Who Should MLS Sign as the New Face of the League Now That David Beckham Is Gone?

david beckham Who Should MLS Sign as the New Face of the League Now That David Beckham Is Gone?

Now that David Beckham has played his final competitive match in Major League Soccer, who should MLS sign as the new face of the league?

In Beckham’s time at LA Galaxy, he gave the league more PR exposure in the United States and overseas. Plus, by having Beckham in the league, he indirectly helped fellow stars join the league such as Thierry Henry, Tim Cahill and Robbie Keane.

Kaka has been touted as a possible replacement for Beckham at LA Galaxy. But the Brazilian certainly doesn’t have anywhere near the same cache as Beckham.

But rather than thinking of who the Galaxy will replace Beckham with, let’s consider who the league should sign as their “poster child.”

Some suggestions to consider:

  • Ronaldinho,
  • Frank Lampard,
  • Didier Drogba,
  • Ryan Giggs,
  • Miroslav Klose.

The sad realization for MLS is that no matter who they’ll sign, the person isn’t going to be  as big as Beckham. The only two people who are bigger than Beckham that would send shockwaves around the world are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and neither of them would think about leaving Spain right now.

What are your suggestions for who MLS should sign to replace Beckham as the new face of MLS?

About The Gaffer

Founder and publisher of EPL Talk, The Gaffer (aka Christopher Harris) is a journalist who has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian and several other publications as well as on NPR, BBC World, CBC, BBC Five Live, talkSPORT and beIN SPORT. Harris, who lives in Florida, has supported Swansea City since 1979. Harris launched EPL Talk in 2005. View all posts by The Gaffer →
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15 Responses to Who Should MLS Sign as the New Face of the League Now That David Beckham Is Gone?

  1. Johnny V says:

    Of all those players you mention , who is the youngest? I would think Kaka is the best fit if we can get him.

  2. CTBlues says:

    I would say Kaka would be the best option if possible. If not Kaka I would have to lean towards Drogba over Ronaldinho because Ronaldinho fell off the face of the earth while he was still in Europe.

  3. Charles says:

    No one.
    Quit appeasing the casual fans.

    One, the casual Euro fan is VERY annoying, see the last post and the comments for examples.

    Two, it doesn’t make good sense. Beckham, yes, he was a money making machine. If you think that my wife and the other casuals are going to know or care about Giggs or Klose, you have an IQ of zero.
    So now you are left with the Euro casuals, who know who they are…see part 1.

    Soccer in the US will be built on the strength of guys that care about US soccer, not just seeing an eaging ex-star or meaningless exhibition game. Those are just there to take the neccessary money, so real fans can enjoy a great league.

    • The Gaffer says:

      So Charles, you disagree with MLS if they go ahead and sign another big name then?

      Cheers,
      The Gaffer

      • Charles says:

        If they pay a lot of money to acquire them, without a doubt I do.

        It is one thing to spend money on improving US soccer and another to make money. Sometimes they need to only do the second everyone gets that…see the sell your soul mid season exhibition games…Thank God the Sounders have those dyas past them…please keep it that way…..But if they are going to spend a huge chunk of money and not get Beckham returns what are you doing it for ? To see worse soccer ? I think LA is a better team without DB next year….but he made money. You got to have one or the other, if not you are watching Ljungberg and many others again again.

  4. Charles says:

    “The sad realization for MLS is that no matter who they’ll sign, the person isn’t going to be as big as Beckham”

    This is NOT sad, I am VERY glad he is not returning. Watching ESPN’s 100% focus on the 10th best player in a game was not fun.
    NBC is much better of course, but it was fun, move on, there are a ton of players that can replace an aging superstar.

  5. The original Tom says:

    Kaka or Ronaldhino.

  6. Catamount says:

    Bruce Arena is something of a genius. The Galaxy have a lower point per game record with Beckham than without him. Juninho, Magee and Gonzalez were more important. Bruce figured out how to accomodate Beckham and still win.

    I will say that Donovan and Keane did some really special things on the pitch, the kinds of things that DP’s ought to be doing. Perhaps the soccer itself needs to be the star now.

  7. Alex says:

    Eh I don’t really care bout who mls wants to sign. I think mls should worry less about signing old hasbeens for brand recognition and more about stepping aside so clubs can finally compete by developing talent

  8. dsgntd_plyr says:

    “Perhaps the soccer itself needs to be the star now.”

    I’ve been saying this for 10 years.

    • Charles says:

      THAT is the problem with trying to appease guys like the trolls. They are casual fans who think they are serious fans.
      But college soccer all the way up to MLS is not good enough for them.

      I agree though screw the casual fan, whether they are the Euro casual or just a soccer mom, they will come around and if they don’t we are watching a great league.

  9. Lysander says:

    The next big name in MLS will become big from being in the MLS and dominating. He may not be as big as Beckham was but who cares…

  10. Emanuelle says:

    Arriba El Galaxy. Kaka will sign with MLS. Whether it’s with the Redbull or Galaxy is the bigger question. Cristiano Ronaldo will eventually sign with the American Galacticos. Messi will probably never where an MLS shirt. Oh well can’t get them all. Over all it’s good to be an MLS Fan. Our youth system is improving every year.

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