A growing number of international soccer legends are choosing to wind down their careers in North America's top professional league – and in some cases, those connections linger well beyond their playing days.
You can count four-time Premier League champion and long-time Portugal national team member Nani among those who still have strong ties to Major League Soccer, which has grown dramatically in popularity over the past several years thanks in large part to an influx of global mega-stars. And that trend doesn't appear to be abating anytime soon.
"MLS was fantastic," Nani recalled in an exclusive interview with Covers. The skilled midfielder made 77 appearances with Orlando City SC over a three-year span from 2019-21, scoring 28 goals while leading the club to playoff berths in his final two seasons there.
"I have very good memories from Orlando in MLS," he said. "I always follow Orlando City and then every year I go to Orlando and I try to watch a match. These last two years I've been there, and I’ve supported the team."
Key Takeaways
- Best fans: Nani tabs Atlanta and New York as top MLS fan bases due to “incredible” atmospheres
- Love for Orlando: Still trains with Orlando City and calls it “a special club full of passion”
- Cristiano’s future: Thinks Ronaldo could “do whatever he wants,” even follow Beckham into ownership
- Mourinho in MLS: Nani believes he would be a “huge star” in America
Atlanta, NYC lead the way in fan experience
Having racked up a whopping 112 caps with the Portuguese national team over a 12-year span, Nani has played in front of some of the most rabid crowds the sport has to offer. So for him to speak so deferentially about MLS audiences speaks to just how popular the league has become – and Nani highlighted two fan bases in particular that impressed him.
"New York City stood out, as did Atlanta," he told Covers. "They have a lot of fans and a big stadium. I remember playing there, it was incredible. A few others as well, but at the time, I think (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) was beautiful."
That won't come as much of a surprise to Atlanta United FC fans, with the club averaging a league-best 41,435 fans per home game. For context, only one other MLS franchise (Seattle Sounders averaged more than 30,000 fans per match.
New York City FC ranked 14th at 21,951 fans per contest. Orlando City (20,573) was not far behind in 16th.
Nani also acknowledged that, despite the largely positive crowd reaction, it took time for him to adjust to playing in front of MLS crowds.
"It's different," he explained. "You can see and feel the difference in mentality, but the atmosphere is great. It's nice, with good energy and a good environment. It's all about adapting, you know. When you move to a different country, as soon as you adapt, nothing is different."
Nani still loves Orlando
That adaptation took longer than Nani expected – though you wouldn't know it from his performance, as he led the club in goals in his opening MLS season with 12.
"My first year was a little bit strange and frustrating because I came from a different reality," he told Covers. "However, the coach and club staff prepared me before I arrived, explaining that I needed to be patient. They told me the speed of the game, reading the game, passes, and overall understanding were totally different from where I came from.
"They emphasized that I needed to adapt, that's why I was there to help. As soon as I understood that, everything improved significantly. The following year, we performed very well as a team, we connected, and I enjoyed myself. I even felt three years younger than I was at the time."
And while Nani wasn't able to lead Orlando to new heights in three years at Inter & Co Stadium, he remains deeply connected to the franchise.
"We've been having good results, and I'm always happy to be there," he said. "The people treat me very well, they never forget. I'm in contact with the coach. I go there, and sometimes he calls me to visit the club, the training facility.
"I have even been there for a week training with the team, like I was part of the team. These moments always make you feel special, feel important. And then you feel like, okay, I can continue to give something, even for the professional players, and the respect they show is amazing."
Cristiano Ronaldo, MLS owner?
MLS has seen an incredible influx of globally renowned players, a list that includes Zlatan Ibrahimovic, David Beckham, and Lionel Messi, among others. One name not on that list: Cristiano Ronaldo, whose playing days are clearly winding down.
Nani can only imagine what a Ronaldo-to-the-MLS scenario would look like – and he figures it would go exactly as most people think.
"He is a superstar," Nani said. "Everyone knows Cristiano. He's played in different countries, always shown his quality and made an impact on every team.
"In the MLS, it would be even better because people love superstars, the show, and goals, and he's the man for that."
Ronaldo might not wind down his playing days in America (though he'll be there for next year's World Cup), but he might very well decide to follow the Beckham route and take on part ownership in an MLS franchise. And Nani is confident that such a move would work out as well as his on-field career has.
"Could Cristiano Ronaldo become a club owner like David Beckham? I think Cristiano can do whatever he wants," Nani told Covers. "Whatever he decides will be successful.
"He has the ability to impact people and make them follow and trust him. So I believe what he decides and chooses will be perfect."
Son, Muller thriving; Mourinho next on Nani's MLS wish list
Ronaldo might soon hang up his cleats, but rival Messi is still going strong; he's under contract with Inter Miami through the end of the 2028 season.
Still, it's never too early to think about who will assume the mantel of Biggest International MLS Star as Messi approaches his career twilight – and Nani has two names in mind.
"Heung-min Son and Thomas Muller are big names, big personalities, great guys," Nani said. "They deserve to show their quality in the MLS and I think they will.
"They can compete with Messi for the biggest star in MLS, for sure."
Both mega-stars signed with MLS clubs in August, with Son joining Los Angeles FC and Muller aligning with the Vancouver Whitecaps. Son has nine goals in his first nine games with LAFC, while Muller has seven goals in seven matches with Vancouver; both rank second on their respective teams.
Nani believes that both players having an opportunity to be huge fish in a smaller pond than the European domestic league scene isn't the only benefit.
"I think America is a great country where they give you the possibility to enjoy the nice cities," Nani told Covers. "And then the MLS is good for you to relax and just enjoy your football.
"They've got the talent, they don't need to force too much to do what they know what to do, what they've been doing all their career. So yeah, I'm not surprised they are playing well."
Next on Nani's MLS bucket list: an appearance from globally renowned manager Jose Mourinho.
"Jose Mourinho has got the profile to be a huge star in the MLS," Nani said. "He's a showman. He's a man who likes to talk and entertain outside of the field. So he will entertain a lot of the fans on the side of the pitch.
"He is in Portugal now but I’d like to see it happen in the future."
