The Galaxy regained visibility in L.A. with their MLS title win, but keeping a talented core together for a repeat could be tricky
CARSON, Calif. – The clock had been turned back.
The buzz began at Dignity Health Sports Park as early as 10:30 a.m. local time on Saturday – nearly three hours before kickoff – when thousands of fans lined up outside the gates. By the time the match started, the stadium was packed to its 26,812-seat capacity, brimming with energy as the LA Galaxy prepared hosted the New York Red Bulls for the MLS Cup.
The pregame festivities set the tone, with Galaxy legend Landon Donovan carrying the MLS Cup trophy onto the pitch alongside former Red Bulls star Bradley Wright-Phillips. When the Galaxy scored two early two goals – all they needed for an eventual 2-1 MLS Cup victory – the loudspeakers roared with lyrics from Kendrick Lamar’s hit
It was a fitting soundtrack for a team that, like the Compton rapper, held nothing back this season. Robbie Keane, the key figure of the last Galaxy squad to hoist the MLS Cup a decade ago, ceremonially handed the trophy to this young, dynamic group – a stark contrast to the empty seats that haunted the same arena just 18 months ago amid fan protests.
Now, the Galaxy is officially back, generating the biggest buzz since the David Beckham-led side of 2012. But in a city as crowded and demanding as Los Angeles – with 12 professional sports teams competing for attention in the metro and surrounding areas – the Galaxy face a critical question: Can they maintain this return to relevance?
Much depends on keeping their core intact. Young stars such as Riqui Puig, Joseph Paintsil, Dejan Joveljić and Gabriel Pec will undoubtedly draw interest this offseason, particularly Pec. Still, head coach Greg Vanney is confident the club can hold on to this nucleus, whose oldest member, Paintsil, is just 26.
“I think it’s important that we do everything we can to keep this group together,” Vanney told GOAL on Sunday. “It’s one of the reasons Will [Kuntz] and I targeted younger players – to build continuity and allow them to grow as a unit. That’s certainly a priority for us moving forward.”
Holding onto this core will be pivotal for the Galaxy’s hopes of repeating. But challenges are likely to emerge this offseason.
Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowThe Gabriel Pec question
Pec, 23, didn’t score in Saturday’s win over New York, but the magic he brings to the pitch was unmistakable. Despite the Red Bulls’ best efforts, they had no answer for the Brazilian’s creativity. Forced repeatedly toward the touchline, Pec responded with dazzling technical skill, nutmegging defenders and putting on a show at the Galaxy's home ground. While he left a few chances on the table in the final, his potential was clear.
Standing 5-9 with a wiry frame that makes him seem taller, Pec’s ability to change speeds and explode into space is a key part of his game. In his inaugural MLS season, he tallied 30 goal contributions – an eye-opening campaign. His contract, which pays $2.5 million annually through 2028 as a young designated player, suggests a long-term future in LA. But the reality may be different. Reports linking Pec to Premier League and La Liga clubs have already surfaced, casting doubt on whether he’ll see out his deal.
For now, Pec remains focused on his present. Speaking to GOAL through a translator, he expressed gratitude for his opportunity with the Galaxy.
“I know that LA Galaxy has a very rich history as one of the biggest clubs in MLS in terms of titles,” Pec said. “A lot of great players – [Zlatan] Ibrahimović, Chicharito, and David Beckham – have come here. This is a great pathway for me to continue growing in my career.”
Still, speculation about Pec’s future persists, and Vanney acknowledged the realities of the transfer market in his postgame comments.
“These players, if they do move on from us, [they potentially] go for big transfer fees that help reinvest back in the team, the academy, and the things that move our club and league forward,” Vanney said.
Pec’s future will undoubtedly be one of the Galaxy and MLS's most intriguing offseason storylines.
