Major League Soccer has seen some of the world’s best players grace its league since launching in 1996. It has seen the likes of Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and David Beckham dazzle crowds across the continent.
Even though the American top-tier may not yet be at the same level as some of Europe’s most significant leagues, the transformation it has undergone over its 30 years has been formative.
The level of play has continuously elevated in sync with being the most parity-filled league in the world. Yet, it’s often not the world’s best players that rank among the best in MLS history; instead, talents that fit the league, even from pathways such as the MLS SuperDraft, reign supreme.
Let’s take a look at the best MLS players who have made a name for themselves and helped push the league to where it is today.
15. Nick Rimando
- Teams: D.C. United, Real Salt Lake
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Appearances: 514
- Key Stat: 59 penalties saved
Nick Rimando, the best goalkeeper of all time in MLS, played for 20 seasons from his debut in 2000 to his retirement in 2019. He remains the only shot-stopper to surpass the 200-win mark.
While he was never named an MLS MVP or included in the Best XI, his consistency, longevity and two MLS Cups earn him a spot on this list. At just five-foot-nine, Rimando established himself as an aggressive goalkeeper and specialized in penalty kicks, stopping 59 of them in his career.
He also still holds nearly every major goalkeeping record, with 154 clean sheets, 223 wins and 1,712 saves.
14. Nicolás Lodeiro
- Teams: Seattle Sounders FC, Orlando City SC, Houston Dynamo
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Appearances: 241
- Key Stat: 2x MLS Cup, 1x Concacaf Champions Cup assists
Nicolás Lodeiro stepped away from a legendary MLS career midway through the 2025 season with the Houston Dynamo. His 10 years in the league rank among the best, though, his time with Seattle Sounders FC was the highlight of his career.
The midfielder helped the Western Conference side to two MLS Cups in 2016 and 2019, as well as a Concacaf Champions Cup win in 2022. Seattle are the still the only MLS team in the modern era to achieve such a feat.
Lodeiro’s midfield creativity helped elevate Clint Dempsey and Seattle’s other attacking talents, and he ended his MLS tenure with 43 goals and 81 assists. He also raked in individual accolades as well, including the 2016 MLS Newcomer of the Year Award and a spot on the 2020 MLS Best XI.
13. Carlos Valderamma
- Teams: Colorado Rapids, Miami Fusion, Tampa Bay Mutiny
- Position: Midfielder
- Appearances: 175
- Key Stat: 114 assists (2nd all-time)
Carlos Valderamma was a cornerstone of the early days in MLS, and set the standard for a skillset that has only been elevated in the following years.
Only the Colorado Rapids remain of the clubs he represented, with the others being Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny. However, the Colombian’s silky moves, 16 goals and 114 assists across 175 games still stand among the best to grace the league.
12. Kei Kamara
- Teams: Sporting Kansas City, Columbus Crew, New England Revolution, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Colorado Rapids, Minnesota United, Chicago Fire, LAFC, FC Cincinnati
- Position: Striker
- Appearances: 349
- Key Stat: Nine clubs played for
Kei Kamara has taken the journeyman career to a whole new level, playing for nine MLS clubs since making his debut with Sporting Kansas City in 2011. At 40 years old, he’s still playing for FC Cincinnati and his national team, Sierra Leone, and has scored 122 goals in MLS regular season play as of 2025.
Kamara’s success has spanned several eras in MLS, and he has thrived at each. His goalscoring ranks second all-time, only behind Chris Wondolowski, who we’ll talk about later in this list.
While he has never won MLS Cup, he has two U.S. Open Cups to his name, most recently lifting the trophy with LAFC in 2024. He was also named to the MLS Best XI at 38 years old in 2023.
Outside of his goalscoring, his mentorships have also been lauded, and he played a key role in elevating Alphonso Davies to Bayern Munich during his time with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
11. Preki
- Teams: Sporting Kansas City, Miami Fusion
- Position: Midfielder
- Appearances: 303
- Key Stat: 2x MLS MVP
Take a scroll through the MLS record book and you’ll still find Predrag Radosavljević, or “Preki,” atop several lists, given his domination with the Kansas City Wizards, now known as Sporting Kansas City, and the now-defunct Miami Fusion.
