As Major League Soccer deploys all manner of financial tools to improve quality of play, there’s a lingering sense that young, domestic talent in the United States and Canada are being left behind.



In several ways, the outlook for young Americans looks brighter than ever before. Teams continue to invest in professional academies. More and more MLS organizations now operate reserve sides in the United Soccer League (USL) with the aim of providing a place for youngsters to get professional minutes if they fall short of MLS game day squads. Others, however, are either signing players through their academy, stashing them on the roster and not providing an easy path to pro minutes. Some are left still competing in the academy setup after turning pro.



Yet some of the league’s most successful clubs have invested heavily in scouting and signing up-and-coming talent from South America. Atlanta United, New York City FC, LAFC, and the Portland Timbers all rely...