World Cup Royalty in MLS: The Good, the Bad, and the Forgettable | OneFootball

Can you name all 19 World Cup winners to play in MLS?

When Rodrigo De Paul put pen to paper and signed with Inter Miami, it marked the third current FIFA World Cup champion from Argentina to play in MLS both past and present. Lionel Messi of course is also with Inter Miami, and Thiago Almada was with Atlanta United before making a move to Botafogo and Atletico Madrid.

MLS has had an up-and-down history with World Cup winners. Just ask the New York Red Bulls, who have had four World Cup winners suit up for them with zero MLS Cups to show for it. In 1997, the then-MetroStars not only had one current World Cup champion at the time, but also the World Cup-winning coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, and a World Cup runner-up in Roberto Donadoni. The results? Dead last in the Eastern Conference.

Another shocking stat: of the 19 World Cup winners to have played in the league, none ever played for the Los Angeles Galaxy, the league’s all-time winningest team, nor DC United, the shining star of MLS’s early years.

Here is a review of 17 of the 19 World Cup winners. We are omitting De Paul, who has just started his MLS career, and Germany’s Thomas Müller, who has also just arrived in MLS with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Branco (1997, MetroStars)

1994 World Cup winner Branco came to the ailing MetroStars near the end of a disappointing 1997 season. The Brazilian defender brought with him his blazing free kicks, scoring one goal and adding two assists. He was also red-carded for spitting at an opponent and, off the field, was a chain smoker.

When the MetroStars were eliminated from playoff contention, all three individuals associated with the 1994 World Cup final were gone. Branco left to end his career at Fluminense, Donadoni returned to AC Milan, and Parreira dropped the Metros in favor of a international job, coaching Saudi Arabia at the 1998 World Cup. He’d be fired between the team’s second and third game of the group stage.

Lothar Matthäus (2000, MetroStars)

Lutz Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images

We have already covered the horrific stint of 1990 World Cup winner Lothar Matthäus with the MetroStars, but to sum it up in a nutshell: Matthäus played 16 regular season games for the MetroStars, scoring zero goals. When out “injured,” he was on a beach with his young model girlfriend. It seemed like the former Bayern Munich star had zero interest in playing in MLS.

Despite all of that, the MetroStars were having the best season in their MLS history during that time, eventually being one win away from the MLS Cup but losing to the Chicago Fire. Matthäus, with all of his awards and accolades, is also one of the worst signings in MLS history.

Youri Djorkaeff (2005-06, New York Red Bulls)

The third time was the charm for the Red Bulls when they signed 1998 World Cup winner Youri Djorkaeff. The former Inter Milan great brought a lot of wisdom and professionalism to MLS in a time when the league was in its dark ages, two years before David Beckham would save it from certain oblivion.

Still, Djorkaeff was there, playing 48 games and scoring 13 goals. In a time when there was a lot of dead weight and empty stadiums around MLS, the French midfielder was one of the few players in the league that resembled an actual professional.

His one smear was leaving during the summer months of MLS to watch France during the 2006 World Cup.

Denílson (2007, FC Dallas)

At the dawn of the Designated Player era, FC Dallas went all in on a player who, on the Brazilian national team, was a human highlight reel, but at the club level always failed to meet expectations: 2002 World Cup winner Denílson.

Denílson is another flop signing: one goal in nine games and nothing much to show in MLS.

Alessandro Nesta (2012-13, Montreal Impact)

Italy’s 2006 World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta’s time in MLS may have been brief — just 34 games across one-and-a-half seasons — but he was elegant and decisive in his role. Nesta played with class and gave composure to the Impact’s backline.

Kléberson (2013, Philadelphia Union)

Kléberson was part of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad but was on a downward spiral by the time he got to the Union. One goal in 11 matches was all the mercurial midfielder would contribute in Philly, but he’d stay in the United States, playing with NASL sides Indy Eleven and Fort Lauderdale Strikers before retiring in 2016. Kléberson is currently an assistant coach with New York City FC.

Thierry Henry (2010-14, New York Red Bulls)

The Red Bulls and MLS finally got the complete package with Thierry Henry. One of the best players to ever grace an MLS field, the 1998 World Cup winner scored 52 goals in 135 games, including a handful of highlight-reel strikes.

Henry may have slowed down a bit from his Arsenal days, but his quality was world-class. Even in his mid-30s, Henry was too much player for most in MLS. He won a Supporters’ Shield with the Red Bulls in 2013.

Kaká (2015-17, Orlando City)

2002 World Cup winner Kaká was the face of the new MLS franchise Orlando City, and the former Real Madrid and AC Milan star delivered, scoring 25 goals in 78 games. Kaká brought instant credibility and talent to his new team. An excellent passer and dribbler, he lived up to his megastar hype.

