LA Galaxy`s season reached an unfortunate new low on Saturday, suffering a devastating 7-0 defeat against the New York Red Bulls. This result marks the worst start ever for a reigning MLS Cup champion, with the team failing to secure a single victory in their first 12 matches. The loss, a rematch of the 2024 MLS Cup final which the Galaxy won, starkly illustrates their dramatic decline. The seven-goal margin also ties the record for the largest margin of victory in a rematch of the final. Furthermore, scoring seven goals is a rare feat for the Red Bulls, achieved only once before in their history, back in 2016.
After 12 fixtures this season, the Galaxy are positioned at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Their performance metrics are grim: they have conceded a league-high 28 goals, and their offense is among the weakest, having scored only eight goals, the second-lowest tally in MLS. This paints a difficult picture for coach Greg Vanney`s squad.
Some challenges were anticipated, particularly with star midfielder Riqui Puig missing the start of the season due to an ACL injury. However, with notable talents like Marco Reus, Gabriel Pec, and Joseph Paintsil on the roster, scoring goals was expected to be less of an issue. In a salary-cap league like MLS, roster changes after winning a championship are common and can sometimes lead to a dip in performance. Yet, the Galaxy`s struggles appear deeper; their Expected Goals (xG) metric of 12.93 suggests they are not only failing to convert chances but are fundamentally struggling to create quality scoring opportunities at all.
To provide context to the Galaxy`s current predicament, let`s look at some of the most challenging starts experienced by defending champions in other major sports leagues in the United States:
NFL: Los Angeles Rams (2022-23)
Following their Super Bowl victory, the 2022 Los Angeles Rams experienced a difficult start to their subsequent season, beginning with a 3-6 record. Despite winning two of their first three games, they then entered a significant slump, ultimately finishing the season with a 5-12 record and failing to make the playoffs, placing third in the NFC West. A key factor was the injury to quarterback Matthew Stafford, who played in only nine games. While a tough season, this was not as severe as the Galaxy`s current situation, though it did tie for the worst start by a reigning Super Bowl champion in NFL history.
MLB: Florida Marlins (1998)
In Major League Baseball, the worst start for a reigning champion belongs to the Florida Marlins (now known as the Miami Marlins) in 1998. After securing the World Series title in 1997, the team underwent significant roster changes, including trading star player Moises Alou. They began the 1998 season with a dismal 1-9 record and finished the year with a historically poor record of 54-108.
