How star power of 'Killer Ps' has sent LA Galaxy's prospects soaring
The LA Galaxy — the winningest team in Major League Soccer history — spent its first two decades as America's most famous soccer team, attracting global superstars such as David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Gareth Bale, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. But recent seasons haven't been kind to the Galaxy.
The arrival of Los Angeles FC — the city's second soccer franchise — in 2018 split the market and left many feeling like the Galaxy were a relic of the past. The team's on-field performances didn't help that perception as it finished 13th in the Western Conference in 2023 and missed the playoffs while its crosstown rivals made the MLS Cup Final.
Big changes were needed to bring the Galaxy back up to par. Those changes began in the boardroom, with controversial president Chris Klein stepping down in 2023 due to vociferous fan protests.
The Galaxy's new leadership promised to bring fluid, attack-minded, star-spangled soccer back to Los Angeles, and it delivered in the form of three attackers known as the "Killer Ps": Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil.
Puig, the ex-Barcelona star, arrived first, and the Galaxy built its attack around him. Pec, the hyped Brazilian youth prospect, came second. But Paintsil, the Ghanaian striker from Belgium's Genk, brought the Galaxy's attack to a new level.
"He gives us a whole new threat or danger that we haven't seen or had," Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said after Paintsil's MLS debut against Inter Miami, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
In a tense, tightly run match full of stars, Paintsil shined the brightest. He completed more dribbles than anyone and gave Miami's Jordi Alba no shortage of problems down the left flank.
But it was Paintsil's second game, the California Clásico against San Jose, that underlined his importance to this new Galaxy lineup. Paintsil scored the opening goal and assisted Dejan Joveljic for the second in Los Angeles' 3-1 win.
"The players are really hungry for success," Paintsil said. "We did everything together, and if we keep playing like this, we are going to kill a lot of clubs, a lot of clubs. Trust me."
With several top MLS teams leaving their three designated player slots open at the start of the season, the Galaxy have an opportunity to leverage Puig, Pec and Paintsil to rack up a slew of early points. The trio shows what the future of MLS might look like three sharp, young players from three different continents coming together to write a new story on a fourth.
The Galaxy (1-0-1) continues its MLS season on Sunday at Nashville SC.
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