Major League Soccer (MLS) has once again made headlines.
In a thrilling match at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, the MLS All-Stars triumphed over their La Liga MX rivals with a score of 3-1 on Wednesday night. This victory comes as a welcome turnaround from last year’s 4-1 loss, signaling a positive close to the league’s midseason break.
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MLS opened the scoring in the 27th minute thanks to a well-placed header from Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge, expertly assisted by LAFC’s Denis Bouanga. Review confirmed the goal, and Surridge’s impressive performance ties him for the league lead with 18 goals this season.
With this lead, MLS went into halftime feeling confident.
Just after the break, in the 51st minute, Philadelphia Union’s Tai Baribo surged through the center, finishing off a great setup from Diego Rossi that quickly extended the advantage.
La Liga MX didn’t take long to respond, with 16-year-old Gilberto Mora scoring in the 64th minute. He navigated through the defense, seized a loose ball, and scored, marking him as the youngest player to compete in the MLS All-Star Game.
However, MLS cleverly secured their win when Brian White of Vancouver Whitecaps scored from a La Liga MX defender’s error in the 79th minute, solidifying their two-goal margin.
This match marked the fourth installment of MLS versus La Liga MX in the last five years, a format that began in 2021. The MLS had its first victory during a penalty shootout that year, followed by a break in 2023 when Arsenal replaced the La Liga MX squad. Last year’s event saw Liga MX take their first win with a resounding 4-1 scoreline.
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Where was Lionel Messi?
The MLS All-Star Game unfolded on Wednesday without Lionel Messi of Inter Miami. Concerns arose about his participation as he and teammate Jordi Alba were removed from the final roster after missing Monday’s training session. The reasons for their absence remain unclear.
Messi also did not play in last year’s All-Star Game.
While it’s uncertain whether Messi or Alba will face discipline, MLS rules indicate that players can receive a one-game suspension for withdrawing from the All-Star Game without an approved medical reason. For context, former LA Galaxy star Zlatan Ibrahimovic faced a similar suspension for missing an event in 2018. Inter Miami is set to take on FC Cincinnati this Saturday.
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MLS Season Pass Numbers
Before Wednesday’s match, MLS Commissioner Don Garber provided insight into viewership trends linked to the league’s partnership with Apple.
Garber noted that the MLS season pass on Apple TV+ averages 120,000 unique viewers per game, reflecting a 50% increase from the previous season, according to Sports Business Journal’s Alex Silverman.
In 2022, Apple and MLS entered a 10-year broadcast agreement valued at approximately $2.5 billion, replacing earlier deals with ESPN, Univision, and Fox, and moving all MLS games to Apple TV+. Currently, all games are streamed, allowing for broad access to viewers.
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In comparison, ESPN averaged over 300,000 viewers for MLS matches during the 2022 season, the last before the Apple deal commenced. According to Sports Media Watch, the audience for this year’s All-Star Game reached 1.53 million viewers.
Editorial Opinion: This victory for MLS is significant for soccer fans as it highlights the competitive growth of the league and strengthens its profile against strong international opponents. Additionally, the rising viewership numbers reflect growing interest in soccer in the U.S., signaling a bright future for the sport in the country.
