Does anyone know the process you have to undergo to get to play on a MLS team? I've been playing soccer my whole life but I haven't kept up with almost ANYTHING pertaining to MLS since around 8 years ago. Don't ask. But anyway, recently I've been going crazy asking myself this question. Fortunately I found this site, which seems friendly and knowledgable enough to help me. If anyone could answer my question, whether bluntly or in detail - preferrably the latter - I'd be greatly appreciateive. Thanks, guys.
Didn't the Crew have open tryouts at one point? You had to pay for the privelege, but you actually got to try out for an MLS team. Incidently, was ANYONE picked for the team from that try-out? Generally, the internationals are scouted and brought in as part of the allotment for international players. College players get picked through the draft, no? A few players play their way up from A-league every year, I suppose. Not a very specific answer - sorry.
Your best bet is performing well at a Division 1 college and getting scouted. Even better would be playing with a youth national team and earning a Project-40 contract. Less likely is making a name in the A-League or PSL and then move up. Go to college.
Find incriminating pictures in compromising positions of an MLS head coach and blackmail your way onto the team. Good luck, Rusty Pierce
Oh, alright! I plan on going to a strong college in a few years. I'm still 15 since you probably couldn't tell. My father got a chance to play on the Bulagarian International team along with Stoichkov back when he was very young, like 16 or something, so I want to kinda continue the "legacy." Thanks for the quick replies, but I have on more question. FIFA... The best MLB players represent the U.S.? True or not? If not, how would you get to participate in the FIFA tournament? Again I'm pretty young, I love and play soccer daily but it wasn't until recently that I've started taking the sport seriously. Just don't mock me.
Not mocking, but MLB is baseball. MLS is soccer. In any event, the best players, period represent the US. It helps, in terms of getting you more face-to-face time with scouts that you are playing in MLS, but a good American player will wind up on the US national team regardless of where they play. (Many American players play in England). If you want to represent the country (and I'm assuming that you are an American citizen), it's all scouting. Some countries are hurting for manpower enough that you can go to them, but not the US. If you have the skills to go to a major Division 1 school, someone will be watching you. Chances are, if you're any good, they've been watching you already.
Aw, man... Jeez, sorry about that MLB thing. I type fast so sometimes I make mistakes like that. But thanks a whole bunch for the useful information. It's of great help! And thanks for the heads-up, Mike, I guess...
Other small colleges can help like Saint Louis University and Crieghton. Also think about Brandenton if you are really serious, http://www.imgacademies.com/. That is the place you want to be right now. If you get into there then the college recruiters will be knocking down your door to get a chance at you.
Most MLS teams have open tryouts at some point, and several thousand players have been through them over the years. About a dozen have actually gotten onto MLS rosters that way, and most of them never got much playing time...
you could move into bruce arena's basement and then get your spot on the national team gifted to you. that's seemed to work for others.
I'm gonna ask. Why is it that someone with such apparently lofty goals about playing soccer in the US doesn't seem to know much at all about soccer in the US or the US national team?
Because he's 15? It's easy to take information that we possess for granted, most people (including most of the recreational adult soccer players I play with) don't know much about the US team other than "we play at the World Cup every 4 years".
I understand that. That's why I'm wondering why. Plus he said "don't ask" which just begs you to ask.
MLS teams generally don't have tryouts, though that's not always true. They scout colleges and universities heavily, especially the top programs such as Indiana, UCLA, Creighton, UConn, . . . Another route, as has been mentioned, is academies like the one in Bradenton, FL. Getting onto developmental teams like the Chicago Fire's youth squad is another way to start moving up.
It's understandable that a youth player has never heard of things like ODP and the like--ESPECIALLY if they might be playing in an ethnic team/league, which our 15 year old probably does. One thing working against you dragon, is that it seems you just started playing the game recently? Unless you have started at least getting skills by age 8 or 9, your chances are not very good. However, if your dad is a Bulgarian international, I'm guessing you have at least messed around with the ball some developing some touch. If that's the case, and you are reasonably athletic, you have a decent chance at playing in college somewhere...what div., I don't know. Get serious about the game, keep playing after 90% of the players quit the game after 18, and who knows.