The Future of the MLS

David Beckham was supposed to revive Major League Soccer. In that he was successful, somewhat. He was a bit of a spark-plug in his first year although he spent most of the season riddled with injuries. Opposing attendances rose as people wanted to get the chance to see the amazing David Beckham and hoped to see a free kick he could bend. Although David Beckham now is trying to get a full transfer to AC Milan, I believe that his time in the MLS is not over.

When he is too old to play competitively in Europe, he will be welcomed back to the MLS with open arms, where he will still be better than most. The man who is revered around the world for his tremendous free kick abilities has not fully made his mark on the MLS yet. However, his presence, even if it is only for a few short years, has slightly rejuvenated the MLS. Now the MLS participates in the North American SuperLiga, a tournament that combines the top 4 MLS teams and 4 top teams from the Primera Division de Mexico. This tournament between the two rival soccer nations offered the largest winner's purse in North American soccer history and was a great way to add more heat to the fire between the rivalry of the two nations when it comes to qualifying for the World Cup in 2010. This tournament caused a great deal of excitement and will be a thrilling tournament for years to come because of the intensity that the players approach the games with.

Now back to Beckham for a second. I, for one, am not thoroughly convinced that he is one of the greatest soccer players of his time. There is no question that he is one of the best free kick takers in the history of soccer. There is no question that the English national team saw something in him at a young age when he started playing with them and was eventually named captain. However, in my opinion, he is not a complete soccer player. He simply doesn't play defense and doesn't have a whole lot of pace. He seems to me to be a role player who can elevate a team but cannot be the sole provider. With that said, in the MLS, a league well below the level of European leauges, he is one of the top players since most good American players now play overseas with European teams. Therefore, you will see Beckham back in the MLS, whether it is this season, or in a few years when he cannot keep up with the level of play in the Serie A. But he will be back, and will again rejuvenate the MLS.