When Atlanta United eliminated the Inter Miami powerhouse from the playoffs on Saturday night, there would have been scenes of grief in MLS headquarters.
Without Lionel Messi adding to the drama, the TV ratings will undoubtedly drop, and the seasons of FC Cincinnati and Columbus Crew, the Eastern Conference’s second and third-place finishers, also ended.
With only eight clubs left in the postseason, who well-known players should we watch out for in the absence of Messi, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets?
It should come as no surprise that the biggest stars hail from the city of glamour, Los Angeles, which may be the only place where the biggest names have ever faced off against Miami.
Carlos Vela
When LAFC signed Vela, a former Arsenal player who was 28 years old and playing a key role for Real Sociedad in La Liga, they created a stir in 2018.
The move was a big success, and in September, LA lured Vela back for another chance at glory once his contract expired at the end of the 2023 season.
Vela is one of the more senior gentlemen in this group, at 35, but he is not the only aging celebrity who had a significant influence in Europe before relocating to southern California.
NORTH LONDON IS GOLD AND BLACK.
Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud, two French World Cup champions, are in charge of LA.
After earning almost 450 appearances and an incredible 145 international caps—the most in France’s storied soccer history—Lloris left Tottnham in the summer.
Even though he undoubtedly declined over the last part of his Spurs career, Lloris has shown that he still has it in him by keeping 12 clean sheets while wearing a LAFC shirt, which is just one goal short of the MLS lead this season.
Giroud, who is 38 years old and hasn’t achieved the same level of success as his countryman, completes the geriatric superstar contingent.
Giroud has participated in 10 MLS games since leaving AC Milan for Los Angeles in May, but he has not scored a goal.
Nevertheless, Giroud has established himself as a big game player, and if LAFC wins their second MLS Cup, the striker will undoubtedly need to have a big moment or two.
Bogusz Mateusz
The hero of LAFC’s tight victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps to go to the Conference semifinals was a much lesser-known past contributor to European football.
Bogusz only made one appearance in the Championship for Leeds United at the age of 23 he’s seen his career take a massive leap forward in the MLS, notching 15 goals in 32 regular season games this year.
Bogusz has been a powerful force in the postseason, showing up with a goal and an assist while lacking the name-power of his more experienced teammates.
MARCO REUS
The LA Galaxy, arguably the first MLS team of superstars with players like David Beckham and Landon Donovan, will be playing on the opposite side of the “El Trafico” rivalry. They have their own roster of well-known players.
Reus, 35, more than any other. The captain eventually left Borussia Dortmund in August to pursue new opportunities, joining the Galaxy in time for their title challenge after more than ten years there.
Although his advanced age contributes to the fact that Reus has mostly played off the bench thus far, he isn’t quite as necessary when the Galaxy have one of the premiere stars of MLS
Puig Riqui
Many were taken aback when Puig, who is still only 25 years old, moved from Barcelona to Los Angeles in 2022, but it seems like the dynamic attacker is having a good time in the United States.
With four goals and an assist in two games in the playoffs, he has already made a big impression. He stepped up with 13 goals and 10 assists throughout the regular season.