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How to choose your favorite MLS club after the Copa ends

By Carson A Merk

May 8, 2016; Carson, CA, USA; LLos Angeles Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget (17), New England Revolution forward Diego Fagundez (14) and Galaxy defender A. J. DeLaGarza (20) battle for the ball in the first half at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
May 8, 2016; Carson, CA, USA; LLos Angeles Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget (17), New England Revolution forward Diego Fagundez (14) and Galaxy defender A. J. DeLaGarza (20) battle for the ball in the first half at StubHub Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 1, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Montreal Impact forward Didier Drogba (11) sets to take a free kick against Toronto FC in the second half at BMO Field. Toronto FC won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 1, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Montreal Impact forward Didier Drogba (11) sets to take a free kick against Toronto FC in the second half at BMO Field. Toronto FC won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-USA TODAY Sports /

Choose a club with a Designated Player global superstar

It’s common to support a team, solely due to a megastar player in any team sport. A lot of young football fans grew up loving the terrible Lions because they had Barry Sanders or the 2000’s Philadelphia 76ers with Allen Iverson, and a bunch of average players. Soccer is no different.  If you ask a casual fan of Real Madrid why they support the club, you are far more likely to hear “because of Cristiano Ronaldo,” than due to vice captain Marcelo.

The same can be said about the MLS. Fans all over the world became New York Red Bulls supporters when they had Arsenal and French national team legend Thierry Henry, or when fans flocked to get behind newly formed Orlando City SC when they acquired Kaka, a former FIFA Player of the Year.

This line of thinking could be equated to putting all your eggs in one basket, basing your support on just one player. While you may grow to love the club as a whole, what if your team’s fan favorite global sensation decides to retire, or return to a home country to play, or gets an injury and lose their luster? You may end up back here in this position of choosing a new favorite club sooner than later.

The MLS does have some perfect fits for this selection style. Here are a few:

Former Chelsea star Didier Drogba- Montreal Impact

Italian striker Sebastian Giovinco- Toronto FC

International stars Giovani dos Santos, Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole- LA Galaxy

World Cup legends David Villa & Andrea Pirlo- NYCFC

Next: Follow your Copa crush

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