The Best Major League Soccer Teams of the Season

Before the start of the season, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were the favorites to win the title. That hasn’t changed, but the list of contenders did. It’s time to check the top five teams of Major League Soccer to include in your picks towards the playoffs!

MLS Playoffs Information

• Dates: October 22 to December 7
• Teams: 18
• Rounds: 5
• Supporters’ Shield Winners: Inter Miami
• MLS Playoffs Live Stream: MLS Season Pass (Apple TV)

Best MLS Teams to Bet on During the Playoffs

1. Inter Miami

The duo of Messi and Luis Suarez should be enough for you to stop reading, go directly to BetUS sportsbook, and bet on Inter Miami, but I strongly recommend you keep reading.

Even though both, especially Messi, missed several Major League Soccer games due to injury, the South American duo scored 30+ goals during the regular season. The two contributed to the Herons becoming the first team to score 70+ goals in the current season.

As if that weren’t enough, the Herons won the Supporters’ Shield Cup for the first time in franchise history, which means they’ll have home advantage throughout the playoffs. When your top two players are 37, not having to travel makes a huge difference.

And let’s not forget that Messi and Suarez aren’t the only ones who know a thing or two about winning titles. Head coach Gerardo Martino already won the MLS Cup in 2018 with Atlanta United, while Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets won it all with Barcelona, including the UEFA Champions League.

Finally, the Herons did great against other title contenders like the Los Angeles Galaxy, Real Salt Lake, and Columbus Crew. They deserve to be +150 in the MLS outrights.

2. Los Angeles Galaxy/Los Angeles FC

Here’s a freebie because Hollywood enrolled two MLS League teams in the playoffs. I don’t care which finishes atop the Western Conference standings; the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Los Angeles FC are Inter Miami’s biggest threats. Like MLS is the biggest threat to the USL, find out why in the USL vs MLS analysis that my friend Zack Lowy wrote.

Let’s start with LAFC because Dennis Bouanga and company won the title in 2022 and finished as the runners-up in 2023. This season, they surpassed the 60-goal mark for the fourth time in franchise history, and Bouanga surpassed the 18-goal mark for the second straight season.

As for the Galaxy, Ricky Puig and company have been money in the bank when playing at home, with a 13-3-1 record. Puig has had a great season, with 13+ goals and 15+ assists.

Like Inter Miami, with Messi and Suarez, LAG has a dynamic duo leading the charge in the attack: Gabriel Pec and Dejan Joveljic. Both have scored 15+ goals and are healthier than ever!

According to the latest MLS odds, LAG is +350 to win the cup, while LAFC is +700.

3. Columbus Crew

You can’t underestimate the reigning champion, especially when it’s the Columbus Crew, a team that scored 69+ goals. Only Inter Miami has scored more with 73+ goals.

The Crew is led by Cucho Hernandez, one of the best Major League Soccer players. For the second straight season, Hernandez scored 16+ goals. As if that weren’t enough, Columbus’ defensive unit has been top-notch, ranking among the league’s top three all season.

Who should make the 2024 Best XI? 👀@JillianSakovits, @MattDoyle76, @CalenCarr and @SachaKljestan debate on This Is MLS: https://t.co/bYNvJIh7aT pic.twitter.com/XSO6Io3qBH

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 17, 2024

The only problem with the Crew is that they recently lost 3-2 to Miami at home, which makes me think they don’t have what it takes to assault Chase Stadium. However, remember that they only lost three road games during the regular season, making them a tempting soccer betting underdog, especially at +650.

4. Seattle Sounders

Here’s another Major League Soccer team you shouldn’t underestimate. Once again, the Seattle Sounders finished in the top four of the Western Conference. We’re talking about a team that qualified for the playoffs in 15 of the previous 16 seasons, which means we’re also talking about a very experienced team.

As if that weren’t enough, the Sounders own the best defensive unit in the league. On average, they concede 1.03 goals per game. That’s huge, considering two of the league’s top-five scorers play in the Western Conference.

Regarding the attacking unit, a well-balanced squad is essential if you want to win during the playoffs. The Sounders are led by Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnak, each scoring 10+ goals.

Seattle is offering a +1600 price to win the Liga USA title. It would be the team’s third and first since 2019.

5. Real Salt Lake

I always like to add a dark horse. Well, this time, that tag belongs to Real Salt Lake. Besides finishing in the top four of the Western Conference, the Claret and Cobalt are one of the top-scoring teams in the league with 63+ goals.

Cristian Arango leads the way with 17+ goals, but don’t sleep on Andres Gomez, who’s 22 and scored 13+ goals. Gomez is extremely fast and has no fear. If you don’t remember, that’s what it feels like to be 22.

Finally, many people believe winning during the playoffs is about momentum, and RSL is on a roll after not losing any of their last six games.

Bet on MLS

We are excited about the postseason, but don’t forget to check the latest soccer news before placing your MLS bets!

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