America First Message Echoes As Former World Cup Winner Gives Stark Reminder to MLS

Lionel Messi didn’t waste any time settling into Inter Miami. The current scenario is a true testament to how the club has transformed under his leadership. But if we rewind to the early days, the team’s poor performances showed that even the greatest player on the planet can struggle to find the rhythm expected of him. The response to this incompetence? Signing his former Barcelona teammates, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, in the same year, and Luis Suarez in the following season. And the result was instant, with the Herons’ skipper clicking with the familiar faces as if he were in Europe.

While this worked out well for Miami, it raises an interesting question: Was there no homegrown, domestic talent with whom La Pulga could have built a similar connection? And while we’re on the subject, even Thierry Henry once touched upon the topic of Messi slightly struggling, stating that “The best players are often in Europe. So, you will have those guys playing there.”

But what if you aren’t surrounded by good talent? The answer from the French icon was simple: The level of the league will drop. So indirectly, this ends up igniting a debate that, given how the MLS is still trying to match the level of Europe, its only choice is to sign big names from foreign leagues. So, is it good to do so? That’s when another French icon, Frank Leboeuf, had to step in and discuss the matter.

It all began during the recent episode of the ESPN FC show, where the potential transfer rumors of Tottenham forward Son Heung-min joining LAFC were discussed. Remarking how the South Korean international pertains a “very good image all around the world. People love him. He’s a nice smiling guy, a professional player, top-notch, nothing to complain about,” adding the Spurs icon will be a great fit.

Leboeuf didn’t even hesitate to underline his major drawbacks, stating he can disappear in terms of often not delivering much, and even citing injury concerns, but regardless of the MLS, he is a decent bargain. Then again, the bigger problem for the former French defender was how American soccer clubs only think of elevating their squad and league as a whole by signing such key names.

Forget Messi and band, or the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, at the time of Franz Beckenbauer and Pele, players used to go to Japan, China, with Frank himself going to Qatar, as the recent years of the trend saw major names sign for Saudi Arabian giants. But the end game, you ask? “It has been proven that it doesn’t work,” insisted Leboeuf. “It doesn’t make the league better.”

“It doesn’t make America better. That’s where Don Garber (MLS Commissioner) has to work on, making sure that in the future the MLS will be stronger, not because of the stars, not because of the image they want to show, but because of the talent you have domestically, and that’s where he’s wrong. And all the countries that have tried that have been wrong because it never worked,” added Leboeuf.

Heck, take a moment for yourself and name a single league outside of Europe that has signed the biggest names and managed to compete at the same level as any of the big five European leagues? The answer is no, right? That’s exactly what Leboeuf wants the MLS stakeholders to understand.

MLS should start focusing on homegrown development!

You may argue that the Saudi Pro League splurging millions on players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema, and many more would make the league compete with Europe’s best. But the truth of the matter is that it only raised the allure and pull of the Middle Eastern championship and actually doesn’t help in the improvement of the league in the long term. The same goes for other outside leagues in Asia, where big names like Xavi or Andres Iniesta have kept their foot on. So Frank Lebouf only advises the MLS to stop fixating on big names and start developing homegrown talents.

The concluding note only saw the former 1998 World Cup winner admit that while it’s good to see a player like Son Heung-min choose to end his career in MLS, the arrival of such big names doesn’t bring anything but the league on the “front page” for a while. “It doesn’t make culture; it doesn’t make better football. So they have to understand that they have to change the trajectory to be better,” concluded the former Chelsea defender.

Do you think the same as Frank Leboeuf? Share your thoughts in the comments below.