A 26 team sentence by sentence preview of MLS's 25th season.

MLS is celebrating its 25th season as soccer in North America looks to reach new levels with MLS expanding to 26 teams in the upcoming season. We preview each team's current situation in one sentence as we head into the new season. Enjoy!

Eastern Conference

1. Atlanta United - The new hype is gone.

Atlanta United took the league by storm during their first two years of existence on and off the field. They won the title under Tata Martino in 2018 and broke the attendance record once held by the Seattle Sounders. Last season to some was disappointing as new coach Frank de Boer tried to impose a possession based style to a squad that was used to counter attacking and high pressing. Pity Martinez was a bit of a disappointment once he arrived from Independiente in Argentina and often looked frustrated. Now with star winger/midfielder Miguel Almiron transferred to Newcastle, Atlanta has reinforced and continues to push the league when it comes to spending. Some notable arrivals include: Brazilian attacker Luiz Fernando Nascimiento & right winger Miguel Castro from Estudiantes in Argentina.

2. Chicago Fire - A failed rebrand and what might be a lackluster return to Soldier Field.

The Fire aren't the club they used to be when they first expanded into MLS in 1998. The club has left the Seatgeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois after a 13 year stay at their ground to move back into the city at Soldier Field. After that announcement, the club rebranded with a logo that has brought about much controversy among MLS supporters. The Fire's season ticket sales are lackluster at best for a large metropolis like Chicago and the club will need to win on the field to bring back old Fire supporters who have fallen out of love with the club in recent seasons. Sadly, the club didn't sign Chicharito as hoped, though they are under the leadership of successful Swiss manager Raphaël Wicky who almost coached the US U-17 squad before leaving for the Fire. Ultimately, the Fire have a lot of work to do if they want to win back the love of the city.

3. Columbus Crew - The best is yet to come.

With the Save the Crew Movement resulting in the sale of the club from Anthony Precourt (who threatened to move the club to Austin) to The Haslam Family (who own the Cleveland Browns), the team is set for a new era with a stadium being built in downtown set for 2021. The Crew are always a mid-market dark horse team and this plays well to Caleb Porter who led the Timbers (another mid-market club) to MLS Cup in 2015. Porter is among the smartest coaches in this league and knows how to get the best out of his players. The club hasn't added much over the offseason but they do have some talent. Watch out for Portuguese midfielder Pedro Santos (DP), Argentine attacking midfielder Lucas Zelarayán who recently transferred from Tigres, and US men's national team midfielder Darlington Nagbe who has now reunited with his former Timbers coach Caleb Porter.

4. DC United- Life without Rooney.

DC United are one of the original clubs in MLS and recently the club has fallen on its own version of hard times as recently as 2016. After moving into Audi Field in the downtown DC area, the club has found success again along with the arrival of Wayne Rooney who has now departed to Derby County in England. DC United still has dangerous attackers like Luciano Acosta and under Ben Olsen the club looks to get back to better times. DC United was the first dynasty in MLS and the club will be looking for its 5th title this season.

5. FC Cincinnati - Two steps forward, one step back.

Last season's expansion side FC Cincinnati finished last in the league and never really found their footing in the league under Alan Koch. There is promise for Cincinnati who are looking to finish the new West End Stadium by 2021 but on the field the club lacks direction. With the recent firing of Rons Jans due to racist comments made to players on the squad, the team is still looking for a head coach with the season just days away. However; with the recent editions of Dutch attacking midfielder Siem de Jong from Ajax, Moroccan attacker Adiren Regattin from Turkish side Akhisar Belediyespor, Dutch winger Jürgen Locadia from Brighton on loan, and Japanese forward Yaya Kubo from Gent. The club is clearly willing to spend to compete in a league that is becoming more competitive. Now, Cincinnati needs a manager with a vision in order to win.

