Christian Benteke’s face said it all.
Here was a man who sealed Major League Soccer’s Golden Boot, but was covering his eyes to hide the pain he felt from missing the MLS postseason on the final day of the regular season. It was raw. It was emotional. It is what MLS needs more of.
MLS has grown dramatically, especially over the past decade in the half, and it can certainly make a case that it is a more efficiently run league than some of its European counterparts. But one area where it struggles to match the old continent’s leagues is the week-to-week drama that is seen on a consistent basis in the Premier League, Serie A and La Liga.
Decision Day is certainly a step in the right direction.
Now the challenge to the league is to find more ways to bottle that energy and excitement and spread it more throughout the season, especially during the times where the season can feel a bit more routine.
Moving forward, there were plenty of storylines to follow on Decision Day.
Here are the top four…