Major League Soccer has started to enjoy a stream of talent coming over from the top European Leagues. While Ibrahimovic and Rooney might be long gone, there is still a long list of talent to enjoy on the soccer pitch. Here we take a look at which of the MLS players are going to steal the show as 2020 sport continues.
Carlos Vela
Possibly the brightest star for the MLA, Vela is going to make a significant difference to the attacking power of Los Angeles FC. He has pace and skill on the ball that will befuddle defenses.
Josef Martinez
Another player who is going to battle for the most goals of the season, Martinez will be a star for Atlanta United. Frank De Boer knew exactly what to expect from this superstar attacher and would have felt comfortable waiting out the major injury that has kept Martinez off the field in 2020.
Nicolas Lodeiro
Scoring lots of goals is one thing but it relies on the service of your team. If there are no play-makers in the side then the likes Vela and Martinez will be forced to drop deep to collect the ball and become far less effective. Therefore, while only scoring 11 goals himself, Lodeiro is that playmaker that allows the stars to shine. He is loving life at the Seattle Sounders, especially as they won the MLS cup in 2019.
Alejandro Puzuelo
Here is a player that possess genuine quality and as such the Spanish midfielder settled right into the Toronto FC squad. He was recently named in the MLS Best XI in 2019 — and rightly so — he has done what most people thought impossible: replaced the great Sebastian Giovinco.
Ike Opara
The defense rarely steals the limelight. It is not surprising that we have dropped so far down the list before we mention our first centre-back. However, in Opara, we have a player who was genuinely fundamental to the success of Minnesota United. He was named MLS Defender of the Year in his first season with the team.
Carles Gil
Arriving in 2019, Gil looked like he had been playing in the MLS for the whole of his life. He debuted against FC Dallas for the New England Revolution and dominated. He has scored 10 goals for the Revs in 2019 and was named Newcomer of the Year for the season.
Eduard Atuesta
Los Angeles FC have always had the talent in the attack. However, Atuesta bought some much needed dominance to the midfield. He is a naturally creative player and can dictate the strategy of the game from the pitch. Such a player is a diamond for a coach, who can rely on the man on the pitch to dictate the play. Atuesta is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the league.
Raul Ruidiaz
If you want a record breaker then you need to sign someone like Ruidiaz. Fortunately, for the Seattle Sounders, they had the vision to see his talent and enjoyed his 10 goals in 14 games more than anyone, with that streak he should hit the online casinos. He was the player to net the third goal in the 2019 MLS Cup Final and has seriously engraved himself into the hearts of Sounders’ fans.
Jozy Altidore
Toronto FC have done well in their acquisitions recently. Even though Altidore has struggled with injuries, he has the quality to bring the goals. He has proven his talent in his performances for the US national team and he will give Toronto some much needed ruthlessness in front of the goal. He just needs to stay injury-free.
Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez
LA Galaxy have a habit of looking to the EPL and finding the gems of players reaching the twilight of their career (Remember that David Beckham guy?) While “Chicharito” Hernandez is not of the calibre as his fellow Manchester United veteran, he is something of a talent. He has the ability to poach a huge amount of goals for the Los Angeles team — and also the opportunity to prove he deserved his stay at Manchester United and Real Madrid.
Maxi Moralez
First time we mention New York City FC but not a bad way to start — Moralez is a talent Argentinian playmaker. In 2018 he was clearly the leader of the team and he pushed the clubs success with his 18 assists and 8 goals. However, it is his ability to make other team members better that makes him a star performer.
Jonathan Dos Santos
On Paper Dos Santos should be at the top of this list. However, he has yet to demonstrate his quality consistently for the LA Galaxy. However, the quality is there and every so often the coach enjoys the benefits of his presence. We have a feeling that sometimes soon this talent will shine and he will have a standout season. Why not 2020? Barros Schelotto seems to have what it takes to bring the best out of Dos Santos, so the stars may have aligned.
