Inter Miami’s ‘evil empire’ jibe as MLS rivals LA Galaxy opt for different approach

LA Galaxy won a record-extending sixth MLS Cup last season, ending a 10-year wait to land Major League Soccer’s top prize – and their approach has been revealed in the new Apple TV+ docuseries Onside: Major League Soccer

LA Galaxy once had a Galacticos reputation by buying the biggest names at the end of their careers – but their new approach is arguably just as successful.

The Galaxy won a record-extending sixth MLS Cup last season, ending a 10-year wait to land Major League Soccer’s top prize. And they done so with a new-look approach, having ditched their famous tactic of chucking loads of money at the biggest players in world football.

David Beckham kicked off a remarkable era when he arrived back in 2007 from Real Madrid and other household names soon followed, including Steven Gerrard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ashley Cole, Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez and Robbie Keane. But long gone are the days of looking for star attractions, and while they did bring in two-time Champions League finalist Marco Reus from Borussia Dortmund last year, they prefer to build their team around young talents including former Barcelona wonderkid Riqui Puig, who is now at the peak of his powers aged 25.

And in the new Apple TV+ docuseries Onside: Major League Soccer – which provides unprecedented access to players, coaches and clubs during the 2024 season – LA Galaxy’s General Manager Will Kuntz explains their new approach. Speaking at the beginning of last season, before they triumphed in the MLS Cup, he said: “I think that LA is a ‘what have you done to me lately’ town.

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“You know, you’ve got to win, you’ve got to show out, you’ve got to entertain the crowd. The Galaxy ethos before my arrival was a star-driven franchise. Being international stars is hardwired into the DNA of the Galaxy.

“The arrival of David Beckham really kid of ushered in an era of American Galacticos. Robbie Keane, Landon Donovan, Steven Gerrard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Incredibly important, massive players. But I’d rather have guys who are 25, 26 years old.

“What we’ve tried to do is focus on young, up-and-coming players, be part of their development and be part of their journey on the highest level. I think those established stars were maybe at the end of their career. And you’re seeing something great happen in real time, which is also a very Hollywood story.”

The new philosophy has clearly paid off for the reigning MLS Cup champions, but their fierce rivals Inter Miami – co-owned by Beckham – are more of a throwback Galaxy, after landing arguably the world’s best player in Lionel Messi. As well as Argentina’s World Cup winner, they’ve also signed his veteran megastar pals Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in recent years.

But according to Herculez Gomez, the 24-capped former USMNT forward, Inter Miami’s transfer approach has seen them become the ‘evil empire’. He told Onside: Major League Soccer: “Never in the history of the game, has a team had so much investment. They are the evil empire, if you will, but you have to be great. You have to win it all. And if you don’t, it’s a massive failure.”

And while last season can’t be considered ‘a massive failure’ for Miami, given they landed a MLS-record points tally on the way to winning the Supporters’ Shield, they ultimately missed out on a maiden MLS Cup triumph. They’ll be hoping to prove their critics wrong this season.

Onside: Major League Soccer is available from 21 February globally on Apple TV+

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