Former Premier League Stars Who Played in MLS, Ranked

MLS

has long been viewed as an attractive league for aging European football stars, where they can play out the final years of their careers making good money while facing less pressure than they were used to at their former clubs.

A number of Premier League

players have made the jump from England to the United States over the years, including some of the Premiership’s best ever players.

Here at GIVEMESPORT, we’ve ranked the top-10 biggest Premier League standouts to take their talents to MLS. Note that the ranking is based on how successful these players were in America, and not based on their footballing legacy and stature in the game.

10

Frank Lampard

New York City FC (2015-2016)

Frank Lampard

is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history, and an English football legend.

After coming up through the West Ham United

academy, Lampard made the jump to Chelsea

at the turn of the century, and went on to score an astounding 211 goals in 648 appearances for the Blues, winning league titles and the UEFA Champions League

along the way.

After 13 years at Stamford Bridge, the London native spent one season with Manchester City before moving to sister club New York City FC

in MLS in January 2015.

Lampard spent only two seasons with NYCFC before retiring from the game following the 2016 season.

9

Steven Gerrard

LA Galaxy (2015-2016)

Like Lampard, Steven Gerrard

is recognized as one of the best to ever patrol the middle of the park, and was known for his exceptional goalscoring ability from midfield.

Gerrard is Liverpool

through and through, spending his whole youth and senior career at the club before his eventual move to MLS. Gerrard captained the Reds to some of the greatest triumphs in the club’s history, including a dramatic Champions League final victory over AC Milan in 2005.

By the time he left Merseyside, Gerrard had accumulated 186 goals and 155 assists in 710 appearances in 17 years at his boyhood club. He signed for the Los Angeles Galaxy

in January 2015, spending only two seasons in Southern California before retiring from football.

8

Gareth Bale

LAFC (2022)

Gareth Bale

played the fewest games in MLS among the names on this list, but one particular moment with Los Angeles FC

lifts him above Lampard and Gerrard.

Bale exploded onto the scene as one of the most exciting players in Europe with Tottenham Hotspur

, thrilling fans with his blistering pace and wand of a left foot.

After six seasons at Spurs, Bale made a then-record move to Real Madrid

, where he scored 106 goals in 258 games and won multiple Champions League titles with Los Blancos.

After a season-long loan back at Tottenham in 2020-21, the Welsh winger moved to LAFC in June 2022. He made only 14 total appearances for the Black and Gold, but was responsible for arguably the biggest goal in the club’s history, scoring a 128th minute equalizer in the MLS Cup final against Philadelphia Union.

LAFC would go on to win in a penalty shootout to lift their first-ever MLS Cup. Bale represented Wales at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before announcing his retirement at just 33 years old.

7

Hugo Lloris

LAFC (2024-Present)

One of only two active players on this list, Hugo Lloris

has been a symbol of consistency at both club and international level for well over a decade.

After eight seasons in Ligue 1 in his native France, Lloris got his big break with a transfer to Tottenham in 2012, where he established himself as one of the best keepers in the Premier League.

While team success evaded Lloris and Spurs, the Nice native captained France to a World Cup conquest in Russia in 2018. Lloris has also led France to the finals of the 2016 European Championship and 2022 World Cup.

The 38-year-old joined LAFC in December 2023, and has been one of the best goalkeepers in MLS since.

6

Didier Drogba

Montreal Impact (2015-2016)

Didier Drogba

was one of the most revered strikers in Premier League history, blending a unique mix of athleticism and power with finesse and skill to score a boatload of goals for Chelsea in his prime.

After rising through the ranks in France, Drogba signed with the Blues in 2004 and hit the ground running in England. In nine total seasons in West London, the Cote d’Ivoire international accumulated 164 goals in 381 appearances, winning four league titles and one Champions League crown amongst a treasure trove of silverware along the way.

Drogba spent time in China and Turkey before finally making his way over to North America, signing with MLS club Montreal Impact (now CF Montreal

) in 2015. It was a match made in heaven, with the French-raised striker landing in the predominantly French-speaking Canadian city.

The 47-year-old had a successful two years in Montreal, but fell short of lifting any trophies for the Bleu-Blanc-Noir.

5

Wayne Rooney

DC United (2018-2019)

Wayne Rooney

is a Manchester United

and England icon, leading both teams for over a decade with his brilliant forward play.

After coming up through the Everton

academy, Rooney made a high-profile move to Manchester United at just 18 years old in 2004. The Liverpool native took little time to get acclimated with the Red Devils, emerging as the next big Premier League star and combining with fellow starlet Cristiano Ronaldo to lift United into the European elite.

