Has an active MLS player ever won the World Cup?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is nearing its conclusion, with Argentina and Spain set to meet in the final. In 2022, when Argentina beat France to win the World Cup, history was made in the Unites States, as the first player for a Major League Soccer team won a World Cup trophy. Now, MLS has a chance to make history again.

An MLS milestone that stands alone

So far, only one MLS player has lifted the World Cup trophy. In 2022, Thiago Almada made history as the first active MLS player to win the World Cup while playing for Atlanta United. He was part of Argentina’s squad that defeated France in a dramatic final, becoming a landmark figure for the league even without playing in the final itself.

Four years later, MLS has grown significantly. A record 45 players from the league were called up to the 2026 World Cup, reflecting its rising influence on the global stage. But when you narrow that number down to the two teams left standing, the list becomes much shorter.

The MLS players in the 2026 World Cup final

For all the league’s growth, global reach and record participation in this tournament, the number of active MLS players who could actually lift the World Cup trophy remains surprisingly small. Despite MLS’s record representation overall, only a very small number of players in the Argentina vs. Spain final are currently based in the league.

Argentina

• Lionel Messi - Inter Miami CF (MLS)
• Rodrigo De Paul - Inter Miami CF (MLS)

Messi, of course, is the headline name. Now 39 and still central to Argentina’s run, he has already inspired his team to the final with another standout tournament performance.

De Paul, one of his closest midfield partners, also plays his club football in MLS, making Argentina one of the few finalists in recent history with multiple active MLS players in its core.

Spain

• None

Spain’s squad, while filled with global stars such as Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Dani Olmo, does not currently include any active MLS players. Even as MLS sends more players to the World Cup than ever before, the very top European-heavy nations like Spain still rely almost entirely on players from domestic and top European leagues.

The fact that only two MLS players could win the World Cup might seem underwhelming given the league’s record participation. But in reality, it shows just how far MLS has come and how close it is to another historic moment.

A decade ago, it would have been nearly unthinkable for a World Cup finalist to feature multiple MLS-based players in key roles. Now, not only is that happening, but one of them is Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest player in the sport’s history, leading Argentina. And if Argentina defeats Spain, MLS will have its second-ever active World Cup winner, and its second in consecutive tournaments.

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