MLS
Which MLS team has the most international players?
More than 100 US-based players will be representing their nations this month. A Western Conference surprise package boasts nine internationals in their squad.
The summer international break is here, with countless warm-up games ahead of the main events: Copa América and the European Championships.
MLS will continue to play through those two continent-wide tournaments but the top flight of US soccer has at least stopped for two weeks at the start of June. Over this period more than 100 MLS players will be on international duty with their countries, whether in age-group competition or representing the senior team.
Of those internationals, 28 of them will be pulling on the Stars and Stripes over the coming weeks. Four of those MLS stars are in the senior USMNT roster for pre-tournament friendlies: Sean Johnson (Toronto FC), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC), Timothy Tillman (LAFC).
Which MLS team has the most international call-ups?
One of the surprise packages of the 2024 MLS season so far has been the incredible form of Minnesota United, thriving under new head coach Eric Ramsay. Minnesota failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2023 but they now sit third in the Western Conference, with two games in hand on leaders Real Salt Lake.
Minnesota also boast the most June international call-ups of any MLS team, with nine players involved in this month’s action. Incredibly, all of those players will be representing the full senior teams of their respective nations. Here’s the list...
Minnesota's international call-ups
- Kervin Arriaga (Honduras)
- Alejandro Bran (Costa Rica)
- Carlos Harvey (Panama)
- Robin Lod (Finland)
- Tani Oluwaseyi (Canada)
- Teemu Pukki (Finland)
- Joseph Rosales (Honduras)
- Dayne St. Clair (Canada)
- Zarek Valentin (Puerto Rico)
Following closely behind the Loons are Orlando City and Philadelphia Union, who each boast eight international call-ups in their roster. The only team without a single June representative is Sporting Kansas City. Given that they currently sit bottom of the Western Conference, with just 11 points from 16 games, head coach Peter Vermes may be glad to have some extra time on the practice field with his team.
Inter Miami have four players jetting off this month: Benjamin Cremaschi (USA U23), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Matias Rojas (Paraguay) and David Ruiz (Honduras). The Herons would likely have more but injuries to Federico Redondo and Diego Gomez have robbed the young midfielders of their places in the June squads.