6. Inter Miami CF - Better late than never.

David Beckham was technically awarded a franchise back in 2012. Now some eight years later, Miami finally has a first division to call its own after the Fusion folded in 2002. There has been much controversy and expectation for the team since the franchise was awarded in 2018. The team has had just about every problem with its launch. Inter Miami has to currently play out of a new Ft. Lauderdale Soccer Stadium after demolishing the former home of the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers due to the fact that their initial stadium plans for Miami Freedom Park in 2022 were put to a halt recently due to soil contamination on the site. The club has also been late in signing a star DP with the arrival of Mexican attacker Ridolfo Pizzaro from Monterrey just weeks ago. Lastly, the club is currently in a lawsuit with Inter Milan over the trademark and use of the name "Inter" adding to more headaches for Beckham and Jorge Mas. To add onto all of this their new white home kit looks uninspiring to say the least (this is the case with a lot MLS adidas template kits this season). Ultimately, a strong club in Miami is good for MLS, so we hope for the best but so far it's been a shaky start to say the least.

7. Montreal Impact - The unknown of Thierry Henry

The Montreal Impact are current Canadian champions after beating arch rivals Toronto last year in the Canadian cup tournament. The club hasn't had much success on the field in the past few seasons to say the least. The Impact will compete in the CONCACAF Champions League and this will be another challenge to add onto a squad that isn't as deep as others by MLS standards. The club has also recently appointed Arsenal and New York Red Bulls legend, Thierry Henry who had a tough stint as manager at AS Monaco last year. Given his French connection and the fact that the club is located in Quebec, this makes sense. Though Henry as a manager is still unknown and his time at Monaco was challenging to say the least. To add onto this, Pablo Piatti, a legend at the club has recently announced his retirement. Over the off season the club signed Honduran attacker Rodemel Quioto from Houston to add depth up top and second striker Borjan Krkic from Stoke City who can become one of the more underrated attacker in MLS. The Impact have also dipped into Canadian talent with the arrivals of centre back Joel Watterman from the Cavalry of the CPL and winger Ballou Talba who is currently on loan from Barcelona's B team. One player to watch out for is Finnish winger Lassi Lapalainen who is currently on loan from Bologna.

8. New England Revolution - A new direction under Bruce Arena

The New England Revolution have been mired in mediocrity for a while. With the recent hire of Bruce Arena as a manager and GM and the transfer of Argentinian attacking midfielder Gustavo Bou who has given some life to this club. There is some hope that this club can move in a direction back to relevancy. There have been talks about the club finally getting a stadium in downtown Boston but the rumors have yet to be proven true. Until the club finds a more permanent home, the club like the Fire needs to win back former fans who have fallen out of love with the underperforming team and an ownership group lead by the Krafts that hasn't been ambitious in recent seasons.

9. NYCFC - A contender without a home.

NYCFC were Eastern conference champions last season and are currently in the mix for CONCACAF Champions League for which they will have to play their home leg against Deportivo San Carlos in Red Bull Arena, home of their rivals the New York Red Bulls. NYCFC owned by the City Football Group have one of the most talented squads in MLS. The club has shifted from the days of Frank Lampard and Piro to Maximiliano Moralez and Alexandru Mitriță. NYCFC playing out of Yankee Stadium doesn't truly have a home in the city and this is awkward for soccer fans in the city who want to support NYCFC given that the on the field product is poor at times. There are rumors that NYCFC could have a home by 2024 in the city but no announcement has been made. NYCFC on the field will be a contender regardless, the question is can Norweigan manager Ronny Deila take the team to the next level after finding some success at clubs like Celtic and Strømsgodset.

10. NYRB - The underperforming Red Bull soccer team.

The Red Bulls are currently in transition. After the departure of Jesse Marsch to Red Bull Salzburg and Tyler Adams to RB Leipzig, the club under Chris Armas under performed last season finishing 6th in the Eastern conference and falling in the first round to the Philadelphia Union. The club has been quite on the transfer front but has signed a bunch of New York Red Bulls 2 prospects from USL. It is clear that NYRB are moving more toward promoting their youth in an effort to sell them abroad, which clearly benefits the Red Bull Group that owns other teams like Salzburg and Leipzig. Either way, serious questions needs to be asked about the NYRB who continue to underperform on and off the field for many reasons. Ultimately, promoting the youth and transferring them on is good for the game here and the Red Bulls are at the forefront of that in MLS, the question is can they win an MLS Cup with that model.

