MLS, a magnet for World Cup champions: who will be next?
From Lothar Matthäus to Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann, the pipeline of legendary champions moving to North America continues to grow
Major League Soccer has become a magnet for World Cup champions. Over the years, 20 players who have hoisted the iconic trophy have played in MLS. But what is truly remarkable is that since Italia 1990, every single edition of the World Cup has had at least one champion cross the Atlantic to play in North America.
It all started in 1997 when Brazilian defender Branco, a member of the iconic squad that won the 1994 World Cup in the United States, joined the New York MetroStars just three years after lifting the trophy.
In 2000, Lothar Matthäus—who captained Germany to glory at Italia 1990—followed in Branco’s footsteps and made the move to the MetroStars.
Youri Djorkaeff, the talented French playmaker who won the title on home soil in 1998, also arrived in New York in 2005, playing for the Red Bulls (the rebranded MetroStars franchise).
In 2007, Denílson brought his trademark stepovers to Texas, signing with FC Dallas as one of the champions from Brazil’s legendary 2002 side to join the league.
Another French icon from the 1998 squad who chose MLS was Thierry Henry. Despite being just 21 years old during that tournament, Henry was France’s top scorer. He arrived in New York in 2010, quickly cementing his legacy as one of the greatest international signings in MLS history after bagging 51 goals.
In 2012, legendary Italian center-back Alessandro Nesta—who missed the final match due to injury but was an integral part of the Azzurri’s 2006 championship squad—headed north of the border to sign with the Montreal Impact.
Kléberson, another 2002 World Cup winner with Brazil, had a quieter stint in the league, joining the Philadelphia Union in 2013 before moving to the NASL for two years prior to his retirement.
The Expansion Era
As Major League Soccer entered its massive expansion era, new franchises began landing stars of their own. New York City FC made waves by signing Spain’s 2010 hero David Villa and Italy’s 2006 maestro Andrea Pirlo, while Orlando City secured the signature of Brazil’s 2002 prodigy Kaká.
In 2017, Germany’s 2014 midfield engine Bastian Schweinsteiger spent three seasons with the Chicago Fire. Blaise Matuidi (Russia 2018) became Inter Miami’s very first World Cup-winning signing in 2020, and Atlanta United’s Thiago Almada (Qatar 2022) made history as the first active MLS player to win the World Cup while playing in the league.
The Messi Effect
The most seismic signing in North American sports history came in July 2023 when Lionel Messi, fresh off solidifying his status as the greatest of all time in Qatar, signed with Inter Miami.
The Argentine’s arrival sparked a massive chain reaction, drawing several more World Cup winners to the league. Midfield master Sergio Busquets (South Africa 2010) joined Messi in Miami. In 2024, French legends Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud headed to Southern California to sign with LAFC. In 2025, Argentine midfielder Rodrigo de Paul (Inter Miami) and German star Thomas Müller (Vancouver Whitecaps) both made the leap to MLS.
Antoine Griezmann is the latest World Cup icon to join the league, landing in Central Florida with Orlando City, where he is currently preparing to make his highly anticipated debut.
World Cup winners in MLS by year
| Edition | Player | Country | MLS club | Year arrived |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy 1990 | Lothar Matthäus | Germany | New York Metrostars | 2000 |
| USA 1994 | Branco | Brazil | New York Metrostars | 1997 |
| France 1998 | Youri Djorkaeff | France | New York Red Bulls | 2005 |
| France 1998 | Thierry Henry | France | New York Red Bulls | 2010 |
| Korea–Japan 2002 | Denílson | Brazil | FC Dallas | 2007 |
| Korea–Japan 2002 | Kaká | Brazil | Orlando City | 2015 |
| Germany 2006 | Alessandro Nesta | Italy | Montreal Impact | 2012 |
| Germany 2006 | Andrea Pirlo | Italy | New York City FC | 2015 |
| South Africa 2010 | David Villa | Spain | New York City FC | 2015 |
| South Africa 2010 | Sergio Busquets | Spain | Inter Miami | 2023 |
| Brazil 2014 | Bastian Schweinsteiger | Germany | Chicago Fire | 2017 |
| Brazil 2014 | Thomas Müller | Germany | Vancouver Whitecaps | 2025 |
| Russia 2018 | Blaise Matuidi | France | Inter Miami | 2020 |
| Russia 2018 | Hugo Lloris | France | LAFC | 2024 |
| Russia 2018 | Olivier Giroud | France | LAFC | 2024 |
| Russia 2018 | Antoine Griezmann | France | Orlando City | 2026 |
| Qatar 2022 | Thiago Almada | Argentina | Atlanta United | 2022 |
| Qatar 2022 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | Inter Miami | 2023 |
| Qatar 2022 | Rodrigo de Paul | Argentina | Inter Miami | 2025 |
Who will be next?
Spain and Argentina will face each other in the 2026 World Cup final. Argentina has two MLS players, Rodrigo de Paul and Lionel Messi, but will any more join the league soon?
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