Several Major League Soccer players took to social media to voice disappointment over not playing for the foreseeable future, but understanding the 30-day suspension of their season to assess the impact of COVID-19 was the right course of action.
This Philadelphia Union post on Saturday starring forward Kacper Przybylko probably best sums up the general mood:
Goalkeeper Stefan Frei and his Seattle Sounders teammates were preparing to take on the Houston Dynamo on Saturday when news emerged about the suspension of games.
Frei's teammate in Seattle, midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro, encouraged the public to remain at home if possible. Lodeiro, the 2016MLS Newcomer of the Year after arriving from Boca Juniors, has won two MLS Cups with the Sounders.
LA Galaxy midfielder Sebastian Lletget encouraged supporters to remain calm and look out for others. He's been with the club since 2015and is one of their longest-tenured players.
For Nashville SC midfielder Dax McCarty, the pandemic comes on the heels of the devastating tornadoes that swept through Tennessee, severely damaging the home of teammate David Accam.
Orlando City SC captain Nani was set to return from a suspension and make his 2020 regular season debut against Chicago Fire FC on Saturday. But he threw his full support behind the decision to pause the season "because the most important thing in life is the well-being and health of everyone."
The much-anticipated Inter Miami CF home opener was scheduled for Saturday, but veteran defender A.J. DeLaGarza told fans to be patient. The party will happen soon enough.
Portland Timbers goalkeeper Jeff Attinella echoed the thoughts of many fans, who turn to sports for a distraction during troubling times.
Other players, including Tommy Thompson of the San Jose Earthquakes, Kei Kamara of the Colorado Rapids, D.C. United’sJulian Gressel and Toronto FC and US men’s national team forward Jozy Altidore implored everyone to stay safe.
