will be plying his trade in 2020.
As a player, Nagbe is a robust central midfielder who is always looking to win back possession and set his team off on an attack. Although he rarely contributes goals and assists himself, he is an invaluable ‘pass before the pass’ player and counter-attack initiator who can pull off the spectacular on occasion. The 29-year-old often uses his silky skills to work his way out of crowded areas and move the ball up the pitch, and a stunning juggle-and-volley strike in his debut MLS season (which won the MLS Goal of the Year award) is proof of his exceptional technical ability.
3. Ike Opara, Minnesota United
After enduring a tough and injury-plagued start to his MLS career, Ike Opara has been at the peak of his powers over the past few seasons. The tall and supremely athletic defender was named Defender of the Year in 2017 while playing for Sporting KC and even got a place in the Best XI. Another strong season in Kansas saw him called up to the USMNT where he earned his first (and to date, only) senior cap in a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
His move to Minnesota United in January 2019 didn’t affect his form at all - in fact, he enjoyed arguably the best year of his career to date and picked up the Defender of the Year award for the second time in three years. His arrival coincided with Minnesota conceding a staggering 40% fewer goals over the course of the season as well as the first playoff berth in franchise history. The 30-year-old will be hoping for 2020 to go much the same as 2019 at club level, with the addition of a few more international caps.
2. Jozy Altidore, Toronto FC
Those who follow European football keenly might not have too high an opinion of Jozy Altidore’s footballing abilities, but the big, burly striker has sandwiched his underwhelming spell in Europe with excellent spells in the MLS. Altidore burst on to the scene as a teenager with the MetroStars (now known as the New York Red Bulls) and moved to the La Liga with Villareal as an 18-year-old. A series of loans to Xerex CD, Hull City, and Turkish Super Lig side Bursaspor followed before Altidore signed for Eredivisie outfit AZ Alkmaar in 2011.
This was where he showed his true talent, scoring 51 goals in 93 appearances and earning a move to Sunderland in 2013. However, his time in Holland was to be the peak of his exploits in Europe, as a solitary goal in 42 outings for the Black Cats saw him return stateside in 2015.
Since his return, however, Altidore has rebuilt his career with sterling displays for Toronto FC as well as the USMNT. He averages 0.90 goals/assists per 90 minutes in the MLS since 2015, with that number going up to 1.10 in the post-season. He also happens to be one of the most decorated members of the national side, scoring the third-most goals in USMNT history with 41. Possessing all the key attributes that a successful striker needs in his arsenal, like speed, strength, intelligent movement, and high work rate, the only real weakness in Altidore’s game is his propensity for injury. As one of the veterans in the MLS at 30, he will be hoping for an injury-free campaign in 2020.
1. Aaron Long, New York Red Bulls
From not playing a single minute in the MLS between 2014 and 2016 to being voted Defender of the Year in 2018, Aaron Long has enjoyed a remarkable rise to the top over the past couple of years. As part of a side that plays with a high press, Long’s ability to defend on the run has helped him distinguish himself from other defenders in the league, as has his great desire to get forward and score from set-pieces.
At 27, the center back has become an integral part of New York Red Bulls as well as the US men’s national team and has earned admiration for his excellent defensive qualities. In fact, he has even been handed the captain’s armband for friendlies against Panama and Costa Rice despite only making his debut for the USMNT in October 2018. Long’s performances on the pitch have attracted interest from several top European clubs, and football fans might even see him turning out on the other side of the Atlantic in the near future!
