- more commonly known as the MLS - is quickly growing in popularity. It might not be one of the but that could quickly change. The United States of America is starting to fall in love with the sport — and hosting the 2026 World Cup, alongside Mexico and Canada, may accelerate it further.
The progress the nation has made has been helped by several of the plying their trade there. Due to the likes of and , two of the , joining Inter Miami, and other clubs across the vast nation making major signings, attendances have soared. English players have played their part in this as well.
The nature of the , one of the , is frantic; it can burn players out, so naturally, some have opted for a more relaxed life and luxury paycheck across the pond. We have outlined the nine best English players to play in the MLS — and it will only lengthen over the coming years. Best English Players to Play in the MLS 1.
David Beckham LA Galaxy 2007-2012 2. Steven Gerrard LA Galaxy 2015-2016 3. Frank Lampard New York City 2015-2016 4.
Wayne Rooney DC United 2018-2019 5. Ashley Cole LA Galaxy 2016-2018 6. Bradley Wright-Phillips New York Red Bulls 2013-2019 7.
Jermain Defoe Toronto FC 2014 8. New York Red Bulls 2015-2016 9. Kieran Gibbs Inter Miami 2021-2023 Unlike most major leagues around the world, the MLS has an incredibly different format which can prove confusing.
From being mistakenly sent off for Arsenal to playing for England five times, had a chaotic career. He was never one of the , but he could be relied upon by Arsene Wenger. Once he left the Emirates Stadium — and after a quick stop at West Brom — Inter Miami came calling for Gibbs.
With the white beaches and famous nightlife, it's now a popular place to play football, and Gibbs epitomised that during his two-year spell at the club. He averaged two progressive passes a match during 2022, whilst in 2023, his contract expired and he opted to join the club's broadcasting team. Gibbs' Inter Miami 2022 Stats Matches 15 Progressive Carries Per 90 0.
73 Progressive Passes Per 90 2 Shaun Wright-Phillips is most famously remembered for his superb record for Manchester City at the start of the 2000s. Some may even argue he is one of the Citizens' legends, yet his spell at New York Red Bulls was nowhere near as effective. In June 2015, the forward began training with them to regain fitness after his contract expired at Queens Park Rangers.
The then-33-year-old impressed, joining the club permanently alongside his half-brother, Bradley. However, despite the unique relationship with his sibling, he failed to shine, registering just three goal contributions in 25 matches. The England forward truly failed to roll back the years.
Wright-Phillips' New York Red Bulls Stats Matches 25 Goals 1 Shots 18 Shot accuracy % 26.65 Assists 2 is one of the . Despite his lack of height, he shone in the Premier League — and the same could be said for his short spell in Canada.
Toronto play in the MLS despite not being American, and Defoe impressed in the league. He was in the news before putting pen to paper as well; rapper Drake persuaded him to move, before the former Portsmouth striker was instrumental in taking Toronto to the Eastern Conference Finals, even though they lost the game eventually. Carrying the side on his back was not easy though, so he quickly moved to Sunderland in January 2015.
Defoe's Toronto Stats Matches 19 Goals 11 Shots 58 Shot accuracy % 43.1 Assists 2 GIVEMESPORT takes a look at the top ten highest scorers in FA Cup history. If this list was done purely on success in the MLS, Bradley Wright-Phillips would sit comfortably on top.
He spent six years at New York Red Bulls from 2013 to 2019, scoring 126 goals in 240 matches in the process. He's in the conversation for being the greatest player in the competition's history as well. His best season came in 2014 as he scored 27 goals in 32 matches, always making people wonder why he was 'wasting' his career in North America.
The striker enjoyed life there though — and a short stint at LAFC in 2020 proved just as fruitful, as he scored nine goals in 18 games to win the MLS Comeback of the Year award. Wright-Phillips has scored the sixth-most goals (114) in MLS history. Wright-Phillips' New York Red Bulls Stats Matches 240 Goals 126 Shots 581 Shot accuracy % 43.
58 Assists 31 is one of the . After plying his trade for two of the , Arsenal and Chelsea, the now-43-year-old wanted a comfortable end to his career. By playing for LA Galaxy, he got exactly that on the West Coast of America.
When playing for the club between 2016 and 2018, he provided the side with stability and composure on the left flank, helping them win their fifth MLS Cup. For the 2018 campaign, the former Derby player even had a spell as captain; there were very few players in the world with as much experience as him. Cole's MLS Stats Matches 86 Pass Accuracy (%) 85.
47 Fouls Made 73 The ? Some would argue so, as throughout his career, one of the plied his trade with an arrogance and confidence that very few could match. opted to move to the MLS at the age of just 32, and he instantly made an impact. The Everton prodigy netted 12 goals and added seven assists as the Black-and-Red finished fourth in the Eastern Conference to earn a play-off spot in his first season.
It wasn't just the 38 goal contributions in 48 matches that did the talking though. Rooney produced one of the most iconic moments in the competition's history, as he performed a stunning slide tackle on the halfway line to stop a certain goal, pinged a stunning well-weighted cross into the opposition's box and it was met by Luciano Acosta to head home. Bedlam in the stands — and that summed up Rooney's iconic impact.
Rooney's DC United Stats Matches 48 Goals 23 Shots 155 Shot accuracy % 37.9 Assists 15 As one of the , was always going to feature on this list. He is one of , acting as a goal-scoring midfielder who always dominated matches.
The West Ham prodigy opted to end his career in America at the age of 37 as soon as New York City came calling. In 29 appearances, he scored 15 goals and notched up four assists; alongside David Villa, he helped take the club to their first MLS Cup Playoffs. However, it wasn't the dream fairytale ending to his career, as injury stopped him from working his magic in the 'Big Apple' for the 2016 campaign.
Lampard's New York City Stats Matches 29 Goals 15 Shots 60 Shot accuracy % 39.2 Assists 4 If England knows anything about football, it's how to make a good midfielder. When said farewell to Liverpool in 2015, the tears started, but everyone could appreciate that he will always be considered one of the .
Some would have seen it as the perfect ending, apart from the 6-1 defeat to Stoke, to his stunning career, but the former England captain opted to ply his trade in America for a brief spell. Gerrard made 34 appearances in two seasons for the Galaxy between 2015 and 2016, scoring five goals and helping his side reach the MLS playoffs in back-to-back years. However, when the pressure of the playoffs came calling, LA Galaxy were knocked out.
Just like the Premier League, the midfielder never got his hands on the final prize. Gerrard's LA Galaxy Stats Matches 34 Goals 5 Shots 62 Shot accuracy % 33.85 Assists 14 Finally, 's spell with LA Galaxy between 2007 and 2012 was not only incredibly successful but also monumental for the future of football in the country.
He was the first 'big-name player' to move across the pond under the designated player rule, creating a long-lasting fanbase on the West Coast. During his time there, he reached three MLS Cup finals and won back-to-back titles in his final two years at the club. With 62 goal contributions in 124 matches, he was unsurprisingly named MLS Player of the Year in 2008 and 2012, whilst his successful spell inspired others to move to America.
A legend in every sense. Beckham's LA Galaxy Stats Matches 124 Goals 20 Shots 140 Shot accuracy % 24.6 Assists 42.
