Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin says he is certain Major League Soccer MLS can be the World’s top league in the next four years.
The 43-year-old Jim Curtin has been coaching Philadelphia Union since 2014 and has managed to lead the team to claim the Supporters’ Shield in 2021 and their first MLS Cup final which will take place today, despite the club’s meager spending and depending on graduates of the club’s academy to reach the MLS final.
In a post-match interview ahead of today’s MLS Cup final, Jim Curtin was asked about making more exploit and testing himself by managing a club that plays an advanced league like the European Champions League after emerging as one of the top managers in MLS.
However, the Philadelphia Union head coach declined the suggestion, saying that may not be necessary as he believes MLS’ continued expansion will position the tournament among the highest leagues in the world in the next four years.
He said: “The stadiums, the facilities, the players that are coming here, the coaches that are coming here, why is it so crazy that by 2026 this isn’t the top league in the world,”
“I’m going to be the guy that’s going to get in trouble for saying this, but what if this is the league, I would love to test myself if it’s the right situation” in Europe.
No doubt MLS has experienced a period of rapid advancement over the past few years, with dazzling football stars like Gonzalo Higuain of Inter Miami, Javier Hernández and Robbie Keane of LA Galaxy, and other MLS top players enticing many football lovers to watch the league.
It’s also believed that MLS would experience a boom so much that fans would prefer to watch the League more than English Premier League or Germany’s Bundesliga, especially with the splashy signings of former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale and Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini both joining Los Angeles FC.
Moreover, it’s believed that Major League Soccer will thrive and gain more momentum as the United States, Canada and Mexico will co-host the 2026 World Cup, which MLS has long lauded as a great opportunity to grow the league.
Meanwhile, Jim Curtin, in a recent interview further illuminates his notion about MLS’s future, stating that he never said the league is the best in the World but it has the potential to be one of the highest soccer tournaments in the nearest future.
Curtin said: “What I was getting at was this league has the potential to be a top league in the world, not that this league is the best league in the world.”
With reports snarling around the internet that Cristiano Ronaldo is looking to leave Manchester United as David Beckham’s MLS team, Inter Miami is preparing a sizable offer for the legendary goal scorer, if the transfer is eventually successful, it will no doubt get loads of attention in the MLS tournament.
Curtin continued: “With the context of that, I do believe with the ownership groups that are here, with the men and women that are in charge, with the facilities like you see here, with the locker rooms, the training facilities, with the players that are wanting to come here, with the coaches that want to come here, this is a great place.”
What’s Next?
Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin will be hoping to win his side’s first MLS title in the MLS Cup final against LAFC today, November 5.
Venue: Banc of California Stadium
Kickoff time: 21:00 BST.
