And even then, they always play their best team and celebrate the hell out of the win. I feel like Liverpool brought some prestige to the trophy too, by tanking the League Cup in exchange for the CWC.
LAFC could've been the ones playing a Club World Cup semifinal on SUPER BOWL SUNDAY **tears hair out**
Maybe it's just me, but when I read the following quote I for one derive at least some commentary pertaining to level of play: Again, it's perfectly fine to be ambitious but when you publicly set dates expect to be called out on it if it doesn't materialize.
If it's money that dictates your interest, does FIFA's expanded Club World Cup (likely to be launched in 2025) move the needle of your CCL "care-o-meter"? Qualifying for that is likely to start with the 2022 CCL (this year we still have the seven-team CWC in December.)
Manchester City won it this year but their pursuit of an unprecedented "septuple" came to an end early when they lost the FA Cup semis to...wait for it....Chelsea, their opponents in the UCL final.
First time I've seen that piece of the quote, thanks. I guess off the field, valuations, stadiums, facilities were pretty close but that's not the way most people would interpret the quote.
Now that we're a selling league is safe to assume there will be fewer and fewer players the casuals care about...
Despite what people think of the CWC, the league absolutely cares about making it there. I mean the league has borderline been obsessed about getting world-wide recognition and respect while expanding its brand globally. I'm sure when an MLS team makes it there, we won't hear the end and that's ok. UEFA, CONMEBOL and others brings their A squads - this would be a big deal for the league.
Ha! Dem Univision announcers were wildin'. Also back in the day when Nomberto Longo and Andres Cantor would call MLS games on Telemundo and their producers would pipe in crowd effects.
Doesn't anyone get tired of excuses of another failure by MLS sides? It's the same pitiful story every year and MLS isn't closer to winning than 20 years ago. If MLS truly doesn't care about the CCL, then don't participate and hand over your spots to more deserving leagues.
As you're probably aware, the tournament has been substantially different than it was in 2000. The meaningful time period for comparison is 2009 until now. We may or may not have a finalist this year. In the past three editions, we've had two finalists. One lost by a single goal and the other on penalties. This compares with only two finalists in the nine years before that. If you watch the tournament, you'll also know that the games between MLS and LMX teams are much closer than they were formerly. In the earlier years, LMX teams won handily while fielding B sides. Now they are frequently defeated by MLS teams despite playing A sides. The gap has not closed yet but it is closing. But, if you're actually uninterested, then don't watch.
Is Crew losing 3-0 to Monterrey or SKC losing agg. 10-2 vs. them "much closer" than before? Or a Galaxy squad with Ashley Cole, Nigel de Jong, Robbie Keane, and Steven Gerrard getting stomped by a below average Santos Laguna team? Or just last year when Tigres sleepwalked past NYCFC w/o home advantage?
I was making a point that MLS is not "closely competitive" vs Liga MX like the previous poster said nor it's getting closer.