By Jon Arnold
There wasn’t much DaMarcus Beasley didn’t get to do during his illustrious career that saw him play in four World Cups and suit up for clubs like Manchester City, PSV, the Chicago Fire, Puebla and the Houston Dynamo. But he was never able to play for the Fire, La Franja or the Dynamo in Leagues Cup.
Beasley would’ve loved to participate in the tournament, saying the increased stakes of the matches (What's at Stake) and players facing competition they’re not used to seeing adds entertainment for everyone.
“I think it’s more exciting for players. It's more exciting for fans. It's more exciting for coaches that they get to compete at a different level, against different cultures, against different leagues. That's the beauty of it. That's the beauty of the game. That's why we all love it,” he told LeaguesCup.com in an exclusive interview. “The rivalry is not going anywhere. I think it's as strong as it was when I was playing, it's only going to get stronger. And with Leagues Cup and events like this, it's only going to help.”
With the new format of Leagues Cup going into effect this year, fans will see even more of those rivalry moments, with the League Phase featuring exclusively Liga MX vs. MLS matches and the quarterfinals also guaranteed to have interleague contests.
Those types of contests can shake players out of their normal routine, Beasley said, giving them a jolt that helps them compete at an even higher level.
“The rivalry is always going to be there, whether it's club teams like Leagues Cup or the national team. That's not going to change,” Beasley said. “I think any player that's walking into those types of rivalries in those types of games, it gives you extra motivation. Games like this from a national team's perspective and from a club perspective in the Leagues Cup, it gives you that … little bump.”
In addition to the extra motivation that can come from these matches, there’s also a fair bit of novelty.
It’s especially true for a team like Puebla, where Beasley spent some of the best years of his career living in the city that features pre-colonial and colonial architecture and a more relaxed pace than the hustle and bustle of nearby Mexico City. Fans are accustomed to seeing Puebla play some familiar teams, but Leagues Cup allows them to take in entirely new matchups.
This year, Puebla heads out to meet New York City FC, the Columbus Crew and CF Montreal - journeying to two different nations and allowing fans of La Franja to see their team up close for the first time in months or perhaps years. Beasley says that also can help the players
“Being able to have that kind of closeness with their club that they support in the United States where they live, I think that's an exciting part, and they’re going to want to go out and watch games that aren’t against Toluca, Pachuca, teams you see in Mexico,” he said. “Now they’re getting to play against teams in MLS where that rivalry will always grow and always be there.”
The Leagues Cup will be the capstone of a summer of soccer in North America, but that has meant lots of travel and minutes for a number of players - especially those who played in the Gold Cup or Club World Cup and now are back in their domestic seasons.
But Beasley says those are exactly the types of challenges he relished when he was still making his living on the field.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it. It’s tough. Mentally, physically, it’s difficult,” he said. “But you have a chance to win something as a group, as a team, as a club. That’s all the motivation you need because if you’re a player - and I speak I’m sure for 90% of the footballing world - you want to win. Leagues Cup is a chance for you to win something as a group, as a club. And you get to go to Concacaf Champions Cup. There’s something at stake. That’s what makes this tournament beautiful.”
And one that Beasley no doubt would’ve been able to shine in had it come sooner. Instead, he’ll join with the rest of the fans, taking in matches from his former teams and also tuning in for more of the cross-league showdowns he would’ve loved to decide in his era.
