Any MLS fan over the past decade is aware of the fact that the league has improved vastly since the arrival of David Beckham to the LA Galaxy back in 2007. Even with that thought in-mind however, hearing about how impressive the league has become from one of the all-time greats to have ever stepped on a pitch is something special; not only the MLS fanbase, but for the league itself.

While Steven Gerrard has only been playing for his new club as a member of the LA Galaxy for only a little over a month, it is clear that the moves that his new club is making to bolster-up their talent level is impressing him. So much so that he willing went on record to state that his new clubs skill level is comparable to that of the majority of the teams that he played against in the Barclay’s Premiere League during his 17-year stint as a member of Liverpool FC.

“I think if we were full strength, we could compete against more than half of the Premier League on a one-on-one fixture. That gives an ideal of the level.”

While at this point in time the MLS is nowhere near the level of the Barclay’s Premier League, to hear from a legend of the game that the MLS is not only improving, but already has the ability to compete against teams in the most competitive league in the world is something that should warm the hearts of many MLS fans.

“I think we would still struggle against the top six sides. But we would be a match for a lot of the teams. That’s just trying to get the people back home to gauge the level. So it has surprised me and it is better than I thought.”

“It has surprised me and it is better than I thought.”

Gerrard not only shared with the media his feeling about his new club, but he also shared his thoughts about how the way the league is currently attempting to create itself into a dominate league by fortifying the talent of the players within the league.

“It’s certainly not the Premier League, but it is striving for that and hopefully one day it will get there.”

Even though MLS fans are fully aware of all of the tactics that Commissioner Don Garber has put in place over the past decade to try to attract big name players to the league, it should mean a lot to those fans to hear that these new implemented rules are working. So much so that players from around the world are recognizing that the MLS is starting to become not just a league where good players come to finish their careers, but instead a league where some of the best players in the world come to play the game that they love to play.

By coming to the MLS, Gerarrd has not only improved the talent level within the league, but he, along with many other superstars, are helping to create a global awareness for the MLS on the worldwide market. For the sake of the MLS fans, hopefully these powerful words will be the final push to help convince superstars from around the world to join in on the league that they are so passionate about.