Analysis

10 MLS players who are worth the price of admission

The weather's warming, the flowers are blooming and your local MLS side is calling — it's tailgating season. If you're looking to schedule an outing, here are 10 players who are worth the price of admission.

There's no sound science behind this ranking so warning, some readers might be offended. But I really don't think you'll have a bad time watching any of these guys play live. 

The 10 Best MLS players 2023

#10. Jordan Morris | Seattle Sounders

Position: Left winger

Former NYCFC forward Taty Castellanos scores FOUR against Real Madrid

It’s been a day the small mountain town in northern Catalonia will never forget. Girona FC welcomed the mighty Real Madrid to its humble home, the Estadi Montilivi, for a late-season duel. The newly promoted side has attracted attention after several entertaining performances this season, but none will stay as long in the minds and souls of fans as Tuesday's 4-1 battering of the World Champions. 

Sporting KC’s nightmare season continues and Earth Day kit confusion: 5 takeaways from MLS Matchweek 9

The league table is finally taking shape as the top teams separate themselves from the pack while the league's cellar dwellers cling to every point that will hopefully save their seasons. There were several struggling teams that earned massive wins while some top teams slipped up, making for another thoroughly entertaining matchweek. 

What happened to Xherdan Shaqiri? 31-year-old looks like an overpaid misfit in Chicago

Major League Soccer delivered another Sunday matinee on Apple TV+, following last weekend's thrilling El Tráfico, with Atlanta United opening the roof on Mercedes-Benz Stadium to welcome the Chicago Fire in a match that finished 2-1 in favor of the Five Stripes.

Must-see video of mic'd up referee from Ligue 1 reminds fans that officials are people too

Early Thursday morning, Amazon Prime Video Sport released a video on social media highlighting the difficulties and intricacies involved in being a top-flight match official. The clip showed Benoît Millot, a French referee taking control of a Ligue 1 match between Olympique Lyonnais and FC Nantes, and gave fans a great insight into what match officials go through over 90 minutes. 

Your guide to understanding and enjoying the Premier League Relegation Battle Royale

Premier League relegation is a simple concept: Your team was not good enough this season so they, and two other teams, have to drop down to the tier below (the Championship) and will play their games there next season. Conversely, the Championship will promote three teams to the Premier League to take their places (let’s not get into the playoffs). This toing and froing happens all the way down the league structure.

Chaos is Cascadia and Vanzeir's underwhelming suspension: 5 takeaways from MLS Matchweek 8

Major League Soccer is bound by parity and married to the chaos that comes with it. With late goals, monumental upsets and high-scoring affairs, Matchday 8 was one for the books. 

The neck and neck goalscoring battle between Ricardo Pepi and Santi Giménez in the Eredivisie

The spicy rivalry between the USMNT and México is having a remarkable round in the 2022-23 Eredivisie as strikers Ricardo Pepi and Santiago Giménez battle neck and neck among the division's top scorers. After 29 games, both have netted 11 goals and are just three behind Xavi Simmons (PSV) and Anastasios Douvikas (FC Utrecht), who currently lead the race with 14 each.

Although the realities of their teams are extremely different, Pepi and Giménez are not giving space to each other with both finding the net again this weekend.

Can Richmond still win the Premier League? The answer might shock Ted Lasso

(S3E5 spoilers below)

As writers on the series, Jason Sudeikis (Ted), Brett Goldstein (Roy) and Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard) have always stressed that Ted Lasso isn't a show about soccer, it's a show about these characters who just so happen to be involved in the running of a professional soccer club. 

USWNT World Cup roster prediction: Who makes it?

Based off what we've seen from the Concacaf W Championship and SheBelieves Cup, a USWNT World Cup roster prediction seems like a pretty straightforward exercise — Vlatko Andonovski hasn't been tinkering away with his squads. 

However, the dramatic recall of Julie Ertz showed us that certain veterans can't be ruled out with three months of club ball still to be played. There are proven stars returning from longterm injuries who'll be watched closely by the staff, and let's just hope that Mallory Swanson is the only late addition to the casualty list. 

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