da pixbet： After a season to forget in 2023, the five-time MLS Cup winners look like being back to their best after a strong start to the campaign

da dobrowin： The Los Angeles Galaxy were a disaster in 2023. They hit a historical low point, and as MLS' most-storied franchise, all eyes were on their downward spiral. They won just two of their first 14 matches, and eventually missed the playoffs for the fifth time in the past seven years.

There was a lone bright spot, however: midfielder Riqui Puig. The Spaniard led the team in scoring with seven goals, and despite missing a stretch of games towards the end of the season with an ankle injury, he was their most influential player from start to finish.

That form has continued into 2024, and now, the ex-Barcelona wonderkid is stealing the show in Los Angeles. He's an early frontrunner for MLS MVP, with seven goal-contributions through nine games, leading the Galaxy to the top of the Western Conference.

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Before Lionel Messi arrived in MLS, there was a near decade of stardom in Los Angeles. First came David Beckham and Landon Donovan, then there was Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard and – eventually – Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Beckham's 2007 arrival in MLS was transcendent, the first genuine superstar to sign for the league. The England legend scored 18 goals and notched 38 assists across six seasons and 98 appearances for the Galaxy, putting MLS on the map in Europe. Then came Keane, one of the greatest Tottenham strikers of all time. The Irishman played for the Galaxy for six seasons, starting in 2011, and Gerrard soon followed in 2015 for two years himself.

Donovan, meanwhile, began and ended his MLS career with the Galaxy, certifying himself as a U.S. men's national team legend with 145 goals across 340 appearances.

Of late, though, the biggest name pre-Puig was none other than Zlatan himself. In just two seasons, the mercurial forward scored and incredible 52 goals while also notching 17 assists, even if he did court controversy along the way.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe kid from La Masia

Puig's reputation doesn't match those who came before him in L.A., but his upbringing in the game is difficult to match. He came up through the ranks of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy and graduated into the senior team – playing alongside the likes of Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, and of course, Lionel Messi. The midfielder had joined Barca at the age of 13 in 2013, and five years on, made his senior debut at just 18-years-old. He signed a three-year contract with the Catalan club, which contained a $118 million release clause.

Puig had begun to turn heads even before that competitive debut, however, as during a preseason friendly with AC Milan in 2018, his performance left opposition manager Gennaro Gatusso purring: “Riqui is spectacular… Even though they [Barca] have players that look like kids, the way they handle the ball amazes me. It’s the beauty of football. It’s like poetry… I heard about him a while ago, and about some of the other kids at the club. It’s the kind of thing you can’t copy and paste. It’s something that takes years to do. It’s how they feel the game."

Puig went on to make 58 first-team appearances for Barca across four seasons. However, when financial hardship hit the club, he was one of the academy graduates sacrificed, and the Galaxy signed him on a free transfer in the summer of 2022.

Getty ImagesReinvention

Going from playing alongside superstars in Spain with Barca to playing in MLS was never going to be an easy change. Puig knew that there would opportunities in Europe – he reportedly turned down offers from Wolves, Lyon and Monaco – but also knew that MLS would be a challenge.

He wasn't the only player to make the cross-Atlantic switch during a blockbuster transfer window, though. The likes of Gareth Bale and Federico Bernardeschi signed in MLS along with Lorenzo Insigne and Cucho Hernandez – all of whom had major European offers.

For his part, Puig was looking to reshape his career with a fresh start as the face of a fallen franchise. Two years on, it appears he's made the correct choice, even if his raw attacking statistics over his first season-and-a-half in the United States – 12 goals and six assists from 46 appearances in all competitions – weren't blowing anyone away.

GettyBattling Messi for MVP

Puig has taken his game to a new level in 2024, however, and is right at the forefront of the MLS MVP race after two months of action. However, it feels like if anyone wants to win that prize, they will have to get back another Masia product first in the shape of Messi.

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner has missed four matches for Miami this season across all competitions, but he's made up for it with his heroics on the pitch in recent weeks. The Argentine has seven goals and six assists in six appearances this season, including contributing to all three goals in Saturday's 3-1 victory over Nashville SC.

Puig, by comparison, has been sensational in the midfield for the Galaxy. He's led them to a near-perfect record this season, with three goals and four assists across nine appearances. He's completed over 80 percent of his passes from the midfield in every match so far, too, and so while there's a long way to go in this MVP race, Puig can certainly build a case to challenge his one-time teammate.