When David Beckham decided to hop across the pond for one last run at greatness with AC Milan, no one batted an eyelash stateside.
Sure, that could very well be because 95 percent of the population was unaware of it, as "soccer" in the United States is still about as popular as female weightlifting. But, stemming from Beckham's move, a very interesting issue arises for those of us who follow, cherish, and bleed the sport.
Is it unethical for a player to have ties to two or even more teams?
Loans have been around forever. Hailed as a way to develop young players, or allow prospective buyers into a seemingly low-risk transaction, they're seen as the best compromise for two teams in need of a short-term solution regarding a certain player.
Beckham is no stranger to loans.
In fact, he enjoyed a spell at Preston North End early in his career. The move paid dividends for both clubs, and upon his return to Manchester United, his place in Sir Alex Ferguson's lineup was set in stone.
More than a decade later, his most recent move reeks of desperation for one last shot at glory, using the prestige of a club like AC Milan in order to slither his way back into the English national football team.
With this, he seems to be ultimately agreeing with the view that the MLS, the league that employs him full time and pays his salary, is a low-level operation where a player cannot be expected to shine brightly enough to be considered for a national team.
After all, doesn't "David Beckham, AC Milan" look a lot better than "David Beckham, LA Galaxy" on the sheet of national team players selected?
Meanwhile, another MLS standout took a loan spell to gain consideration for his national team.
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