As MLS returned from its nearly two-month World Cup break, the league came back with serious new star power.Debuts for Antoine Griezmann (Orlando City), Robert Lewandowski (Chicago Fire) and Casemiro (Inter Miami) headlined the week, which featured two 15-match nights in a four-day span. Detractors will say that this particular trio — ages 35, 37 and 34, respectively — won’t help MLS shed its stale “retirement league” moniker, but, really, would you prefer not to watch these three gigantic stars of global soccer in America?Rising talent can coexist with global stars, too. It’s a good thing for MLS, especially as Griezmann is starting alongside an 19-year-old academy product, Justin Ellis, who grew up idolizing him. Ellis even assisted Griezmann’s first goal for Orlando City on Wednesday in the team’s 4-0 thrashing of the San Jose Earthquakes. Griezmann and Orlando picked up a second win in as many games, impressively beating Nashville SC on Saturday, with Ellis again assisting on a goal in the 1-0 victory.That’s two wins over two of the best teams in the league and the first time Orlando has won consecutive league games this season. Not bad, especially considering both games came without three key attackers — and likely first-choice starters around Griezmann — as Martín Ojeda, Marco Pašalić and the returning Daryl Dike were all out.Regardless, the attack wasn’t the worry for Orlando. More notably, the defense has looked better in a small sample size against two really good opponents. Griezmann, meanwhile, appears engaged and in form as he seeks to lead the team over the playoff line with plenty of time to play all while things build toward the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup and a showdown with Columbus on Sept. 16.Antoine Griezmann does his trademark goal celebration for Orlando City during a successful debut (Brandon Vallance / Getty Images)Meanwhile, Brazilian midfielder Casemiro made his Inter Miami debut Saturday night in a 1-0 win over CF Montréal.Though Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are out of action after a run to the World Cup final, and will miss Wednesday night’s All-Star Game in Charlotte, it’s easy to see how Casemiro can elevate this team, which has won six games in a row, straddling the World Cup break.In his bow — which comes amid allegations of tampering in the process of Miami signing him — Casemiro was the deepest midfielder for Miami and took the most touches on the team. He’ll be the metronome, and once the team is at full strength, it will allow De Paul to play a more familiar, all-action role rather than often being the one dictating possession.Casemiro will make Miami more dynamic and controlling on the ball. It’s up to manager Guillermo Hoyos to find the right combination of players around him, Messi, De Paul, Luis Suárez and others to get defensive balance right.The fit has proven a little more awkward for Lewandowski in Chicago so far, less because of his presence and more of the domino effect of the club transferring Golden Boot leader Hugo Cuypers to CF Monterrey. The player, with less than two years left on his deal, was ready to leave this summer after Lewandowski arrived, but the Fire’s attack had been a well-oiled machine with him at the wheel. At one point, he had scored in 10 straight league games.Lewandowski, then, faces some immediate pressure to perform and live up to that standard, if not surpass it. He is still getting up to full speed and has looked a little rusty, but this time has typically been his preseason his entire career. There are no doubts he’ll score goals for the Fire, it’s just a matter of when. His first week has been far from a dream, though, with the Fire dropping games to Miami and NYCFC. There’s little reason to worry just yet, but it’s a situation where the spotlight will grow if warranted.Latest intelMiddlesbrough eyes another USMNT, MLS signingMiddlesbrough continues to chase a deal for Columbus Crew wingback Max Arfsten, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.Boro continues to identify targets in MLS, having just signed USMNT midfielder Sebastian Berhalter this week, as first reported by The Athletic, to go along with former Crew midfielder Aidan Morris and former Charlotte defender Adilson Malanda. The Championship side had a bid rejected for Arfsten last summer but has returned with a fresh approach.Arfsten, 25, has 21 caps for the U.S. national team. He developed into one of the best wingbacks in MLS and a key player for the Crew.“It’s definitely a goal of mine in my career,” to go to Europe, Arfsten said last week, via The Columbus Dispatch.Arfsten played all 90 minutes and awkwardly drew the decisive penalty in the Crew’s come-from-behind 2-1 win over rival FC Cincinnati Saturday night.Could Max Arfsten be on the move from Columbus to a club abroad? (USA TODAY Network / Reuters Connect)Rapids bolstering their attackThe Colorado Rapids are finalizing a deal to sign French attacking midfielder Youssef Maziz, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.Maziz, 28, is a free agent after leaving OH Leuven. He had three goals and four assists in Belgium last season and has been productive in the league as well as in the French second tier for FC Metz.The attacking midfielder will play alongside Paxten Aaronson, and the pair will complement each other well, as Maziz is more of a pure chance creator. That quality was a top priority for the Rapids this summer. The club will remain active in the transfer window.A D-mid DP for TFCToronto FC is finalizing a deal to German defensive midfielder Niklas Dorsch from Heidenheim, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic. Toronto will pay a fee up to $4.2 million including add-ons, sources add. He is likely to be a DP this year but can be bought down. Fabrizio Romano first reported the deal.Dorsch, 28, has made 118 Bundesliga appearances in his career. He is a product of Bayern Munich’s academy and was part of Germany’s squad that won the U-21 Euros in 2021.Dorsch joins as a crucial player in the midfield in Toronto’s rebuild, which has included deals for Josh Sargent, Djordje Mihailovic, Walker Zimmerman, Daniel Salloi over the last 12 months.Break does world of good for several stragglersBack on the field over the last week: The World Cup break has helped several teams below the playoff line reset and hit the ground running.St. Louis City has taken nine points in three matches; Orlando City won both of its games, as have the Portland Timbers and the Philadelphia Union, who may have had the biggest positive vibe shift around the league.The reigning Supporters’ Shield winners found themselves bottom of the league entering the break with just seven points after 15 matches. The team fired head coach Bradley Carnell and installed second-team head coach Ryan Richter as the interim, and he has recentered the team’s youth movement.Cavan Sullivan, 16, has shined with greater responsibility under Richter. Center back Neil Pierre, 18, is back from a loan to Danish club Lyngby. If Richter was the head coach in January, Pierre would not have left. He scored off the bench in the team’s win over Red Bull New York then started in the 1-0 win over the Seattle Sounders.Cavan Sullivan, 16, on the ball for the Philadelphia Union vs. the Seattle Sounders (Kyle Ross / Imagn Images)Pierre and Sullivan are two of the brightest young talents in the league. They are showing it for the first team after dominating together through the youth ranks.Beyond the kids, the Union’s veterans are enjoying the change, too. Milan Iloski, moved to center forward again, has scored seven goals in his last five matches. During the break, Philly sorted a return for left back Kai Wagner, bringing the team’s all-time assists leader back after spending the first half of the year with Birmingham City.Is it too little, too late? In a very forgiving MLS format, and at the midway point of a team’s schedule, it’s hardly the case, but there’s plenty more work to be done. The Union are nine points below the playoff line with 17 matches left.Weekend observations• There were some wild scenes at the end of the Hell is Real derby. With Columbus putting the finishing touches on its win over Cincinnati, midfielder Dado Valenzuela kicked out in frustration and got an (obvious) red card. The teams came together a bit and Valenzuela invited someone to meet him in the locker room. Well, Mo Farsi tried to take him up on that, making a dead sprint for the tunnel upon the final whistle. Thankfully a teammate caught him before he got there but the players and staffs exchanged words in the tunnel.