Yes, to a certain degree, but at the same time, you don't want MLS to become the retirement league that people accuse it of being. You want it to be a league full of young American players, and some young talented South Americans who are working their way toward a European career if they can manage it, and the occasional needle-moving star. Messi and Beckham are the two that actually succeeded in moving the needle. A guy like Carlos Vela managed to do so for LAFC, for example, but not really on a league-wide basis. Ditto Thierry Henry at NYRB, and David Villa at NYCFC. We'll see if a guy like Lewandowski can do so for Chicago. I have my doubts. Most of those guys turn out to be busts because MLS is very physically rigorous (summer heat, travel, lots of athletic young players) and not every player who comes is mentally determined enough to make a strong ending to their career here. Many really are trying to take their foot off the gas, and this is NOT the league to do that in and get away with it. In order for an older star to be successful here, they really have to be all-in and prepared for the physically exhausting grind.
No, I hope my post didn't come across as saying I want any star player, or that I'm a fan of MLS being labeled a "stars' retirement league." I really believe, over time, MLS can build the financial strength and appeal to attract more quality players in their prime, and spread that talent across many teams, not just a handful.
I think it’s hard to contextualize how far things have come from the 1980s. No pro league. USA not present at the World Cup. Many varsity school programs didn’t offer soccer. Seen as an oddity as an American playing with Europeans in Europe (I was one of them in Belgium)… Talk about the dark ages… we’ve come a long way, but so have other countries…