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How MLS players are influencing the World Cup

Christian Polanco and Alexis Guerreros discuss the impact of MLS players at the World Cup, highlighting their contributions and perceptions of MLS as a league.

We have, we have a couple of MLS guys in there. You know, Berhalter gets the call again, as a backup. Even a couple of defenders who, you know, had their opportunity. Yes, Reed, Freese. Certain. I mean, there's a healthy contribution from them. What are your thoughts so far on the MLS guys? And what about Petar Musa who scored for Croatia? Yes, yes. It was a great goal. Yes. Yes. Yes. And what about Rodrigo De Paul with that blind pass that fed Messi for the first goal? So, as you see, MLS has been a little scattered here and there. 45 MLS players are participating in the World Cup. And I think 32 years ago, when we had the '94 World Cup here in the United States, there was no Major League Soccer. And if you had told everyone in MLS that, 32 years later, in the next World Cup, you would have the fourth or fifth most players of any league in the World Cup, I think they would have signed it. Now, it's not like everyone is playing, but, for example, I think Berhalter has done a good job so far. He had some ball losses, but none of those things matter. They are winning. He is the first player to be sent onto the field. So Pochettino loves what he sees in him. I thought Matt Freese was tested more today than he was against Paraguay. He was good, but he needs to be a little more precise with his feet. But when Musa scores for Croatia, you just put the microphone down and say, "Listen, you can't have this sort of general thought that MLS is a league where players go to die football-wise. It's just not true, it doesn't work that way." And then, for example, they told Rodrigo De Paul that his career was over. Apart from Messi, in yesterday's match, De Paul was the second best player on the pitch for Argentina. This is a fact, not an opinion. And how is he behaving? It's interesting because, I don't know, now I'm seeing the various comments and there's a certain amazement that Messi is still doing what he does. But there's also a bit of skepticism, in the sense that you're making comparisons with, I don't know, other championships and you're wondering a bit, but does this also apply to us? And now, however, we are starting to see that yes, this applies to us too, in the sense that even players who come from MLS are doing well in their respective clubs abroad.

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