Messi next! The biggest players to feature for every MLS team 🌟 | OneFootball

Lionel Messi’s next destination will be the MLS after he agreed to join Inter Miami.

Here are some of the illustrious predecessors whose footsteps the Argentina captain will be following in.

Atlanta United: Miguel Almirón

Before he started tearing it up with Newcastle United, Almirón scored 21 goals in 62 outings during a three-year stay with the Five Stripes

Austin FC: Sebastián Driussi

The one-time River Plate marksman recently signed a new three-year deal with the Verde and Black after 30 goals in 62 outings to date.

Charlotte FC: Ashley Westwood

A Premier League veteran with Aston Villa and Burnley, Westwood joined on an 18-month deal in January and has enjoyed nine outings to date.

Chicago Fire: Hristo Stoichkov

‘El Pistolero’ blessed the Windy City for two years at the turn of the new millennium and helped The Fire reach an MLS Cup final in that time.

FC Cincinnati: Siem de Jong

De Jong sprinkled his wealth of European experience on the Orange and Blue during the 2020 season before returning to his native Netherlands.

Columbus Crew: Brad Friedel

The evergreen goalkeeper earned his spurs across a two-year spell with the Crew before a move to Liverpool began an 18-year spell in the Premier League.

Colorado Rapids: Carlos Valderrama

One of football’s most iconic hairstyles, the Colombia legend extended his MLS adventure by plying his trade in Denver before calling it a day after two years.

FC Dallas: Denílson

The 2002 World Cup winner’s time Stateside proved to be fleeting with just one goal in eight appearances during 2007.

D.C. United: Wayne Rooney

The Manchester United and England legend spent two years in Washington before returning to become the club’s manager last summer.

Houston Dynamo: DaMarcus Beasley

The left-sided player made over 100 appearances in his final five years with Houston after spells with PSV Eindhoven, Manchester City and Rangers.

LA Galaxy: Zlatan Ibrahimović

The iconic Swede told Galaxy fans ‘You’re welcome’ before his 53 goals in 58 games, setting a new MLS record with 30 of them in a regular season.

Los Angeles FC: Carlos Vela

One-time Arsenal prodigy Vela found a home from home in the City of Angels, where he scored 73 times in 130 outings between 2018 and 2023.

Minnesota United: Tyrone Mears

Premier League journeyman Mears enjoyed life in the MLS so much that he represented three clubs, with a one-year spell at Minnesota the last in 2018.

Inter Miami: Gonzalo Higuaín

Messi joins the club where former Argentina teammate Higuaín hung up his boots last year after 29 goals in 67 appearances for the fledgling MLS outfit.

Montréal: Didier Drogba

A change of scene did not lead to a change of pace for the Chelsea legend as he found the target 21 times in 33 outings during the 2015/16 season.

Nashville: Hany Mukhtar

Berlin-born Mukhtar may not be one of the more headline-grabbing names on this list but 53 goals in 95 outings suggests his star is already on the rise.

New England Revolution: Walter Zenga

The former Inter and Italy goalkeeper enjoyed a flying start to a two-year stay in New England, winning the MLS Player of the Month within weeks of his arrival.

New York City: David Villa

A man with the Midas touch, ‘El Guaje’ kept scoring for fun in the Big Apple with 80 goals in 124 outings between 2014 and 2018.

New York Red Bulls: Thierry Henry

The former Arsenal and Barcelona man became another World Cup winner to flourish in the city that never sleeps with a half-century of goals.

Orlando City: Kaká

The 2007 Ballon d’Or winner retired in the Sunshine State after showcasing his trademark skills for the final two years of a start-studded career.

Philadelphia Union: Brenden Aaronson

Leeds’ midfield dynamo began his journey to Europe as part of the team which won the Supporters’ Shield in 2020.

Portland Timbers: Kasey Keller

The longstanding USMNT goalkeeper enjoyed a lengthy career in Europe but signed off with the Timbers, where he made 93 appearances between 2009 and 2011.

Real Salt Lake: Freddy Adu

Adu was still touted as America’s future when he joined RSL in 2007 but Europe beckoned a year later and the rest is history.

San Jose Earthquakes: Landon Donovan

The original ‘Captain America’ made his MLS foray during a three-year spell on loan from Bayer Leverkusen before becoming synonymous with LA Galaxy.

Sporting Kansas City: Alexi Lalas

This icon of the American game represented Kansas under their previous guise of the ‘Wizards,’ making 30 appearances in 1999.

Seattle Sounders: Clint Dempsey

‘The Deuce’ guided the Sounders to the Supporters’ Shield and an MLS Cup final appearance during a five-year spell between 2013 and 2018.

St Louis City: Roman Bürki

Double DFB-Pokal winner Bürki ended a seven-season stay at Borussia Dortmund in favour of a move across the Atlantic last year.

Toronto FC: Michael Bradley

Ex-Roma midfielder Bradley will go down as a legend at BMO Field after winning six major honours since 2014.

Vancouver Whitecaps: Alphonso Davies

The Bayern Munich star’s rise began in the MLS with the Whitecaps, who voted him Player of the Year in 2018 before he was hot in demand.