Andrea Pirlo

The MLS regular season doesn’t begin play until March 6, but preseason preparations have begun around the league. Scavenging the social media accounts of all 20 clubs, we’ve compiled the best photos and videos from the 2016 preseason for your viewing pleasure. Smiling faces, southern sunshine and a tangible excitment surrounding the growth of MLS make the 21st season of the league the most anticipated to date.  

The Best Photos and Videos from the 2016 MLS Preseason:

Andrea Pirlo doing what only Andrea Pirlo can:

In a classic derby match where rivalry and home pride is all that matters, there is no telling what fans will do to help give their club any extra boost to win the match. New York is new to the whole derby experience, but that doesn’t mean they are short of energy and passion. 

The internet is flooded with highlight videos. A player simply has to be young, talented, and make a couple cool plays in a season for someone to string those plays together in iMovie, throw some banal techno music over it, and produce one of them. I say this like I hate them, and in many ways I do, but I also cannot deny that watching these videos can be about as addicting as it gets. 

As Major League Soccer grows, so too do the rivalries and competitive spirit within the league. The attractiveness of MLS has grown every day since its introduction to America in the early 90s with the help of world-class players retiring to the league. 

The mass exodus of aging international superstars to MLS seems to be continuing, with three big names reportedly considering moves stateside.

One of the classiest players in the world believes that his side has everything it needs to go to the distance with Real Madrid.