How MLS clubs in less-glamorous markets pitch global stars on signing with them

Former Bayern Munich teammates Thomas Müller, right, and James Rodríguez meet in a Vancouver-Minnesota MLS match Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz / Getty Images

Antoine Griezmann insisted on welcoming Ricardo Moreira into his home for dinner on the Orlando City executive’s first trip to Madrid last fall.

Beyond the pleasantries of hosting and spending time with his family in their comfort zone, a practical rationale dictated the venue. Griezmann is too famous. He couldn’t be seen dining with the sporting director of an MLS club as Moreira was attempting to bring the Atlético Madrid legend to America.

So, Moreira came to Griezmann’s home. Over the course of the next eight hours, over coffee, tea, food and wine, Moreira and Griezmann discussed everything. First, the sporting project in Orlando. The facilities. The city. The life his family would experience, including schools in the area.

“From that first moment, I knew after that meeting we were going to get this done,” Moreira told The Athletic.

It took another couple trips to Madrid, including one with gifts: Purple No. 7 Orlando City kits with “GRIEZMANN” on the back, a number of video calls with the club’s ownership and negotiations with Atlético Madrid over timing of the move as Orlando pushed for an immediate transfer but ultimately agreed to a summer arrival. It is never easy or straightforward, but Orlando landed its whale.

“We were not in the market for just ‘a star,’” Moreira said. “We were in the market for Antoine Griezmann.”

The World Cup winner and Atleti legend joining Orlando is an impressive coup and a statement of intent. It is a signing that immediately raises Orlando’s profile in the league and, more importantly, boosts its chase for success. It’s also part of a recent trend across MLS, where the biggest names aren’t always landing where you might otherwise expect them to.

Orlando has entered the waters for a whale before, so this isn’t fully uncharted territory for the Lions. Brazilian legend Kaká was the club’s first marquee star during its inaugural season. Alexandre Pato spent time there as well, and Nani ushered in the club’s first era of success in the early 2020s.

Griezmann’s signing shows, though, that global stars don’t only come to Los Angeles, Miami or New York in this stage of MLS. It’s easier for the so-called “glamor markets,” the ones with the biggest global appeal, favorable weather, lure of Hollywood, huge media share and strongest cultural ties rather than midsized U.S. markets. But a recent wave has seen the likes of Thomas Müller, James Rodríguez and Timo Werner find homes in far-flung places, while players like Neymar are at least sounding out pitches from a locale devoid of beaches and a traditional “destination” label.

It’s increasingly clear that clubs across the league aren’t discouraged – even if they need to refine their pitches.

“No, the question doesn’t annoy me,” FC Cincinnati GM Chris Albright said when asked if his club wasn’t in a glamor market. “The greatest quality in a player, or anyone really, is self-awareness. The players who reach the greatest heights are super self-aware. We are a great city, but we’re not a glamor city. It’s a great place to raise kids, be a fan, go to school, go to work, to live. We have great ownership. That’s our identity and we’re proud of that. Midwest, value-based. You have to be self-aware and lean into your identity.”

L.A., Miami and New York, which boast five MLS clubs combined, have the starkest recruiting advantages. Lionel Messi wanted to play in Miami, and Inter Miami got the deal done. Then Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suárez joined him. Those options were not on the table for, say, Real Salt Lake.

The likes of Gareth Bale, Giorgio Chiellini and Hugo Lloris went to LAFC in recent years on a fraction of the money they earned in Europe. Same for Marco Reus to the LA Galaxy. Zlatan Ibrahimović initially arrived with the Galaxy on a non-designated player deal.

The city of L.A. certainly was a selling point for LAFC’s pursuit of Son Heung-min; it was the same for New York City when NYCFC landed a trio of legends – David Villa, Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo – in the late 2010s.

“Those cities just have a natural advantage, we have to deal with it,” Charlotte FC sporting director Zoran Krneta said. “I’m not really bothered. Every city and club should have an identity.”

Krneta led the team’s recruitment and eventual signing of Wilfried Zaha. He also strongly pursued Reus, even offering a much larger contract than the one he eventually signed for the LA Galaxy.

“When you talk about L.A., New York and Miami, those cities are heavy competitors,” Moreira said. “Let’s be honest, a lot of the American culture in terms of movies and TV, those are the places sold to people around the world as the best destinations around the world.”