11. Orlando - Óscar Pareja, The Chosen One?

Orlando City boasts some of the best support in MLS but the team on the field has brought nothing but shame to one of the rowdiest fan bases in the country. It couldn't get much worse for them last season under James O'Connor who led the club to an 11th place finish in the Eastern conference. With the hiring of former FC Dallas manager Óscar Pareja who over performed in a small market, there is hope that Orlando can finally make the playoffs. The club's new arrivals are interesting with the likes of Argentinian defender Rodrigo Schlegel who is currently on loan from Racing and Uruguayan attacking attacking midfielder Mauricio Pereyra who after having a successful stint at Russian side FC Krasnodar is looking to make an impact in MLS. There are signs of promise for the Lions who need a new direction at the moment after failing to meet the expectations of a city that has embraced them.

12. Philadelphia Union - A team lacking a star DP.

The Union might be the most blue collar team in MLS under Jim Curtain. The team made the playoffs last year and are hoping to make more strides and win an ever elusive first trophy. With the departure of Mexican DP Marco Fabian to Qatari side Al Sadd, the club hasn't really found anyone to fill his shoes yet. The Union are a team that can be dangerous without a star. Some notable players to watch for are Polish center forward Kacper Przybylko, US men's national team midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, Brazilian right midfielder Ilsinho, and new arrival José Andrés Martínez, a defensive midfielder from Venezualan side Deportivo Zulia. The Union have also signed a bunch of academy products to the club that include left winger Michee Ngalina, eighteen year old defensive midfielder Cole Turner, & right back Oliver Mbaizo. The Union are one of the dark horses in the Eastern conference this season.

13. Toronto - An end of an era.

With Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore reaching the end of their careers, TFC and Greg Vanney are already thinking about their next step as the club looks for more success after losing to Seattle in the 2019 MLS Cup Final. Spanish attacking midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo has proven he can fill the shoes of Sebastian Giovinco last season. There hasn't been much in terms of new arrivals in the off season and that is okay for TFC who are one of the contenders to win an MLS Cup once again. This season however; might mark the end of an era for Bradley and Altidore who have brought so much success to Canada's sole MLS Cup Champion.

Western Conference

1. Colorado Rapids - New life under Robin Fraser.

The Colorado Rapids since winning their maiden title in 2010 have become bottom feeders in a league that has left them behind. Anthony Hudson left his post at the Rapids after two seasons that hav been lackluster to say the least. Former MLS player, Robin Fraser who played for the Galaxy during the league's inaugural season in 1996. Over the off season, the Rapids have invested into a sub par squad. Some notable transfers include Danish attacking midfielder Younes Namil who is on loan from Krasnodar, left winger Nicolas Benezet from Guingamp, American center back Aaron Trusty from the Union, & experienced MLS defensive player Drew Moor from Toronto. There is a sign of life for the Rapids who have fallen off the MLS map in recent seasons. Though don't expect them to win their second MLS Cup this season.

2. FC Dallas - MLS's best academy

FC Dallas has a model that truly works in MLS when it comes to producing players to sell onto Europe. With the departure of Óscar Pareja to Orlando, they haven't missed a beat or changed their identity with the hire of Luchi Gonzalez as head coach. Luchi was the academy director at FC Dallas from 2012-2018 before this recent hire. Luchi wants to continue the legacy left by Pareja and build a squad centered around youth. However; from a marketing perspective this has recently come at a price with the club marketing "Mexican player" packages for games against SKC, LA Galaxy, & LAFC who all have Mexican stars. For Dallas like the Red Bulls the relevancy of the club in the market is still being questioned and this recent marketing effort proves it. From a longer term perspective, Luchi and FC Dallas can truly build something special in American soccer with their emphasis on youth, something MLS clubs are just beginning to discover. Players to watch for this upcoming season include Columbian midfielder Santiago Mosquera, Honduran midfielder Bryan Acosta who is on a DP contract, Czech forward Zdeněk Ondrášek who has found his feet at Dallas, American/Columbian forward Jesús Ferreira who could be a potential US men's national team player in the future after becoming a US citizen, & American midfielder Paxton Pomykal who has turned heads in Europe recently. Overall, FC Dallas's future is bright as they chase their first MLS Cup title.

