St. Louis wins the battle for America's soccer heartland

By Alyssa Clang | Last updated 5/22/23

St. Louis versus Kansas City might be the newest rivalry in MLS, but it's one of the oldest in American soccer history.

The cities have been fighting it out on the field for well over a century. They served as home base for one of America's earliest professional soccer leagues in 1915. They were the first non-New England cities to challenge for national titles in the U.S. Open Cup in the 1920s. When the United States shocked the world by defeating England in the 1950 World Cup, nearly half of its starting lineup hailed from Missouri.

So when St. Louis and Kansas City claim to be America's soccer heartland, they're not exaggerating. And when the teams met for the first time in Major League Soccer on Saturday, there was far more at stake than just the game.

St. Louis City is the upstart; the club is in its inaugural MLS season and just starting to figure things out. Kansas City, meanwhile, is the old guard; it was a founding member of MLS in the mid-1990s and has been a constant for fans of the league since.

St. Louis won the inaugural MLS Missouri rivalry game, 4-0, playing with a sense of urgency that made viewers feel like the result was never in doubt.

"The boys took it personal," St. Louis coach Bradley Carnell told the media afterward. "Tonight was almost a 'have-to' game, and that's what I felt the players responded in a great way."

St. Louis' appearance in MLS means that the balance of soccer power in Missouri is shifting. Sporting Kansas City has carried Missouri's soccer torch unchallenged for more than 20 years. St. Louis' bravura performance shows that it is ready for its turn.

Couple that with a soldout crowd in St. Louis, a frenzied rivalry atmosphere and a palpable energy for the sport throughout the city, and St. Louis is clearly ready to represent Missouri on the national stage.

"St. Louis City. Soccer capital of the U. S.," St. Louis striker Indiana Vassilev told the media after the match. "I think we were able to prove that tonight."

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