Major League Soccer

  • The Greatest 25

    Opinion: Snubs on MLS’ list of ‘The 25 Greatest’

    Major League Soccer announced “The 25 Greatest” last week, its 25 greatest players of all time in celebration of its 25th season. Most of the players deserve to be on the list. One of them caught my attention. And I’m having trouble rationalizing it. David Beckham. No disrespect to Beckham....
  • nil-nil

    Gallery: FC Cincy, D.C. United settle for point each in nil-nil affair

    CINCINNATI — In each club’s first game back since the conclusion of the MLS Is Back tournament, FC Cincinnati and D.C. United settled for a nil-nil draw Friday at Nippert Stadium. Both teams are currently in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference with FCC sitting on...
  • Front Porch Discourse

    Front Porch Discourse: How did FC Cincinnati get it so wrong?

    In the latest episode of Front Porch Discourse, co-hosts John Lenard and Ian Foster discuss the pitfalls of FC Cincinnati‘s expansion season, comparing them to the decade’s other lower-leagues-to-MLS transitions. But first, they take on how the media seemed to completely underestimate Jill Ellis and the USWNT in 2019....
  • Charlotte

    Report: MLS to announce Charlotte expansion Dec. 17

    The North Carolina city would be the league’s 30th franchise Following MLS Board of Governors meetings on Thursday afternoon in Brooklyn, N.Y., it has been reported that MLS will go ahead with the announcement of Charlotte as the league’s 30th franchise in the coming weeks. Initially reported by Soc...
  • elimination

    Opinion: Making sense of LAFC’s elimination

    The most exciting factor of any playoffs is that often the best team of the regular season doesn’t win the championship. And the full domination of Los Angeles FC by the Seattle Sounders was not the exception to the standard rule. LAFC broke or reached every MLS record, became...
  • LAFC

    LAFC can cement status as best ever with MLS Cup win

    Los Angeles FC is in dangerous territory. October will define if it’s remembered as the most ambitious project in the history of MLS or as another good team with an impeccable campaign. If LAFC doesn’t culminate 2019 with the MLS Cup, it’s going to be a statistic, a precedent,...
  • Week 27

    MLS xG analysis and charts through Week 27

    With the rise of advanced analytics in soccer, expected goals (xG) has become a go-to metric for examining the quality of both clubs and individual players beyond base accumulation stats (goals, assists, etc.). Inspired by Ben Mayhew of Experimental 3-6-1, who utilizes similar statistics for the English Football League,...
  • 2019 MLS salary

    Sortable 2019 MLS salary data

    In June, the MLS Players Association unveiled its salary guide — as has become customary — listing the base and total compensation of every player in the league for the 2019 season. Here’s the 2019 MLS salary guide converted into an Excel workbook to help you farther sink into...
  • breakdowns

    Late defensive breakdowns doom FC Cincinnati in lopsided loss to D.C. United

    CINCINNATI — FC Cincinnati’s brutal inaugural MLS campaign recently encountered a spell of positivity with two consecutive victories after going winless in league play in all of June and most of May. But second-half breakdowns in the defensive third Thursday night spoiled the run of good form, as FC...
  • Lucho

    Preview: FC Cincinnati hosts Lucho-less D.C. United in midweek clash

    After ending up on the wrong side of a 7-1 shellacking June 29 in St. Paul, FC Cincinnati enters Thursday’s home fixture with D.C. United schlepping a two-match winning streak. D.C. sits third in the Eastern Conference standings, but will be without a notable playmaker Thursday evening. Kickoff at...
  • FC Cincinnati reeling

    Gallery: More direct Galaxy keep FC Cincinnati reeling

    CINCINNATI — The LA Galaxy were out-passed and out-possessed at FC Cincinnati on Saturday, but were much more efficient with their opportunities to earn a 2-0 road win. Emmanuel Boateng and Favio Alvarez tallied for the visitors, with the latter also providing the assist on the former’s goal. The...
  • MLS xG analysis

    MLS xG analysis and charts through Week 14

    With the rise of advanced analytics in soccer, expected goals (xG) has become a go-to metric for examining the quality of both clubs and individual players beyond base accumulation stats (goals, assists, etc.). Inspired by Ben Mayhew of Experimental 3-6-1, who utilizes similar statistics for the English Football League,...