Why MLS Is the Perfect Place to Start Your Ultimate XI Journey

The first time the MLS really entered my world was in 2007, when David Beckham swapped Real Madrid for LA Galaxy.

At the time, it felt almost unimaginable. Beckham was one of the biggest footballers on the planet, and like many fans in Europe, I couldn't understand why someone still competing at the highest level would choose to move to the United States.

The MLS felt like a completely different footballing world. I remember watching the old penalty shootout format where players dribbled from the halfway line towards the goalkeeper and wondering whether the league would ever be taken seriously alongside Europe's biggest competitions.

Beckham's move wasn't without controversy either. His loan spells back to AC Milan frustrated many MLS supporters, who felt he hadn't fully committed to the league. Looking back, though, it's remarkable how significant that transfer proved to be. Hidden within Beckham's contract was the option to purchase an MLS expansion franchise at a fixed price. That club would eventually become Inter Miami.

At the time, nobody could have imagined how important that decision would become.

The next generation of marquee signings reinforced the league's image. Thierry Henry arrived at the New York Red Bulls. David Villa and Andrea Pirlo joined New York City FC. Steven Gerrard and later Zlatan Ibrahimović wore the colours of LA Galaxy, while Kaká became Orlando City's first marquee signing.

They were iconic footballers, but they also strengthened the belief that the MLS was where Europe's biggest names came for one final chapter.

Looking back now, it's remarkable how quickly that perception has changed.

The turning point wasn't simply Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami. It was everything that followed.

Messi didn't arrive to wind down his career. He arrived and immediately became the best player in the league. Rather than signalling the end of one of football's greatest careers, his performances demonstrated that the MLS could still be a stage for elite football.

This summer's World Cup has only strengthened that argument. Arguably the tournament's standout player so far, Messi has reminded everyone that playing in the MLS doesn't prevent you from performing on football's biggest stage. If anything, it has helped change the way the league is viewed around the world.

Suddenly, joining the MLS no longer felt like stepping away from elite football. It became another destination for it.

Since then, the league has continued to attract players who could comfortably compete in Europe's biggest competitions. Heung-Min Son, Hugo Lloris, Thomas Müller and Rodrigo De Paul have all added to its growing quality, while this summer has brought another exciting wave of arrivals. Antoine Griezmann has joined Orlando City. Robert Lewandowski is preparing to lead the line for Chicago Fire, while Fabrizio Romano has already given his trademark "Here we go" to both Casemiro and Allan Saint-Maximin.

Today, the conversation has completely changed. Almost every MLS club now has at least one recognisable name, making the league far more compelling to follow than it was even a decade ago. Combined with Apple TV's global coverage, it's never been easier for supporters around the world to choose a team and watch every match.

Of course, signing a famous player doesn't guarantee success.

One of the biggest lessons of recent seasons is that success in Europe doesn't automatically translate to success in the MLS. Olivier Giroud arrived with one of the finest CVs in world football, yet his spell never quite delivered what many expected. That's why this latest wave of arrivals is so intriguing. Griezmann, Lewandowski, Casemiro and Saint-Maximin all have the pedigree to become stars of the league, but football has a habit of writing its own stories.

The evolution of the MLS has also created something that's quite unique from an Ultimate XI perspective.

Unlike Europe's biggest leagues, the MLS still feels discoverable.

In the Premier League, everyone already knows who Cole Palmer is. By the time a player reaches that level, their valuation has usually exploded and every fantasy manager is trying to sign them.

The MLS still feels like a competition where genuine discoveries can be made. Every season, players begin the campaign almost unnoticed before establishing themselves among the league's best performers. By the time the wider football world catches on, the opportunity has often passed.

That's exactly what makes it such an enjoyable league to scout.

The biggest names might convince you to watch the league, but it's often the players you've never heard of that define your Ultimate XI club.

There isn't one correct way to build a successful club in Ultimate XI.

Some managers will always back proven stars, while others prefer investing almost entirely in youth.

Both approaches can work.

The strongest clubs aren't usually the ones with the biggest stars or the biggest collection of prospects. They're the ones that find the right balance between scoring points today and increasing their club's value for tomorrow.

That's exactly what makes the MLS such a compelling place to start.

You can build around Lionel Messi, Heung-Min Son or Hugo Lloris without exhausting your transfer budget, while still having enough left to invest in players like Berhalter, Gozo and Mehmeti before their values climb even higher.

It's unlikely the MLS will consistently produce the next £100 million superstar, but that's never really been the point. The opportunity lies in finding tomorrow's £20 million player while they're still worth £2 million, benefiting from both their performances on the pitch and the growth in your club's valuation.

That's a challenge few leagues offer quite as well.