Rooney won five Premier League titles, one FA Cup, three league cups, four Community Shields, one Europa League, the FIFA Club World Cup and one Champions League in his time on the red side of Manchester, finally leaving the club in 2017 after 13 years.

Following a one-season stint with his boyhood club Everton, Rooney set his sights on MLS, joining DC United

in June 2018. The 39-year-old lasted only two years in the United States, but established himself as one of the most important players in DC United history, eventually returning to the club as manager in 2022.

4

Luis Suárez

Inter Miami (2024-Present)

Luis Suarez

is undoubtedly one of the most talented strikers the sport has ever seen, and has written his name in the history books of a number of clubs throughout his legendary career.

Suarez moved away from his native Uruguay early in his professional career, spending a few seasons in the Netherlands with Groningen and AFC Ajax

. After scoring 111 goals for the Dutch giants, Suarez earned a big move to Liverpool, where he quickly established himself as one of the deadliest goalscorers in Europe.

El Pistolero racked up 82 goals in 133 appearances in four seasons for the Reds, winning Premier League Player of the Season and the Golden Boot with 31 goals in 2013-14.

Suarez then signed for FC Barcelona

, joining Lionel Messi and Neymar to create a fearsome attacking trio in Spain. The Catalan giants won a treble in his first season at the club, and would win 13 total trophies in Suarez’s six seasons with Barca. The 38-year-old went on to win another La Liga title with Atlético Madrid

before returning to South America for stints in Uruguay and Brazil.

He joined Messi at Inter Miami in December 2023, and the duo quickly rekindled their magic on the pitch as they led the Herons to a league-record 74 points in the regular season, and the club’s first Supporters’ Shield title.

Suarez finished runner-up for the 2024 MLS Newcomer of the Year after scoring 20 goals and registering nine assists in his first season in the USA.

3

Thierry Henry

New York Red Bulls (2010-2014)

Nowadays, you can find Thierry Henry

working as a pundit on multiple football broadcast panels, breaking down the game with his profound knowledge while mixing in some of his characteristic charm.

But to the previous generation of soccer fans, Henry represented the cream of the crop of forwards, dazzling millions with his exceptional skill, blistering pace and prolific eye for goal.

Henry’s big break came when he moved to Arsenal

in 1999, joining a star-studded team that would go on to become the only unbeaten Premier League champions in 2004. The French legend scored 228 goals and tallied 101 assists in 377 appearances for the Gunners before signing with FC Barcelona in 2007.

Henry fit in well with Pep Guardiola’s iconic Barcelona squad, playing an important role in the Blaugrana’s famous sextuple of titles in 2009. The 47-year-old moved away from Spain after three seasons, inking a deal with MLS’ NY Red Bulls

in July 2010.

Henry led the Red Bulls to some of their greatest seasons in club history, finishing at the top of the Eastern Conference on two occasions and winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2013.

2

Robbie Keane

LA Galaxy (2011-2016)

Robbie Keane

was one of the most prolific Premier League strikers of the 2000s, scoring 126 goals across 349 appearances in England’s top flight with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, and Leeds United.

The Irish striker had his best years with Spurs, where he scored 122 goals in nine total seasons in North London. Keane is also the record goalscorer for the Ireland national team, finding the net 68 times in 146 caps (also a record) for his country.

Keane was one of the first football stars to truly embrace MLS, joining David Beckham and Landon Donovan at LA Galaxy in 2011. He spent six seasons in MLS, racking up 104 goals and 41 assists in 165 appearances, while winning three MLS Cup titles and being named MLS MVP in 2014.

1

David Beckham

LA Galaxy (2007-2012)

There is simply no figure that has been more important to Major League Soccer than David Beckham

.

After becoming a football superstar and pop culture icon with Manchester United and Real Madrid, Beckham made the jump to America in 2007, joining the LA Galaxy as a designated player on a contract worth $32.5 million over five years.

Both the Galaxy and MLS skyrocketed with interest and investment overnight as Beckham became the hottest thing in Hollywood. He made his debut in July 2007, donning the No. 23 shirt that would become one of the most popular soccer jerseys of all-time.

Los Angeles would thrive with Beckham at the helm, winning two MLS Cups and two Supporters’ Shields in the English midfielder’s six seasons in SoCal.

Beckham had a unique clause in his contract stipulating that he would have the option of purchasing an MLS expansion franchise for $25 million whenever he stopped playing in the league. The 50-year-old exercised that option in 2014, and founded Inter Miami in 2018.

He was integral in bringing Lionel Messi and his former FC Barcelona teammates to Miami, propelling MLS into becoming one of the most followed and entertaining football leagues in the world.

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