‘Pibe’ Valderrama: “We achieved what we set out to do - get soccer established in the United States”

Apart from being a soccer legend, Carlos Valderrama is also one of the founding figures of Major League Soccer (MLS). The Colombian midfielder, renowned for his exceptional vision and skill during his playing days, played a crucial role in establishing the North American league back in 1996.

Valderama reflects on MLS’s progression since the early days

His first MLS team was the now-defunct Tampa Bay Mutiny. He later played for the Miami Fusion (1998-1999) and the Colorado Rapids (2001-2002), with a return to Tampa from 1999 to 2001. Valderrama wrapped up his illustrious career in the United States, leaving a lasting mark on American soccer.

Looking back, El Pibe takes pride in the early seasons that helped lay the foundation for MLS—a legacy he considers himself a part of - as he told AS USA in an exclusive interview this week.

MLS has improved over the past three decades

“We achieved exactly what we all wanted, which was for soccer to reach the United States. I was one of the players who helped start the league in ’96. When we were playing, there were only nine teams - nine! We had to wait our turn to play because the schedule didn’t always align as there weren’t enough teams,“ Valderrama told AS USA.

“We brought organization to the league and increased competition levels. During our time, there were players who represented their national teams. We were very demanding and we also taught other players - which is good for the game and now you can see the results of that,“ he continued.

“And now there are 30 teams [in MLS], which means that everything’s worked well and is now working as it should. Now the United States sell players to European clubs - that was impossible back then. So it’s improved,“ El Pibe ended.

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