Earlier this week, Neymar stepped up to reveal where he would like to play before he puts an end to his footballing career. Unfortunately for the player, his words did not go down well with one high-profile MLS executive.
Speaking in an interview with ESPN, MLS Commissioner Don Garber hit back at Neymar and urged the player to seek for employment in other leagues, since the North American competition will favor the signing of rising talents over players in the twilight of their careers.
Neymar had stated that he would like to play in the MLS because the calendar would allow him to rest more and keep him fit to play for more years.
"Actually, I'd love to play in the MLS. I'd love to play there at least for one season. Why? Because their season is shorter and I'd have three months to rest. I'd be able to play for many years," Neymar stated.
Unfortunately for the Brazilian ace, Commissioner Don Garber's words were not as soothing as initially expected.
"We don't need to bring in a great player in the dying years of their career just because he just decided he'd like to come and retire in the MLS. If those players are not willing to come and make a contribution to the league or their teams, they'd better stay where they are. If they don't respect the league and our fans, we don't want them here," Garber stated.
The Commissioner went on about Neymar's words, labeling them as disrespectful to the league and its members.
"We want our history to be about young players in the early stages of their career or during their prime, making our league their preferred destination. When Zlatan left the MLS, no one spoke about him going to retire to the Serie A. Frankly, I was insulted by that," Garber added.
Neymar, Luis Suárez, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi are some of the players that have been linked with high-profile moves to the MLS. Nevertheless, judging by Garber's words, their options to join the North American league have been drastically reduced if they feel they will be able to kick back and relax while collecting a huge paycheck.
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