Have you heard the one about the player with a glittering résumé and a pop star significant other who decided to come to Major League Soccer?
It could happen again, speculates ESPN FC senior writer Mark Ogden.
As rumors surround several FC Barcelona players amid a transition period at the Spanish giants, Ogden said in a recent video spot that Gerard Pique could be a David Beckham-like figure, should the center back prefer a move to MLS.
"I think he’d be fantastic in the US," Ogden said of the 33-year-old. "He’s a great ambassador for the game. He could be a real trendsetter. He could be the modern-day David Beckham if he went to MLS, and I think that’s something that would appeal to him, rather than going to another club in Europe. He’s done everything in Europe. What else could Gerard Pique do in Europe that he hasn’t already done?
"I think the cost might be too high," Ogden continued, "But I don’t think it would be the worst idea."
After stints at Zaragoza and Manchester United, Pique has spent 12 seasons at Barca, helping the Blaugrana win eight La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League crowns. He was also a part of Spain's winning sides at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2012 UEFA European Championship.
Off the field, there are a few similarities with Beckham. While Beckham's wife, Victoria, is best known for her role in the 90s pop group the Spice Girls, Pique's longtime partner is Colombian pop icon Shakira. And like Beckham, co-owner and president of soccer operations at Inter Miami CF, Pique has already joined the ownership side of soccer, having purchased stakes in two lower-division Spanish clubs since 2018 (Andorra FC and Gimnastic Manresa).
For one more: Beckham joined the LA Galaxy in 2007 from La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid, then as a world-class midfielder. Could one of this generations premier center backs soon follow suit?
