Neymar shares his thoughts about a possible MLS transfer
Over the last few years, Major League Soccer has seen its fair share of prominent soccer stars. Andrea Pirlo, Steven Gerrard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez are just a few of the big name players who have made the jump to the American soccer community.
With competitive salaries, and a relatively low amount of pressure regarding on field results compared to European leagues, more than a few footballers have considered a transfer move to the MLS ranks.
In 2018, the Argentinian youngster Esequiel Barco considered the Atlanta United as the perfect place for his first international move, as he turned down offers coming from European clubs. On the other end of the spectrum, in 2015, Andrea Pirlo, one of the best Italian midfielders ever, chose New York City FC to be the last club he would suit up for in his illustrious career.
Recently, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the two best soccer players still in action, have also shared their thoughts about the American soccer league.
“I know that many players move there. I think it’s becoming better and better. It’s growing. I think it’s good. It’s good for me and young players that maybe one day we want to move there,” Ronaldo said in 2016 during an interview for GQ Magazine.
Last year, the seven-time ballon d’or winner said during an interview to a Spanish media outlet he’s considered showcasing his talents in the MLS one day and Inter Miami might be a possible destination for the Argentinian, as they have already offered him a contract as recently as last summer’s transfer window.
“I always said that I have the impression that I would like to enjoy the experience of living in the United States, of living in that league and that life, but if it happens or not I don’t know,” Messi said.
This week, it was time for PSG striker Neymar Jr. to reveal his desire to join the MLS community one day. During an interview for the “Fenômenos Podcast”, the Brazilian superstar said he’s considering a MLS move one day, just like his teammate Messi.
According to Neymar, the MLS championship is shorter than other tournaments and he would have more time to enjoy his vacations.
“I don’t know, I have my doubts. I don’t know if I will play in Brazil again. I really want to play in the United States, that’s what I want. At least one season. In Brazil, I don’t know. Sometimes I want to, sometimes not,” he explained.
As always, the comment was the subject of many debates on Brazilian television and social media for a variety of reasons.
At the top of that list is the fact that many people in South America simply don’t consider the MLS to be a competitive soccer league, believing the level of the competition is too low for what Neymar can still do on a soccer field.
There’s also a vocal segment of his fanbase that think Neymar would be giving up on his career too soon by moving to the United States. Many believe Neymar is still young enough to win a ballon d’or trophy and compete for some of the more prestigious championships around the world.
Undeniably there are critics back home in Brazil who are concerned that a possible move to an MLS team could have a negative impact on the Brazilian National Team. According to them, the Brazilian striker would not be playing against the best footballers in the world Stateside, causing detrimental impacts on his future performances for Brazil in international tournaments.
The fact is: no matter what Neymar says, there will always be someone to criticize him.
When Messi and Cristiano made the same comments as Neymar did, neither of them were criticized to the same degree as Neymar. But, when it comes to the Brazilian star, anything he says or does is almost guaranteed to make headlines.
Neymar moving to the MLS would not only bring more visibility to the league, but it could also have a domino effect on other players mulling a move as well. While an MLS title may not have the allure of say a Premier League championship, if the league continues to develop it could one day grow into a more internationally significant trophy.
-Matheus Teles