3. Houston Dynamo - Tab Ramos ushers in a new direction.

The Houston Dynamo under Tab Ramos are a club looking for a new direction after the departure of long time head coach Wilmer Cabrera. Tab has had experience coaching the US U20’s and knows his way around the youth soccer system in this country. We expect big things from the Houston Dynamo who under the leadership of NBA star James Harden are looking to make an impact on and off the field. Over the off-season they added Columbian winger Drawin Quintero from Minnesota United and Argentine defender Victor Cabrera from the Montreal Impact. Houston is an extremely dangerous team up front with Albert Elis who has proven to be a prolific goal-scorer when given the time and space. Houston at their best can beat anyone in the West.

4. LA Galaxy - Another star arrives.

With the departure of Zlatan, a whole was left in LA and MLS as we were all wondering were the next star would come. Luckily, Mexican star Chichartito singed with the LA Galaxy from Sevilla to bring more hype back to Tinsle Town. Argentine coach Guillermo Scoloto will be hoping Chicharito can produce relatively the same amount of goals as Zlatan did last year as the Galaxy look to take a step toward being relevant again after losing to LAFC in the playoffs last year. The team also needs to improve its defense if the Galaxy want to get back to winning championships.

5. LAFC - "Best team ever" sequel

LAFC set every record last season as Carlos Vela and Co. ripped up the league in the regular season like no one has seen before. Sadly, the second year club lost to the Sounders in the Conference finals 3-1 at home to deflate a fan base that thought they were on their way to their first MLS Cup title. Over the offseason their has been a lot of change for Bob Bradley’s team. They have added pieces like midfielder Jose Cifuentes from Ecuador, Dutch goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer from Feyenoord, and Uruguyan U23 midfielder Francisco Ginella. LAFC is already looking toward the future with young talent but have lost many MLS vets over the off season include American center back Walker Zimmerman who transferred to Nashville, Iranian midfielder Steven Beitashour who went to Tractor Sazi, and American playmaker Lee Ngyuen who left the club. This season will prove to be tougher for the third year club who will have to contend with higher expectations, CONCACAF Champions League, and a relatively younger squad.

6. Minnesota United – Quiet

Minnesota United showed signs of moving in the right direction last season under Adrian Heath, hosting a playoff game for the first time in their history in their new home, Allianz Field and an Open Cup Final appearance. Unfortunately, they came up short against the La Galaxy and lost to Open Cup champions Atlanta United. Now, the club needs to take the next step but the recent transfer window suggests it might be another tough season. With the sale of Darwin Quintero and no real replacement, the team looks destined to finish mid-table at best. Though they still have a host of solid MLS vets who can handle the long season.

7. Nashville SC - Stadium Controversy resolved and squad built.

Nashville SC before the season were caught in controversy as Nashville mayor John Cooper didn’t want to fund the building of the new stadium on the Fairgrounds site. The club then got its supporters to petition and lobby the mayor with a “Build the Stadium” campaign. In the end the conflict was resolved and the team looks set to move into its new stadium on the Fairgrounds site by 2022. In terms of the team on the field, Nashville and Gary Smith have followed the path of Cincinnati and Minnesota, building a squad of mostly MLS vets for a small market. Some notable players to follow on the squad are Ghanian winger David Accam, MLS veteran Dax McCarty who came from the Chicago Fire, and DP forward Hany Mukhtar who transferred from Danish club Brondby. Nashville will be hoping to have a winning season and capture the imagination of a city that finally has a pro soccer team.

