Too many restrictions: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, a former player for the Los Angeles Galaxy, claims the majority of laws have impeded MLS’s expansion.
Ibrahimovic thinks that for Major League Soccer to keep expanding, it must maintain funding up-and-coming players and European celebrities.
In just 56 regular season games with the LA Galaxy, 42-year-old Ibrahimovic scored 52 goals and provided 17 assists, making an outstanding impact in the North American soccer league. The controversial former forward, who is currently an advisor to AC Milan of Serie A, offered his opinion on ESPN’s First Take.
“It’s growing in the right direction but I think it’s growing slowly because when I was here I remember – it still is – it has too many rules to make it grow faster,” he commented on the growth of the league. “The process is laborious. However, in terms of the game, its quality, and the players themselves, it is expanding and becoming increasingly better. Additionally, the 2026 World Cup will be significant for the nation and the Major League Soccer (MLS) in particular.”
Ibrahimovic thinks that for MLS to keep expanding, it must maintain spending money on up-and-coming young players and European celebrities.
“I think when you bring over these big players and they’re showing their quality, you understand more how the level is in Europe,” he stated. “With all respect to Major League Soccer, the standard in Europe is far greater. However, it is expanding. It’s not just about the big names showing up and playing; you have to start from the ground up. They exist now; they are not the future.
Ibrahimovic has previously spoken criticism of the North American soccer landscape and Major League Soccer. Over the previous five years, both sides have made a lot of remarks in public.
Ibrahimovic missed the 2018 MLS All-Star game because of exhaustion, which resulted in a notable one-game suspension during his rookie season in the league. He criticized the league’s exclusive playoff structure the next year.
In an interview, Ibrahimovic declared, “I think the system is s—.” You talk about mentality, which is why things are the way they are. I live by mentality every day. The way you play the game is how you train. Every game has major outcomes. However, you finish eighth here, advance to the playoffs, and triumph. So how can one cultivate a constant state of alertness and awareness? It’s really challenging.
