MLS stars that triumphed in Europe before heading to the USA

The Major League Soccer (MLS), receives players who have triumphed in Europe, exporting their skills and talents abroad to the United States, in hopes to promote the sport on a global level. Let's remember some of them...

David Beckham followed a path similar to that of Gareth Bale. He triumphed in England with Manchester United and in Spain with Real Madrid, where he spent four seasons before moving to the Los Angeles Galaxy, in 2007. In his case, he spent six seasons, including two seasons at Milan while on loan. The English midfielder later returned to Europe to end his career at PSG during the 2012/13 season.

The case of David Beckham has gone beyond that of the simple player who has gone to the American soccer league. The former English player returned to the United States to found, together with Marcelo Claure and Masayoshi Son, Inter Miami, officially established on January 2018.

The Welshman exploded at Tottenham, which earned him a move to Real Madrid, where he played for eight years. The Welshman won many trophies, including five Champions League with the 'merengues'. After a fleeting return to London, he signed for Los Angeles FC in 2022, where he made 13 appearances before retiring as a professional.

The Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic has gone through European teams such as Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, FC Barcelona, Milan, PSG, and Manchester United, but between 2018 and 2019 he played a couple of seasons for the MLS, joining the Los Angeles Galaxy. In 2019 he returned to Milan.

Steven Gerrard could have been a 'One Club Man' for Liverpool -where he played practically his entire career, 17 seasons if he didn't complete his transfer move. Nevertheless, he joined LA Galaxy and played there for two seasons!

One of the classiest players in Italian football, he played in teams like Brescia, Reggina, Inter Milan, Milan, and Juventus. His move to the MLS was massive, where he played his last three seasons at New York City FC, between 2015 and 2017.

Another legend of English football such as Frank Lampard, who currently also works as a coach, played for New York City FC between 2015 and 2016, after having triumphed in his home country with Swansea City, West Ham United, Chelsea, and Manchester City.

Bastian Schweinsteiger has been one of the most outstanding midfielders in the history of Bayern Munich, the team of his life, where he played for 13 seasons. After a two-year stint at Manchester United, he decided to make the leap to MLS, where he played for the Chicago Fire between 2017 and 2019.

After many successful campaigns in Argentina with River Plate, Real Madrid took notice of him and signed him very young, just 19 years old. He spent six seasons at the Bernabeu before going to Italy to play for Naples, Juventus, and Milan. In 2020 he joined Beckham's project, Inter Miami, where he spent three seasons until his retirement in 2022.

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He started his career at Monaco, went through Juventus, and triumphed at Arsenal, in the English Premier League. He spent nine seasons there until he signed for FC Barcelona, where he spent another three until 2010 when he packed his bags to go to MLS. The New York Red Bulls pulled off a historic transfer deal!

A brand new Ballon d'Or winner, the Brazilian midfielder, who came out of the São Paulo academy, arrived at Orlando City in 2015, where he spent three seasons before his definitive retirement from the world of football and after his time in Europe with Milan and Real Madrid.

The MLS has many Mexican players present, but not so many who have succeeded in Europe. Carlos Velais one of the few. In his case, he spent his entire career in Europe, first in Spain -UD Salamanca and Osasuna-, then in England -Arsenal and West Bromwich FC- and again in Spain -Real Sociedad-, until moving to the MLS, where he now plays for Los Angeles FC since 2018.

One of the most prolific strikers in the history of Spanish football, he played for Sporting de Gijón, Real Zaragoza, Valencia, FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid, after which he went to Australia to play for Melbourne City FC and, after a year there, at New York City FC of the MLS, where he played 4 seasons, from 2015 to 2018. After that, he would end his career in Japan, at Vissel Kobe.

History of Manchester United, where he played 13 seasons in which he became one of its best strikers ever, in England he also played for Everton, a team that trained him as a footballer. Between 2018 and 2019, two seasons, he played in the MLS, for DC United, from Washington, before returning to his country to retire at Derby County.

The tough Italian defender started his career as a footballer at Livorno and, after spending a season at Fiorentina, was signed by Juventus, the team of his life. They were able to enjoy him there for 17 seasons until in 2022 he moved to the United States to play with Los Angeles FC, of the MLS.

A youth player for FC Barcelona, he played one season in the first team before being transferred to Tottenham. In England, he also played for Ipswich Town FC, then in Turkey for Galatasaray, and again in Spain for Racing Santander, Mallorca, and Villarreal. In his case, he went to MLS at a very young age, at just 26 years old, and spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Galaxy before going to Mexico.

The Italian forward also ended up in the MLS. At 28 years old, he joined Toronto FC, where he played from 2015 to 2019 after passing through Juventus, Empoli, and Parma, in Italy. From the American League, he would go to Saudi Arabia, to Al-Hilal, to return to his country in 2022 to put on the Sampdoria shirt.

Wolverhampton, Coventry City, Leeds United, Tottenham, Liverpool, West Ham and Aston Villa, in England; Inter Milan in Italy; and Celtic FC in Scotland, enjoyed the magic from the Irish striker, Robby Keane. He was signed by Los Angeles Galaxy to play six seasons in MLS, from 2011 to 2016. But he wouldn't retire there, he would do so the following year in India, at Atlético de Kolkata.

