The LA Galaxy reached a new low on Saturday, suffering a 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 having failed to secure a single victory after 12 matches. The game was a rematch of the 2024 MLS Cup final, which the Galaxy won, highlighting their dramatic decline. The Red Bulls` dominant seven-goal win also equaled the largest margin of victory ever recorded in an MLS Cup final rematch. Furthermore, it was only the second time in the Red Bulls` history they had scored seven goals in a single game, the first being in 2016.
Twelve games into the season, the Galaxy find themselves at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Gregg Vanney`s squad is struggling significantly, having conceded a league-high 28 goals. Their offensive performance is also weak, with only eight goals scored, the second-lowest tally in MLS.
Some difficulties were anticipated due to star midfielder Riqui Puig missing the initial part of the season with an ACL injury. However, with prominent players like Marco Reus, Gabriel Pec, and Joseph Paintsil in the lineup, scoring goals was not expected to be such a major issue for the Galaxy. As MLS is a salary cap league, roster changes following a championship win can sometimes weaken a team. Yet, with an expected goals (xG) metric of just 12.93, the problem isn`t just players missing chances; the team isn`t generating scoring opportunities effectively at all.
Let`s examine the worst starts for defending champions in a few other major U.S. sports leagues:
NFL: Los Angeles Rams (2022-23)
Following their Super Bowl victory in 2022, the Rams experienced a difficult start to the 2022 season, beginning with a 3-6 record. After winning two of their first three games, they entered a sharp decline, ultimately finishing the season with just five wins and missing the playoffs, placing third in the NFC West. This season was marked by Matthew Stafford`s injury issues, limiting him to only nine games.
While challenging, their start was still better than the Galaxy`s current situation. Nonetheless, it was tied for the worst start by a reigning NFL Super Bowl champion.
MLB: Florida Marlins (1998)
In Major League Baseball, the poorest start by a defending champion occurred in 1998 with the Florida Marlins (now known as the Miami Marlins). After winning the World Series in 1997, the team traded key player Moises Alou to the Houston Astros. They started the 1998 season with a dismal 1-9 record and finished with an overall record of 54-108.
Dominic Ashworth