The five most influential foreigners in MLS history | OneFootball

Often billed as a retirement community across sporting lines, MLS has featured brilliant foreign players since its inception. The league would not have grown without them.

As an American born in the 1980s, who grew up in the early ’90s becoming obsessed with the European game, the idea that a domestic league could ever measure up on friendly shores – still – remains a pipe dream.

Through former TV channels such as Fox Sports World, giving Americans access to The Beautiful Game and highlights from Serie A, Bundesliga, Premier League, and beyond, so many of us found love abroad.

The creation of MLS, though well-received, was always going to be an uphill battle. One that would ultimately require big names to pull fan support through the gates and into their seats.

While MLS did well to target some massive names during its history in its defense. The likes of Lothar Matthäus, Youri Djorkaeff, David Beckham, Alessandro Nesta, Andrea Pirlo, Thierry Henry, and so many others have plied their trade to varying degrees of success on American shores.

It’s a difficult debate to have when considering who among the cadre of recognized footballing stars had the greatest influence on the league as it persists for its 30th season. But here is a decent effort at championing five who, perhaps, are chief among the rest.

5. Jaime Moreno

Unless you are deeply entrenched in MLS lore, or firm among the D.C. United supporter base, it’s likely that you have never heard of Jaime Moreno.

Hardly a flashy name among the foreign influence that has long-imbedded itself in the league, but the former Bolivian international was the tip of the spear in the nation’s capital in a manner that may never be displaced.

Across two highly successful stints with the Black and Red, the Santa Cruz-born striker was one of the chief protagonists in D.C. becoming the league’s first dynasty, helping the club to three MLS Cups in its first four years.

After a brief stint with the NY/NJ Metrostars (now NY Red Bulls), Moreno returned to DCU and helped them to their fourth and last MLS Cup title.

Upon retiring in 2010, Moreno ended his glistening career as DCU’s all-time leader in matches played (329) goals (131; 5th all-time in MLS), assists (102; 6th all-time in MLS), goals from the penalty spot (42), game-winning goals (26), while also being included in the MLS all-time best XI as voted in 2005.

His influence in building D.C. United is undeniable, but it also helped set the trend that talented players exist in places many would not expect. A trend that continues to help the league grow today.

4. Carlos Valderrama

Another old head of MLS yesteryear, Carlos Valderrama is a legendary figure in Colombia’s footballing story while remaining one of the most popular players in league history.

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Known for his famous hairdo which instantly made him recognizable, El Pibe brought an intelligence and creative flair to football in the US that has been almost impossible to replicate even by today’s standards.

Already in his mid-30s when he arrived in the league with the now-defunct Tampa Bay Mutiny in the inaugural MLS season, Valderrama set the world alight for three different clubs and during two separate stints for Tampa across nine total seasons.

Billed as one of the greatest players to ever represent Colombia, and for some, the nation’s greatest-ever product, his stints at the highest level in Europe pre-MLS with Montpellier and Real Valladolid helped set the tone for what we continue to see in the modern era.

Much like the aforementioned Moreno, Valderrama is one of many South American players to rise to the top of the MLS talent pool.

To this day, he maintains an enduring legacy to the tune of 114 assists, which still rests at fourth all-time in MLS, as well as the single-season assist record (26); one which may never be broken.

As a player included in the FIFA100 (2004) World Soccer’s Greatest Footballers of All Time (1999), and being named Colombian Player of the Century (1999), Valderrama could well be one of the top-five players to have ever appeared in MLS across its entire history.

3. Zlatan Ibrahimović

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Despite boasting an incredibly short shelf-life when compared to many other players who could have been included in this list, legendary Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimović had to make the grade. But perhaps for reasons you may not expect.

An undeniable talent who prominently featured at the very highest level at both the club and international level for some of the biggest institutions in the sport, Ibra’s pedigree and seemingly ageless level of ability helped shed light on MLS in a necessary manner.

When he arrived at LA Galaxy, Zlatan was already on the wrong side of 35 and pushing 40, the Malmö-born forward still smashed 52 goals in just 56 appearances for the Galaxy, including a 30-goal season, making him one of just three players to ever achieve that feat and the oldest to do so.

And perhaps it is that very notion that makes his short stint in the league so telling. Despite his age, Zlatan dominated MLS in a way few – if any – players ever have, and you only have to look at his goals-to-game ratio (0.93) to see that.

Thus, his famous sound bite where he championed himself as “A Ferrari amongst Fiats,” while also openly urging the league to continue to focus on developing young players alongside European stars, is undoubtedly part of what makes him influential.

Fast-forward to the current MLS landscape and young players are being churned out at an incredible rate compared to previous years, while players arrive from postings abroad far younger than they were ever before. We probably do owe him just a slight debt of gratitude.

2. David Beckham

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This was a difficult choice for me given some of the players that could have been included in his place, but when push comes to shove, David Beckham probably does deserve a shout.By comparison, the iconic former Manchester United and England star did not have nearly the level of influence on the pitch of not just his contemporaries, but those who have come before and after him.

Across six seasons with LA Galaxy, Beckham featured just 98 times while never featuring as an MLS all-star, often being outshone by club mates Landon Donovan and eventually Robbie Keane.

But when it comes to Becks, it was the sheer gravitational pull of his footballing gravitas that puts him on this list as one of the most recognizable faces across the football landscape in the last 50 years.

For many, Beckham is one of the greatest players to ever feature for England and one of Manchester United’s all-time greats in the Premier League era. With him came a level of popularity and pull of new/increased viewership and exposure for MLS that would play a key role in the league’s growth on and off the pitch as not just a former player, but current part-owner.

And, not surprisingly, ranking in the top-five list for free-kicks across MLS history.

1. Lionel Messi

Well, he just had to be on this list, didn’t he?

Some die-hard fans or downright Messi-haters could very well claim recency bias with this one, and it’s an argument that would be fun to entertain.

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However, the fact that a player who, for many, is the greatest to ever feature on a football pitch has decided to not only give it a go in MLS but also in a manner we all hoped he would, is maybe one of the greatest adverts that the league could have ever received.

Having helped Inter Miami to set a new MLS points record while also setting a new marker for goal contributions in a single season, much like David Beckham, Messi’s arrival and continued level of play not only continues to bring eyes to the league but also talent profiles of varying age groups.

In the aftermath of his arrival in South Florida, Messi was followed by friends and former Barcelona club-mates Sergio Busquets, Luis Suárez, and Jordi Alba, while also helping The Herons become a haven for young(er) South American footballers the likes of Gonzalo Luján, Tomás Avilés, Telasco Segovia, Tadeo Allende, Rocco Ríos Novo, Maximiliano Falcón, Federico Redondo, and Baltasar Rodríguez.

Not only has this helped Inter Miami continue to establish its identity in MLS, but it has seen the club become a successful case study proving that bright young talent continue to view the league as a viable career destination, helping shed its former labeling as a retirement home.

Five honorable mentions