While I tried to decide what the best topic for this weekend’s Storylines might be, I considered a few softballs: a history of Nashville SC, a profile on one of their best players, or a closer look at something going on with our Loons. There was no shortage of threads to pull, many of which were entirely uncontroversial and entirely entertaining in their own right. 

But where’s the fun in that?

Nashville’s recent success got me thinking hard about what makes a team good in MLS, and I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone by giving them their flowers while pointing out a trend in our league’s development.

Ye Old Narrative

We’ll start with the problem. Brace yourself, MLS faithful; I’m about to utter the words that have stung our ears for years: retirement league. It’s a moniker that MLS doubters have leveled at our league since it began, and if I’m being honest, a label that critics have used compelling examples to support. 

Before I go any further, just breathe. I’m not calling MLS a retirement league; I think those critics are wrong. But the perception didn’t come out of nowhere. Let me explain. 

Whether it’s true or not, much of the world looks to European club soccer as the gold standard. Generally speaking, the “gold standard” in any industry is wherever the money is, and at the moment, there’s a whole lot more money circulating in the European game; that’s just a fact. So, because they can spend more, there’s a perception that anyone who can succeed in one of the top leagues in Europe is a more talented, capable player than those finding success elsewhere in the world. Again, I’m not saying that’s true; I’m just laying some groundwork.

Superstars have a habit of coming to MLS in the twilight of their European careers. Some have been resounding, individual successes — David Villa, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and that guy down in Miami — while others have silently failed to live up to the standards they set during their time in European leagues — Steven Gerrard, Blaise Matuidi, and Rafa Marquez, to name a few. All of them were exceptionally talented players, and all of them left European soccer to come to MLS after turning 30. The list goes on, but we’re keeping things concise here.  

Every single one of the players I listed played in multiple FIFA World Cups, and three of them lifted that beautiful golden trophy (Villa, Messi, Matuidi). Of the six players I listed, though, only Messi has lifted a trophy with his MLS club. The rest left empty-handed. These were all Designated Players (technically), meant to be the difference between mediocrity and trophies. It’s a small sample size, but it appears that the retirement strategy hasn’t been very fruitful in the modern era of MLS (unless you sign quite possibly the best player to ever kick a ball). Who would’ve thought?

Flipping the Script

Since joining the league in 2020, Nashville’s two biggest signings from an impact standpoint have undoubtedly been Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar, both of whom came from European leagues. Neither were household names before donning the gold and blue, but both have played their way into history at GEODIS Park. 

Let’s look at the facts. Mukhtar was 25 when he came to Nashville from Danish club Brondby. He’d already played for historic clubs Hertha Berlin (Germany) and Benfica (Portugal) and was about to enter the prime of his career. He hadn’t won any trophies (yet). Surridge was also 25 when he joined Nashville from Premier League club Nottingham Forest. He was on the cusp of a major breakthrough in his home nation, but he opted to join MLS ahead of his best years instead. 

Fast forward to 2026, and Mukhtar and Surridge are the two leading scorers in Nashville’s short history, boasting 95 and 54 goals, respectively. They’ve helped establish their club as one of the Eastern Conference’s most consistent contenders, reaching two finals in the last three years and advancing to the playoffs in all but one of their six seasons in MLS. This progress came to a head when they won last season’s U.S. Open Cup, giving the club its first trophy and securing continental competition for the second time. 

From a front-office standpoint, Surridge and Mukhtar have turned out to be a sporting director’s wildest dream: MVP-caliber faces of the franchise that have delivered a trophy to the fanbase. These guys came to MLS and became superstars. They made their names here, and they’re part of a larger league trend of players choosing to do the same. 

Closer to Home

If we turn to the Western Conference, Denis Bouanga stands out as one of the best examples. Consistently in the Golden Boot race, starring for the Gabon national team, and in every season’s MVP conversation, the pacey winger has taken the league by storm since joining from French club Saint Étienne. Even here at MNUFC, the likes of Kelvin Yeboah and Nectarios Triantis are about to enter their primes, and they’re showcasing their quality every chance they get. 

I know what you’re thinking: didn’t the Loons just sign 34-year-old James Rodríguez? Indeed they did. But the Colombian superstar is occupying a regular international roster slot. Not a DP, not even a TAM player. He’s not taking away from or rewriting the roster-building strategy at all. If anything, he fits what the club was already doing. That’s a huge shift in our league.

Gone are the days of building your roster around an aging superstar (bar the GOAT). Our clubs don’t need to pay for what a player has already done, instead shifting the focus to what they’ve got left in the tank. If you can add an older superstar while maintaining a roster focused on getting the best out of young, hungry stars, you just might have something that takes Nashville’s proven model one step further. 

So, next time someone tells you MLS is a retirement league, just start singing the wise words of Mr. Bob Dylan. Cuz the times? They are a-changin’.