8. Portland Timbers - Trust the process.

Giovanne Savarrese has had his fair share of growing pains at the Portland Timbers after coaching the lower division New York Cosmos. Savarrese is looking to recreate the same success Porter had when the club won its first MLS Cup in 2015. The team last season showed their potential to be MLS contenders but often came up short especially at home where they couldn’t score despite dominating the game at times. Over the offseason, the Timbers have strengthened adding Columbian forward Yimmi Chara who now partners with his brother Diego Chara, Polish forward Jarosław Niezgoda from Legia Warsaw who signs as a DP, & Mexican forward Felipe Mora who signs on loan from Pumas UNAM. It is clear that Savarrese is trying to build a contender in the Western conference, if the Timbers can figure out how to win at home again, they will certainly contend for the West.

9. Real Salt Lake - A mid table team with bite, nothing more.

RSL had an extremely turbulent last season with the firing of long time head coach Mike Petke. Since then, Freddy Juarez (former assistant to Mike Petke) has taken the reigns and led the team to a 3rd place finish in the West last season. RSL is one of the more underrated, less talked about teams in MLS. On their current roster, Slovenian midfielder Albert Rusnák and Croatian midfielder Damir Kreilach provide the attacking flare in the final third. Some recent additions in the off season include Italian legend and forward Guiseppe Rossi who recently left Genoa, Venezuelan winger Jeizon Ramírez from Deporivo Tachira, and MLS veteran Justin Meram who transferred from Atlanta United. RSL is an extremely underrated team with bite, I would consider them one of the dark horses to make a run in the lottery that is the MLS Cup playoffs.

10. San Jose Earthquakes - Matias Almeyda can push the team above its current potential.

The San Jose Earthquakes showed potential last year under Mexican coach Matías Almeyda. They adopted a man marking system that led to some success last season despite the growing pains of adopting that system. Almedya has added some offensive weapons in the offseason that include Argentinian forward Christian Espinoza. The Earthquakes still have US Legend Chris Wondolowski to help with scoring. Youngsters Jackson Yueill and Nick Lima continue to show promise for a team looking for long-term success.

11. Seattle Sounders- Dynasty?

Three MLS Cup Finals in Four years! Two Championships against rivals Toronto FC. The Seattle Sounders under Brian Schemtzer have proved to be tough to beat in must win situations. The Sounders were never the best team in the league last season by any means but won when it mattered most. Most of the squad is back and they have strengthened up front as well with the addition of Brazilian midfielder João Paulo who signed as a DP. Seattle will of course have to contend with CONCACAF Champions League at the beginning of the season but they are used to it at this point. One to watch for the Sounders is sixteen year-old homegrown midfielder Danny Leyva who appeared six times last season for the Sounders.

12. Sporting KC - The arrival of Alan Puilido marks a new era for mid-market clubs like SKC spending money.

Sporting KC are always among the top teams in MLS and have competed for MLS titles in the past. Peter Vermes is one of the most experienced coaches in MLS and has a methodology based on preparation and attention to detail that is surpassed by none in this league. Last season however; the team underperformed greatly missing the playoffs. Now with addition of Mexican forward Alan Puilido from Chivas, excitement has come back into a team who is very balanced in offense and defense. Something that most MLS teams can’t boast. With Scottish forward Johnny Russell returning for another season and the likes of young American forward Gianluca Busio taking strides, this team is sets for the future. SKC potentially also marks a new era for mid market teams who look to be spending more money on DP contracts and transfers.

13. Vancouver Whitecaps - What's their identity?

Vancouver Whitecaps had an extremely tough season last year finishing 23rd overall and 12th in the Western Conference. Under Marc dos Santos, the Whitecaps haven’t had much luck winning on the field. Last year there were signs of promise for South Korean midfielder Hwang In-beom however; the team was luck luster at best when it came to goal scoring and defending. Overall, the team has always had trouble finding an identity. Over the winter transfer window the team has added some offensive fire power with the signing of Canadian national team striker Lucas Cavellini from Puebla on a DP contract. Iraqi midfieder Ali Adnan must also perform to his potential if this team is going to make a run in the competitive Western conference.

We look forward to an amazing MLS season as the league continues to make leaps and bounds on and off the pitch.