Stars still sell in this league, but the process to sign and to pitch and the value they bring is much different than in previous eras of MLS. Facilities across the league have drastically improved, as has on-field quality.

“It’s soccer first, then everything else,” Albright said. “Players coming over here are still looking for the American quality of life, you still have to showcase that, but soccer and winning has become the central argument.”

Cincinnati has one of the league’s newer training facilities and hosted the U.S. national team in recent years, where players marveled at the amenities.

“If I was on a video call with a player like nine years ago, I’d probably have to tell a few white lies to get you here,” Albright said with a laugh. “But we’re not used car salesmen, we have the product to be proud of around the league.”

Albright should know. He was on the LA Galaxy when David Beckham shocked the world and signed for the club. He was on Red Bull New York when Thierry Henry and Rafa Márquez went there.

“I don’t think we’ve had any player who was brought here who has said no,” Albright said. “Some deals have not come together — and that’s going to happen — but it’s never happened for a player we’ve brought here that has said no themselves.”

Though not in the global superstar category, Cincinnati is proud of the big deals it has sealed. Club-record signing Kévin Denkey came to watch a playoff game in 2024 just before signing and was blown away by the atmosphere after marveling at the training facilities. Cincinnati’s owners personally flew a private jet to pick up USMNT center back Miles Robinson at the start of free agency in 2024.

Cincinnati seriously pursued American stars Weston McKennie and Josh Sargent in the summer of 2024. Both players were very interested in the moves, but it didn’t work out. The club is currently working on bringing Brazilian superstar Neymar to the club, as first reported by The Athletic last month. There are few that boast a player profile and global cachet quite like Brazil’s all-time leading scorer.

Although Albright would not comment on Neymar specifically, he did address the general cynicism surrounding the notion that a player like Neymar would come to Cincinnati.

“Well, 95 percent of those people have never been here,” Albright said, unbothered. “They don’t have their eyes open to how great of a place this is to live and work. I just don’t put much stock in it. We’ve already recruited a lot of great players and great people, like coaches and support staff.”

The stage a player comes at is different. The 35-year-old Griezmann started both Champions League semifinal legs against Arsenal and helped drive Atleti to the Copa Del Rey final. When he flew to Orlando to officially sign his contract and announce the move, it was immediately after he started for Atlético Madrid in a La Liga derby against Real Madrid. He has remained a crucial starter for a big team in Europe.

Nevertheless, “it’s much easier to convince a player to come to MLS now than it was five or 10 years ago,” Moreira said.

Added Krneta: “Honestly, 10 years ago in MLS to today is not the same. It’s not recognizable.”

Not every move and recruiting pitch works out, but the process around global stars now is more focused on the player adding to and elevating an existing core rather than being thought of as the answer to a prayer.

Müller joined an already-strong Vancouver Whitecaps team last summer and accentuated everything going on before his arrival. It was a perfect blend on the field and, off the field, it didn’t hurt to bring in a German legend with a history of begin a serial winner.

Müller still had a lot of soccer left in his boots and fire in his soul. While winding down his days at Bayern Munich last year, he asked the club for detailed analysis for his soon-to-be teammates in Vancouver. He wanted to come to North America, but was coming to a really good team.

“If the city is glamorous or not, that is step two. Not step one. Step one is football,” Moreira said. “The first conversation with every player – including global stars – is the sporting project. The city comes after.”

Those conversations have vastly changed, and every situation is different. James was a shock signing by Minnesota United, but it was a short-term contract for a player who wanted to stay fresh for the World Cup and didn’t have a ton of options. Plus he had bounced around a number of clubs in recent years.

Werner surprisingly signed with the San Jose Earthquakes this winter after failing to find an agreement with Red Bull New York last summer.

“This league talks about parity, but I don’t think parity really exists,” Krneta said. You can’t have parity with L.A. teams. Players want to go L.A. It’s like players want to play in London, you know?”

Even so, the other cities are still showing their might and landing their stars. L.A., Miami and New York will always have a greater cultural magnetism, the same way major cities in all other leagues do. The less glamorous markets may not have as many celebrities, but they can still carry themselves with pride and assuredness, all while luring global stars and big money players – and doing so with a dose of self-awareness.

“It’s not like you go out to eat here and Brad Pitt is sitting at the table across from you or Timothée Chalomet,” Krneta said. “We know who we are. It’s important to know that.”

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