MLS hero on World Cup changing soccer in USA - with help from France

Former Philadelphia Union hero Sebastien Le Toux believes the World Cup will transform the soccer landscape in his adopted homeland of the United States - with his beloved France team spearheading the revolution.

Frenchman Le Toux played nearly all of his career in Major League Soccer, mostly with the Union, and has seen the game transform from his arrival in 2007.

But as he says himself, there is further to go and the World Cup, he believes, will propel that growth. He hopes that Kylian Mbappe and his team - the favorites to lift the trophy at New York/New Jersey Stadium in July, where he is speaking to Daily Mail - can lead the way.

'Football is like a religion in France,' Le Toux says. 'Obviously they’ve won more World Cups than most countries, so expectations are always high. France has a very strong squad and a lot of talent. Other countries are scared of that.

'But like anything else, everything has to click. If it does, and they avoid injuries and everyone plays their part, I really like their chances.

So far, it has been pretty good. France were one of three teams to advance from the groups with three straight wins and begin the knockout rounds on Tuesday against Sweden.

Kylian Mbappe leads France into the last-32 of the World Cup on Tuesday against Sweden

Mbappe has four goals to his name and is the undoubted star of the team. But it is the supporting cast around the star that has Le Toux feeling so optimistic.

'I think Michael Olise is someone people don’t know enough about,' Le Toux adds. 'He’s had an amazing year with his club, Bayern Munich, and finished the season really well. You can see he's in great form.

'He’s young and hasn’t played in a major international tournament before besides the Olympics. I think France will rely on him a lot now and in the future.'

But Le Toux also wants to see Mauricio Pochettino's United States team advance further and build a new era of soccer fandom in the country. They face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 on Wednesday night in the San Francisco Bay.

'I really hope the U.S. national team does well because when your national team succeeds it brings people together,' Le Toux says.

'Soccer isn't the number one sport in the U.S., but having millions of fans from all over the world come here lets Americans experience how important the game is globally.

'They'll see supporters wearing jerseys from everywhere and realize it's much bigger than just one country. I think it can really change people’s perception of soccer.'

One key indicator of the game's popularity will be when the World Cup is over and Major League Soccer resumes. The difference from his 2007 arrival to today, Le Toux explains, is extraordinary.

'MLS has expanded from around 13 teams when I got here to almost 30. Television rights have become much bigger, bringing more money into the league. Franchise values have increased dramatically, stadiums have been built, and ownership groups are committed for the long term,' Le Toux says.

'One thing I noticed is that in America people often become fans because their parents or grandparents supported a team. That’s how sports traditions are built.

'When I first played here, a lot of today’s young adults were kids. Now they’re bringing their own children to games. That's how you build lifelong supporters. MLS doesn’t have the century-long history of clubs in England or France, so it takes time, but you can really see the fan bases growing.'

Le Toux, now 42, retired from soccer in 2018 and remains in the game through coaching. But he also flies the flag for one of France's most famous exports in the world of sports - the muscle pain relief brand Arnicare, by Boiron.

Sebastien Le Toux spoke to Daily Mail as an ambassador for Arnicare by Boiron

Le Toux used the cream all the time as a kid and when he got to America, he was at first surprised to discover it wasn't as commonly used as he had anticipated.

'My mother always kept it in the medicine cabinet, and she’d use it whenever I got hurt playing soccer,' he said. 'Later, when I became a professional, it was something you’d always find in the training room. It was just a normal part of recovery.

'When I came to America, I didn’t really see the product very often. After I retired, I met the CEO of the U.S. business. They’re actually based near Philadelphia, which I didn't even know.

'For me it’s a great product that helps me feel younger and recover after activity. I'm happy to be an ambassador, it's a great product.'