From his years leading Liverpool FC to the peak of the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League, Jürgen Klopp has learned what it’s like to see the best soccer in the world.
Since stepping back from coaching and taking on the head of global soccer role with Red Bull Football Group, he’s also gotten a new perspective, overseeing the organization’s six clubs across the world, most recently embedding himself with the New York Red Bulls ahead of their 3–2 loss against New York City FC.
And although he hasn’t spent much time around MLS, he was full of praise this weekend as the Hudson River Derby took center stage.
“I can tell you, the quality is really, really good. Good players, a lot of talent, high intensity. All these things you want to see when you watch it in a stadium or on television, I think [MLS] found its spot and now let’s work with it,” Klopp gushed.
“I’m 100% sure, in five years time, we [will] speak completely differently. I’m really sure it will grow and grow and grow. The kids coming up, starting playing soccer earlier, training, and getting better. Obviously, the place where you can play and train getting better.”
As a league, MLS has attracted immense world-class talent in recent years, with Inter Miami recruiting eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, alongside Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. Meanwhile, LAFC set an MLS record for incoming transfer fees with a $26 million splurge on South Korean superstar Son Heung-min from Tottenham Hotspur.
Son’s arrival marked the third time in the last year that MLS has broken its transfer record, with FC Cincinnati spending $16.2 million on Kévin Denkey and Atlanta United $22 million on Emmanuel Latte Lath. With heavy spending and ambitious roster builds, the level of the MLS has continued to rise ahead of the 2026 World Cup, hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
As for the Red Bulls, they’ve brought in highly touted stars Emil Forsberg and former FC Bayern Munich striker Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, who have been bright lights with 11 and 16 goals respectively in an otherwise disappointing year for the 2024 Eastern Conference champions.
“I don’t think we played exactly the season we wanted to play, but that’s O.K., that happens, but we are still in a position to fight for it,” Klopp said of the Red Bulls’ campaign. “And that’s exactly the vibe I realized. That’s the mood. ... What I saw now gives me a really positive feeling.”
While the loss to New York City FC likely puts an end to the Red Bulls’ hopes of extending their MLS Cup Playoff streak beyond its current 15-year run, the club will continue to fight until being mathematically eliminated with two games remaining.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Really Good’—Jurgen Klopp Impressed by MLS As New York Red Bulls’ Playoff Hopes Dwindle .