AdvertisementImagnThe unheralded rising star
While Pec, Puig and Paintsil are rightly in the spotlight, the Galaxy likely don't win their first title without the development of young Serbian striker Dejan Joveljic. Originally brought on as an understudy to Mexican star striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez in 2021, Joveljic has steadily grown into one of the best strikers in MLS – dropping 15 goals and six assists in 26 appearances this season.
It was the 25-year-old's mesmerizing goal that would ultimately seasl the game for the Galaxy, a showcase of his assassin-like tendencies in the box. In a fitting touch to vibe of the afternoon, Joveljic sought to celebrate with Keane – a player who scored 104 goals for LA – after his 13th minute strike.
"I was looking for Robbie, and my celebration wasn't that smooth, but probably next time it's going to be smoother," Joveljic quipped after the game.
Jovelijic has always shown goalscoring potential, but it was the other aspects of his game that needed fine-tuning when he originally landed in LA after a disappointing spell at Eintracht Frankfurt. Following Hernandez exit after last season, Jovelijic took on the starting role and started to excel at the smaller details that No. 9s need to execute on to be successful in a team setting.
"The next challenge was, can he start from the beginning and lead a team as the No. 9 and do all the little things inside of the game and still get his goals," Vanney told GOAL. "And he certainly proved that this year, that that he can be that guy."
Similar to Pec, Joveljic's future could also be in question. He was directly linked with a move to CSKA Moscow earlier this season, which LA soundly rejected. Yet, a move back to Europe could help Joveljic increase his chances of playing for Serbia, where he's had six caps since 2021. Yet, Vanney hopes the striker will continue his development in the U.S.
"I still think he's on his upside. I think this whole team is still on the upswing. That's the again, the importance of trying to keep this group together," Vanney said. "And Dejan's a worker. He loves to score. He has that striker mindset, and as long as he has that, and he's happy and he's where he wants to be, and with this group of players, he's going to keep being successful."
Joveljic, for his part, appeared committed to the aim of repeating in 2025 following LA's win.
"Sixth ring [for LA], it's an amazing feeling and we're going to try to do it again," he said.
Keeping the good times going?
There was champagne showers throughout the stadium Saturday and some players were captured in photos jumping into fountains around the sizable complex. Fans were partying into the late hours of the night in the Carson area and other parts of LA. Celebrations continued on Sunday with thousands in attendance to enjoy the Galaxy's sixth title.
This is a stark contrast to just last year. With the club mired in a transfer ban for violating designated player rules and it fading out of relevance compared to their hype-generating crosstown neighbors in LAFC, it was as dark as its been for the franchise's 29-year history.
"They were just so unhappy with the direction of the team. They felt like this team was never going to get any better, that, and it had been so long since they'd been good," said Soccer America's Scott French, who has covered the Galaxy every season since its inception in 1996. "I liken it to Mexico fans the way that you know, when Mexican national team comes and plays here, sometimes they don't get a crowd because the fans know this team isn't doing well. This is team isn't representing me. You got to be playing better. That's how Galaxy fans felt."
Since LAFC's arrival in 2018 and subsequent Cup successes, it almost appeared as if the local attention entirely shifted to the team that was in the heart of L.A. as opposed to its historic neighbors nestled in the suburbs. Locals will point to the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers as an example of how lack of success or buzz can significantly impact a team's ability to have a footprint in this market.
To that point, L.A.'s "other" basketball team is 28th in overall attendance despite opening the glistening $2 billion Intuit Dome this season. Now with the Galaxy owning MLS's summit, will it be enough to keep up with the hype LAFC continues to generate?
"It had been a little bit of an LAFC town for sure, but the Galaxy have shown that they weren't going to take that," French said. "I think it's a both team town [now]. This is a town big enough for two teams."
A lot of that will come down to ensuring the Galaxy's young core keeps growing together. Next season. Vanney and GM Kuntz are fighting to ensure that happens.
"It's certainly a goal of ours and it's something we're going to work to do," Vanney said.
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