Between the two clubs, the midfielder recorded 79 goals and 112 assists through 242 appearances, winning two MLS MVP awards and two Golden Boots before retiring in 2005.
Since then, he has continued to thrive in the league; Preki was named MLS Coach of the Year in 2007 with Chivas USA and is now an assistant coach with Seattle Sounders FC.
10. Dwayne De Rosario
- Teams: San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo, Toronto FC, New York Red Bulls, D.C. United
- Position: Striker
- Appearances: 324
- Key Stat: Four MLS Cups
From his wild goalscoring record and trademark celebrations to his blistering free kicks, Dwayne De Rosario changed the game for Canadian players in MLS. Through his 330 games, he bagged 102 goals and spent time with each of the San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo, Toronto FC, the New York Red Bulls and D.C. United.
By the time he stepped away, De Rosario had four MLS Cups and two MLS Cup MVP titles. The striker remains Toronto FC’s all-time leading goalscorer, even with Sebastian Giovinco’s accolades in future years.
De Rosario’s legacy has continued to the next generation, with his son Osaze De Rosario playing up top for Seattle Sounders FC and his other son, Adisa De Rosario, in Toronto FC’s academy system.
9. Robbie Keane
- Teams: LA Galaxy
- Position: Striker
- Appearances: 125
- Key Stat: 83 goals
There weren’t many weeks when Robbie Keane wasn’t doing something memorable during his time with the LA Galaxy. The Irishman scored 83 goals across 125 games with the Galaxy, and added another nine goals and six assists in 18 playoff matches.
Through his time in Southern California, Keane helped the Galaxy win MLS Cup in 2011, 2012 and 2014, often starring alongside Landon Donovan and David Beckham. A four-time inclusion on the MLS best XI, his stature and tenure in MLS still rank as one of the best.
8. Lionel Messi
- Teams: Inter Miami
- Position: Attacker
- Appearances: 54
- Key Stat: 2024 MLS MVP and 2025 Golden Boot
Yes, Messi is the best player to ever play in MLS. But, his career with Inter Miami only barely cracks the top 10, as he has claimed just the 2023 Leagues Cup and 2024 Supporters’ Shield with the Herons. The Argentine also falls short of several records owned by players further on in this list.
His 2024 season will rank among the best, leading Miami to a regular-season record of 74 points, with 20 goals and 16 assists in just 19 games. However, falling in Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs tarnished that entire campaign.
In 2025, he led Inter Miami to the knockout stages of the FIFA Club World Cup, scoring a goal that helped the Herons beat FC Porto, marking the first-ever MLS win over a European side in a competition match.
But legacy is forged through trophies, and Messi doesn’t have many with Miami.
7. Diego Valeri
- Teams: Portland Timbers
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Appearances: 262
- Key Stat: Three MLS Cup finals
Diego Valeri had three spells with the Portland Timbers, and each one built on his everlasting legacy at the club and within MLS. The Argentine ended up with 86 goals across 262 regular-season games, earning the 2017 league MVP and 2015 MLS Cup MVP.
While he only won one MLS Cup in 2015, he helped lead the Timbers to three, although they fell in 2018 and 2021. Yet, he is the only player on this list to have won the 2020 MLS is Back Trophy, the COVID-19 fill-in tournament that was played entirely at Disney World.
Since retiring, he’s remained in the league as well, transitioning to a commentator and pundit role on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
6. David Beckham
- Teams: LA Galaxy
- Position: Midfielder
- Appearances: 98
- Key Stat: Back-to-Back MLS Cups
David Beckham’s early days in the league saw him attempting to get back to Europe at nearly every chance, but by the time he wrapped up his LA Galaxy chapter, he had been among the best the league had ever seen.
