CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:

MLS BEGINS PLAY

When the United States was awarded the 1994 World Cup, no top-flight professional league existed in America. But, part of the proposal to FIFA included the creation of a new domestic league, and US Soccer went to work creating Major League Soccer (MLS) in parallel to preparing for the 94 World Cup. The magnitude of the event delayed the start of MLS, but when it finally kicked off in 1996, the league featured US Men’s National Team and international stars expected to draw crowds to the inaugural season’s games.

Jeff Agoos had storied career at the University of Virginia, and was reunited with Bruce Arena as part of the first DC United team. He played in the very first MLS game and was a key part of the league’s first great success story. Agoos won MLS championships in five of the league’s first eight seasons, and emerged as a stalwart for the USMNT — playing in 134 international games. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2009.

Agoos joined Founding Futbol to share his memories from the early days of MLS and talk about how the league helped move his career forward.