Tag Archives: Major League Soccer

Rooney departs with no fanfare but history will be kind to his legacy

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Wayne Rooney

Farewell, then, Wayne. You will be missed. Or perhaps not. It’s difficult to gauge how well the former Manchester United striker is remembered and liked by fans but whatever side of the debate you sit on, there’s only one incontrovertible conclusion to reach: Wayne Rooney had a good run. The man had a brilliant career in the Premier League, and as time washes away and we’re all turned to dust, history will be kind to his legacy.

In case you haven’t heard, Rooney left Everton this week after signing a three-and-a-half year deal with MLS side D.C. United, bringing to an end his 16-year career in the Premier League. It has been evident that at, 32, Rooney isn’t quite the force of nature he once was. The pace is gone and so is the explosiveness; that ability to bring fire and potent force to a game as he so desired. It’s the reason he was back at Everton last summer in the first place: he was no longer fit for purpose at a club of United’s ambition.

There’s a little sadness here, too. In the middle of a World Cup where Gareth Southgate’s England are winning hearts and putting points on the board, Rooney, a veteran of three largely doomed campaigns, departs quietly from centre stage to the worst side in MLS. It is the same World Cup where Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney’s old mate and six months his senior, is shining brightly with four goals in three games.

But it would be uncharitable to view Rooney’s career solely through the lens of the latter years of his career, especially when the loss of pace is directly related to how he started his playing days like a house on fire. Rooney is not like most 32-year-olds in terms of his playing age. This is the man who took the game by surprise as a stocky 16-year-old with rage in his eyes and an incredible eye for goal. A man who scored a hat trick on his United debut. The goals and numbers bear witness to his greatness. 253 goals in 559 appearances for United, 28 in 118 for Everton and 53 in 119 for England. He is the record goalscorer for United and England, two of the most important institutions in world football. You do not achieve that by being a fraud. When Ronaldo was at his pomp during that glorious 2008/09 season, Rooney was the the dutiful teammate who willfully played out of position numerous times for the greater good.

As Rooney departs with no fanfare to the other side of the Atlantic, it should be remembered that when he was at his best, England had no answer to a player who could make magic happen all the while looking like your next door neighbour.

Play Euro 2016 Fantasy Football Games now!

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www.eurofantasyleague.com (EFL) announced the launch of its Euro 2016 fantasy football games on Sunday, June 5th ahead of the European Championships which kick-off this Friday. Please visit www.euro2016game.com to join and play! This is the signup page https://www.euro2016game.com/en/sign-up

This comes 9 days after the launch of the Copa America 2016 fantasy football games. Here’s the link for Copa’s Fantasy Games: https://eurofantasyleague.com/copa/

Remember you can also look forward to the top European leagues returning in August 2016. EFL also has the MLS (Major League Soccer) games currently available for skilled & knowledgeable fantasy football managers: https://eurofantasyleague.com/mls/

We hope all Participants enjoy our Games and prove their knowledge of football (soccer) while competing against some of the world’s best fantasy football managers!

Why Major League Soccer (MLS) is worth watching this season

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There’s been a lot of buzz about the new Major League Soccer season in the US, with so many European heavyweights having recently made the move to the lucrative division. Coverage is now fully available on TV thanks to a bumper deal agreed with Sky Sports, and here on EuroFantasyLeague the MLS league has been launched. So why is it worth watching?

With so many players now picking the MLS over many other top divisions, the standard of football is sure to pick up this season, especially with extended coverage in the UK. There will be many Premier League stars playing in the US – former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard and ex-Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard – while a host of top European talent will be joining them.

Ex-Real Madrid & AC Milan playmaker Kaka, former Barcelona & Atletico Madrid striker David Villa, while Sebastian Giovinco recently made the move from Juventus. There have been stars making a name for themselves prior to this season, with Robbie Keane shining with LA Galaxy in particular. His former Tottenham teammate Jermain Defoe was with Toronto for a short period too, so it’s fast becoming a coveted destination for players at a crossword in their careers.

The MLS is hoping it will soon become a heavyweight in football, so the reputation of the league will continue to rise and attract more top players. The money is certainly the biggest lure currently, but the more players who gamble on the league, the better and more attractive it becomes for others.

So let alone the large amount of recognisable faces playing in Major League Soccer this season, the standard of football has considerably improved. The pace is still slower than top leagues in Europe, but there’s real quality on display now, with many more technical players than in earlier MLS years. The US national team has impressed in major international tournaments and friendlies, which certainly pays tribute to the underrated MLS.

Seattle has passionate and great fans. However, overall the attendance across the league still needs working on, but interest has continued to grow at a positive rate. It’s also a competitive division with so many clubs evenly match, which makes for a great viewing spectacle. The MLS is only going in one direction, and this season could well be the best for players and improved overall performances. It’s a division that will gain more and more respect as time goes on, so there’s plenty of reasons to get involved and watch the growing league.