This year, Major League Soccer made serious progress in its quest to consolidate its place as the top global league.
Lionel Messi's arrival in MLS in 2023 marked a major turning point in the league's short-, medium- and long-term goals, as repeatedly explained by Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber.
A year and a half after the Argentinian arrived in Miami, the green shoots started to appear.
And it's not just Inter Miami that has grown with the arrival of Messi, Suárez and other top players, but other big-name players (Reus, Giroud, Benteke) have undoubtedly helped raise the league's profile worldwide, with Garber himself was thrilled with the way the 2024 Season turned out.
Last campaign was one of the most competitive in recent times, with Inter Miami winning the Supporters' Shield in spectacular fashion, but the postseason format is in such jeopardy that the Herons were bowled out by Atlanta United as LA Galaxy finally won the Won MLS Cup. a decade-long trophy drought.
The Keys to MLS Growth in 2024
Finalist in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup
Columbus Crew reached the final of the regional competition and despite falling to Mexico's Pachuca in the final, this was the third consecutive time an MLS side had reached the final with the outstanding task ahead of US clubs. Canada will rival Seattle Sounders in 2022, with Lumen Field still the only lone MLS champion.
League Cup title
The second edition of the mid-season competition between the MLS and Liga MX teams saw another MLS champion as Columbus Crew and LAFC made it to the finals, with the Crew winning and replacing Inter Miami as reigning champions.
Ten clubs in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup
With LA Galaxy's MLS Cup title, MLS will have 10 clubs participating in the next edition of the continental tournament, with a place in the 2029 Club World Cup also at stake.
Columbus Crew, LAFC, Colorado Rapids, Sporting Kansas City, Vancouver Whitecaps, Inter Miami, Cincinnati, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy will represent MLS in the tournament starting in February 2025.
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