Another Mexican in the MLS. He began his career at Guadalajara in Mexico, before signing for Manchester United. After him would come Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, West Ham United and Sevilla FC. In 2020 he would be transferred to the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS.

The Swiss striker has gone through up to five European leagues. It started in Switzerland, in Basel; from there to Germany, to play for Bayern Munich; in Italy he played for Inter Milan; in the English Premier League at Stoke City and Liverpool; and, finally, in France, at Olympique de Lyon. After this journey, in 2022 he was signed by the Chicago Fire of the MLS.

One of the great defenders in the history of Italy. He played for Lazio, the team he started with as a professional, and later for Milan, where he made history. Between 2012 and 2013 he played in the MLS, in the Canadian team of Montreal Impact, but he did not retire there, but in India, at Chennaiyin FC, after which he returned to the United States to become the first coach of the NASL Miami FC history.

He began his career at Pachuca in Mexico. From there he was transferred to Porto, in Portugal, where he played six seasons, and then to Atlético de Madrid, in the Spanish League, where he wore his shirt for three years. But, since 2022, the Portuguese nationalized Mexican midfielder plays for the Houston Dynamo of the MLS.

After a whole career in his country, going through the ranks of Napoli, Cavese, Foggia Calcio, Delfino Pescara and, again for Napoli, where he triumphed for 10 seasons, the Italian striker went to MLS at the age of 31 to play in Toronto FC's Canadian team.

Another Italian, in this case, a midfielder, who ended up in the same place as his compatriot Insigne, at Toronto FC in the MLS. He joined the Canadian club in 2022 after playing in Italy for FC Crotone, Fiorentina, and Juventus from Turin.

The Brazilian midfielder became known in Ukraine, at Shakhtar Donetsk, where, after 6 spectacular seasons, he was signed by Bayern Munich, where he has spent two stages, while in between he played four years at Juventus, in Italy. In 2021 he returned to Gremio, in Brazil, the team that formed him. In 2022, he signed for Los Angeles Galaxy to start a new adventure in MLS.

Nationalized Congolese striker and Belgian international who played for important teams in his country such as Genk and Standard Liège, before going to the English Premier League, where he played for Aston Villa, Liverpool and Crystal Palace. In 2022 he signed for DC United, the Washington team of the MLS.

Legendary player for Athletic Bilbao, where he played his entire career, from 2003 to 2015, the Basque defender played the last season of his professional career, 2015-2016, in the MLS, at the New York City F.C.

He was one of the players with the greatest projection of FC Barcelona. He left his quarry and played four seasons in the first team in the Spanish League. However, he has gone to MLS very young, at just 23 years old, to play, since 2022, for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Jozy Altidore's case is different from the rest. He is American and his career began in the MLS, at New York Red Bull, from where he made the leap to Europe. There, after passing through teams such as Villarreal, Hull City, Sunderland, Bursaspor and AZ Alkmaar, he returned to the United States in 2015, where he played 5 seasons for Toronto FC and another for New England Revolution, before leaving for Club Puebla in 2022. from Mexico.

Pele, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, left an indelible mark on the MLS. While his prime years were spent dazzling audiences in Brazil's Santos FC and on the international stage with the Brazilian national team, Pele's brief but impactful tenure in the United States' Major League Soccer (MLS) showcased his enduring talent and charismatic presence.

n 1975, at the age of 34, Pele signed with the New York Cosmos, marking a pivotal moment in the history of American soccer. His arrival brought immense attention and elevated the profile of the fledgling league. With Pele donning the iconic Cosmos jersey, the MLS gained international recognition, capturing the imagination of fans and inspiring a new generation of American players.

Gerd Müller is arguably one of the best strikers to ever play the game. While he is predominantly known for his achievements in Germany with Bayern Munich, Müller's brief tenure in the United States' Major League Soccer (MLS) showcased his unparalleled goal-scoring prowess and left an indelible mark on the league. In 1979, at the age of 34, Gerd Müller joined the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

In 1977, Franz Beckenbauer joined the New York Cosmos, a team that captured the attention of American soccer fans with its star-studded lineup. Beckenbauer's signing marked a defining moment for the MLS, as his arrival brought invaluable credibility and international recognition to the league. The Kaiser's decision to play in the United States was a significant endorsement of the league's potential.

In 1997, at the age of 50, Johan Cruyff signed with the newly formed Chivas USA franchise as their technical advisor. His arrival brought immense excitement and credibility to the evolving MLS. Cruyff's vast football knowledge and innovative approach to the game elevated the league's profile, capturing the attention of fans and inspiring a new era of tactical thinking.

In 1976, George Best joined the Los Angeles Aztecs, marking a significant moment in the history of the NASL and the growing popularity of soccer in the United States. While Best's time in the MLS was relatively short-lived, his legacy as a footballing endures. His impact on American soccer culture was notable, as he introduced a new level of artistry to the game, inspiring the next generation of players to embrace individual brilliance.

Bobby Moore joined the Seattle Sounders in 1978. As a seasoned professional and a natural leader, he served as a mentor to younger players, providing invaluable guidance and imparting his footballing knowledge.

Now it's time to think about who will be the next big stars of the European Leagues that will join the MLS in the future so that it continues to grow. All eyes are already on Lionel Messi. Or maybe it could be Cristiano Ronaldo after his 'retirement' at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. Maybe Neymar... We'll see what the future holds...