Best MLS Players of All Time: The 12 Greatest Legends, Icons and Game-Changers

Major League Soccer is old enough now to have eras: the foundation years, the Designated Player boom, and today’s global spotlight.

The “best MLS players of all time” debate usually comes down to one key question:

• Are we ranking the best players who ever appeared in MLS, or the best MLS careers?

This list goes with the best MLS careers—what a player actually did in MLS: production, trophies, awards, longevity, and how much they shaped the league.

Quick criteria we used:

• Peak: Did they have seasons that bent the league?
• Longevity: Were they great for years, not months?
• Hardware: MVPs, Cups, Shields, golden boots, etc.
• Legacy: Did they change what was possible in MLS?

Here’s the list of the 12 best players ever in MLS history. 

Best MLS players of all time: the 12 greatest MLS legends

1) Lionel Messi

Messi isn’t just the biggest name—he’s delivered one of the biggest MLS peaks ever, winning MLS MVP in 2024 and again in 2025.

• Led Inter Miami to the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and an MLS record 74 regular-season points.
• Won MLS Cup 2025 and earned MLS Cup MVP.

2) Landon Donovan

If MLS has a domestic GOAT conversation, Donovan is at the center of it.

• MLS all-time assists leader (136) and a record six MLS Cups.
• A franchise-defining player for multiple eras, with a big-game résumé that matches the numbers.

3) Chris Wondolowski

The league’s most reliable finisher over the longest stretch.

• MLS all-time regular-season goals leader (171)—and the rare scorer who stayed elite year after year.

4) Preki

Before “MVP seasons” became common, Preki made them feel inevitable.

• One of the few two-time MLS MVP winners (1997, 2003), setting the early standard for attacking greatness.

5) Marco Etcheverry

No Etcheverry, no early D.C. United dynasty—simple as that.

• 1998 MLS MVP, conductor of the league’s first powerhouse, and still the template for the “brain of the team” No. 10 in MLS.

6) Jaime Moreno

A rare combination of longevity, production, and “do-everything” forward play.

• The first player to reach 100+ goals and 100+ assists in MLS history—an all-time barometer of complete attacking impact.

7) Diego Valeri

Valeri’s case is peak + signature moments + leadership.

• 2017 MLS MVP and the engine of Portland’s best era.
• Scored the fastest goal in MLS Cup history (27 seconds) and won MLS Cup MVP (2015).

8) Sebastian Giovinco

Giovinco’s peak in Toronto is one of MLS’s most complete attacking seasons.

• 2015 MLS MVP and 2015 Golden Boot (22 goals, 16 assists).
• A creative force who proved an in-prime star could come to MLS and dominate, not just “visit.”

9) Robbie Keane

Keane’s MLS years are basically a masterclass in consistent DP excellence.

• 2014 MLS MVP, combining production with captain-level leadership for a title-caliber Galaxy era.

10) Thierry Henry

Henry belongs on a “best MLS careers” list because he actually produced like a superstar.

• With the Red Bulls: 51 goals and 42 assists in regular-season play, plus a defining role in New York’s rise.

11) Nick Rimando

If you’re building an MLS all-time XI, Rimando is the keeper many start with.

• Retired as MLS’s record-holder in appearances, wins, saves, and shutouts.
• A modern standard for shot-stopping and longevity at the position.

12) Chad Marshall

Every all-time list needs a defender who owned the league at his position.

• Widely recognized for a historic defender résumé, including being credited with three MLS Defender of the Year honors.

What about international stars like Kaká (or Zlatan, Villa, etc.)?

They absolutely matter—but the list depends on the question.

• If we’re ranking the best players to ever appear in MLS, you’ll load up on global legends (even with shorter stints).
• If we’re ranking the best MLS careers, you need MLS-length production + availability + hardware.

Kaká is a great example: a landmark signing who raised the league’s profile and gave Orlando City credibility, but his MLS resume (availability and trophy haul) usually lands him just outside a top-12 “best MLS careers” list—more iconic DP era influence than top-12 career output.

Quick FAQs

• Most MLS regular-season goals: Chris Wondolowski (171).
• Most MLS assists: Landon Donovan (136).
• Best MLS goalkeeper case: Nick Rimando’s career records make the argument easy.
• Best “international superstar” MLS career right now: Messi, with back-to-back MVPs and an MLS Cup.