Andrea Pirlo (2015-17, NYCFC)

Well past his prime, 2006 World Cup winner Andrea Pirlo was not the second coming of Donadoni when it came to high-quality Italians in MLS. Statistically, he scored just one goal in 62 games, and while there were flashes of elegance, Pirlo never really seemed comfortable in MLS.

David Villa (2015-18, NYCFC)

Still the best player to ever play for NYCFC, David Villa was pure class in MLS. The 2010 World Cup winner is still the club’s all-time leading scorer with 80 goals, was MLS MVP in 2016, and an MLS All-Star four times in a row.

Bastian Schweinsteiger (2017-19, Chicago Fire)

2014 World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger was a great ambassador for the club and the league. While not flashy, Schweinsteiger brought intelligence and class to an often ailing Chicago Fire side.

The former Bayern Munich star played 92 games and scored eight goals. He was also infamously asked by a journalist at his unveiling if the Fire could win the World Cup. Schweinsteiger, bewildered, didn’t know what to say before a Fire official reminded everyone that the Fire don’t actually play in the World Cup.

Blaise Matuidi (2020-21, Inter Miami)

French World Cup winner in 2018, Blaise Matuidi is better known for his situation off the field than on. On the field, Matuidi was a mute presence for a poor Inter Miami side. Off the field, his contract — illegally reported as a non-DP deal — caused the club to be fined $2 million, with more than $2 million in allocation funds cut for two seasons.

Thiago Almada (2022-24, Atlanta United)

Thiago Almada is the eternal answer to a trivia question: the only active MLS player to win the World Cup while playing in the league. All of the other 18 World Cup winners came to MLS after they had won it. Almada won it as a midfielder for Atlanta United.

At the MLS level, Almada was a fantastic talent on a horrific Atlanta side that only went downhill after he left. He had highlight-reel moments with 26 goals in 83 games, but Atlanta couldn’t hold its own.

Almada’s $21 million move to Brazilian club Botafogo — run by John Textor, whose ownership style has raised more than a few eyebrows — quickly turned into a legal headache. MLS and Atlanta United took the case to FIFA after Botafogo allegedly missed payment deadlines, leading to a ruling against the club and financial penalties.

Instead of paying up, Botafogo shipped Almada off on a free loan to Lyon in early 2025, a move that conveniently bypassed the French side’s transfer ban.

By July 2025, the Argentine playmaker finally secured a permanent transfer to Atlético Madrid for a hefty fee. Atlanta, however, is still waiting on its full payment. Even so, Almada remains etched in MLS history as the first player to win a FIFA World Cup while still active in the league.

Olivier Giroud (2024-2025, LAFC)

While some misguided pundits call Olivier Giroud’s time in MLS a flop, the 2018 World Cup winner was a major missed opportunity for LAFC. The reality is the former AC Milan striker was signed more for his notoriety than his player profile, and Steve Cherundolo’s coaching style didn’t fit a target striker at all.

Cherundolo stuck to his guns, refusing to adjust his style for his star player, and Giroud suffered greatly, scoring just five goals in 38 games: Shockingly poor numbers for a player who only a year before was scoring at will for AC Milan with Christian Pulisic and Rafael Leão on the wings. Case in point — since returning to France with Lille, Giroud has scored twice in two matches.

A lot of questions were never asked of LAFC as to how John Thorrington allowed something like this to happen and why Cherundolo did not adjust to get the most out of a proven striker. Lesson learned: LAFC has now signed Son Heung-min, a player much more suited to the club’s style of play.

Sergio Busquets (2023-present, Inter Miami)

The 2010 World Cup winner is well past his prime and has never had a truly memorable performance in an Inter Miami kit. While that might be harsh — there have been a few classy passes here and there — Sergio Busquets clearly looks his age on the field. In due time, his MLS stint will be seen as largely forgettable.

Hugo Lloris (2024-present, LAFC)

The 2018 World Cup winner is still going strong with LAFC. One of the best goalkeepers in MLS, Hugo Lloris continues his rock-solid form and could easily play for any team in the world if he wanted. A luxury to have his class and talent in MLS.

Lionel Messi (2023–Present, Inter Miami)

The GOAT. Lionel Messi won the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina and shocked the world by signing with Inter Miami after a miserable stint at PSG.

Messi has been everything and more on the field: Selling out stadiums, causing the adidas website to sell out Inter Miami kits worldwide, and scoring 61 goals in 73 games as of this writing.

Messi has slowed down over the last few years, but when inspired and determined, no player on earth can change a game in seconds like he can. Sure, he never speaks to the U.S. media or does the interview rounds, but that has never been his style.

Messi took a ragtag Inter Miami to win the Leagues Cup his first season in MLS, but the feel-good story quickly changed to villain territory. Miami’s spending habits are dubious, Messi’s influence over the team is clear, and there are few holdovers from when he first arrived — along with some questionable moves, like shipping out Robert Taylor and DeAndre Yedlin.

How the Messi era will end remains one of the great MLS storylines.