The former England captain elevated the league’s profile into North American mainstream sports, and his skill set, whether from creativity or set pieces, regularly created highlights. While he only scored 19 goals in 98 games, he helped the Galaxy to back-to-back MLS Cups in 2011 and 2012, and two Supporters’ Shields.
Although not on the pitch, his legacy remains formative as well, as a part of the Inter Miami ownership group, which has recruited Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Rodrigo De Paul, among others.
5. Carlos Vela
- Teams: LAFC
- Position: Forward
- Appearances: 152
- Key Stat: 49 goal contributions in 2019
Carlos Vela was a game-changer in MLS when he arrived from Real Sociedad in 2018. He instantly endeared himself to LAFC supporters and went on to score 78 goals in 152 games. In 2019, the Mexican star posted 34 goals and 15 assists, recording a record 49 goal contributions that not even Messi could overtake.
Vela’s play helped create a potent attacking side alongside Gareth Bale and Denis Bouanga, pushing LAFC to the 2022 MLS Cup title and two Supporters’ Shields. Meanwhile, his personal accolades include the 2019 MLS MVP and 2019 Golden Boot.
While his return in 2024 didn’t quite go to plan, Vela still cemented his place as one of the league’s best-ever.
4. Sebastian Giovinco
- Teams: Toronto FC
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Appearances: 114
- Key Stat: 2017 Toronto FC Treble
Sebastian Giovinco changed how MLS sides approach Designated Players when he made the switch from Serie A giants Juventus at just 27 years old to play with Toronto FC. The club, before his addition, was ranked as one of the worst MLS teams ever, even earning the “worst team in the world” label through its first few years.
Nicknamed the Atomic Ant, Giovinco led Toronto FC to back-to-back MLS Cup finals in 2016 and 2017, winning the title in 2017. That year, the Reds also won the treble, taking home the Canadian Championship and Supporters’ Shield as well.
Giovinco scored 68 goals in 114 games for Toronto and earned the 2015 MLS Golden Boot and MVP, establishing himself among the league's best.
3. Darlington Nagbe
- Teams: Portland Timbers, Columbus Crew SC
- Position: Defensive Midfielder
- Appearances: 445
- Key Stat: Eight trophies
Darlington Nagbe hung up his boots with 445 regular-season games between the Portland Timbers and Columbus Crew. He became a defensive midfield lynchpin in both teams, helping lead his sides to a combined eight trophies, including two MLS Cups.
A three-time MLS All-Star, Nagbe first established himself as a key midfielder in a double-pivot alongside Diego Chára in Portland before moving on to a Columbus side where he became the most critical transitional piece under Caleb Porter, and further under Wilfried Nancy.
Selected second overall among college players in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, Nagbe is undoubtedly the best player to come out of that system.
2. Chris Wondolowski
- Teams: San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo
- Position: Striker
- Appearances: 413
- Key Stat: 171 goals
The all-time leading scorer in MLS history Chris Wondolowski may have records that endure for years to come. The former San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo striker never fully established himself as a star with the USMNT, but his 171 goals in 413 games between 2005 and 2021 are unparalleled by anyone else in MLS play.
Wondolowski is the only player to have scored 10 or more goals in 10 straight seasons. The forward also won two MLS Cups, the 2012 league MVP and two Golden Boots through his 16 years in MLS.
1. Landon Donovan
- Teams: LA Galaxy
- Position: Forward
- Appearances: 340
- Key Stat: 144 goals
Landon Donovan was one of the most important American soccer players of his generation, and his stature within the system still reigns higher than most other alumni. While he made various attempts to crack Europe, it was his time from 2002 to 2012 with the LA Galaxy that established him as a superstar.
The MLS legend is a six-time MLS Cup champion and is among the league’s top goalscorers in history with 144 goals in 340 games. The level Donovan hit in MLS allowed him to push the USMNT to success, helping the team through the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cup tournaments.
READ THE LATEST MLS NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND GOSSIP
This article was originally published on www.si.com as The 15 Best MLS Players of All-Time—Ranked.
