2025 MLS team previews: Why is this your team's year? - ESPN

Led by Lionel Messi and a supporting cast of his former Barcelona teammates, Inter Miami were the overwhelming favorites to win MLS Cup in 2024. This being MLS, though, where parity reigns supreme, the star-studded South Floridians were knocked out in the first round.

Ultimately, the final came down to a battle between two original '96ers, the LA Galaxy defeating the New York Red Bulls to put a sixth star on the front of their shirt. And a lot has changed since then.

The Herons have a new coach. The Galaxy have a new striker leading their line. The life of the Red Bulls' back line left for the Bundesliga. What else have they done to prepare for another postseason quest? And what have the other 27 clubs in MLS done this offseason to try to catch up?

Grab yourself a beverage and a snack and settle in as Jon Arnold, Lizzy Becherano, Jeff Carlisle, Cesar Hernandez, Joseph Lowery, Ryan O'Hanlon, Ryan Rosenblatt and Megan Swanick give us the lowdown on all 30 MLS teams ahead of the 2025 season.

What they've been up to: Atlanta United stand as one of many MLS teams entering the new season with a new manager at the helm. The team let go of interim head coach Rob Valentino to make way for former NYCFC manager Ronny Deila.

The Norwegian left MLS in 2022 to lead Standard Liège in the Belgian Pro League before making a return to lead Atlanta. He joins new sporting director Chris Henderson in hopes of inspiring the Eastern Conference contenders to success. In terms of new faces, Atlanta let go of Erik Centeno, Nick Firmino, Ronald Hernández, Franco Ibarra, Jamal Thiaré and Tyler Wolff to sign forward Cayman Togashi and midfielder Mateusz Klich.

What's more, the team broke MLS' record transfer fee in signing striker Emmanuel Latte