England is widely regarded as the birthplace of football, and it is no surprise that it is the number one sport in the country.
But beyond the shores of England, football is now a globally acclaimed sport which makes the sport the number one sport in so many countries around the world.
However, there are exceptions to this assertion. In countries such as the United States and India, football is not the most popular sport, but the popularity of the sport is growing in these countries.
It is even more telling in the United States where the sport is growing in leaps and bounds.
Since the introduction of the sport in the US and its evolution over the years, many English players have made a name for themselves in Major League Soccer.
From Bradley Wright-Phillips who is now a cult hero for the New York franchise, New York Red Bulls, to Wayne Rooney, who impacted DC United in his short stint as a player, the English influence cannot be underplayed.
Besides those two, there are other English men who have contributed their quota to the growth of Soccer in America, although to a lesser extent.
Notwithstanding these players will go down in the history of American Soccer as some of the greatest players to grace the MLS.
These men have contributed their quota to the growth in quality and popularity with their performance on the pitch and cult-like followership. Over time, the popularity has seen the MLS rake in some massive revenue through partnerships with various brands.
One such alliance is the multi-year partnership between Major League Soccer (MLS) and MGM Resort which is a subsidiary of the renowned sportsbook, BetMGM.
BetMGM is not only popular for being a betting platform but also has a reputation for giving players nice bonus offers.
The BetMGM sign up offer for new players in the United States ranks as one of the best offers in the country.
A potential $1,000 bonus for new players is a top-end offer and only a couple of other sportsbooks can boast of such.
Away from the commercial successes of the MLS, let’s sink our teeth into the list of English Players who have set the League alight since its inception.
10. Terry Cooke
Not too many people will remember Terry Cooke as a part of the famous class of 92 from the Manchester United Academy.
Aside from that, he didn’t really do much in his country before sojourning to the United States to continue his career.
Cooke joined Colorado Rapids in 2005, and he went on to rack up 106 games under his belt. In those matches, he managed a total of 34 assists placing him second in the club’s list of all-time assist providers.
9. Darren Huckerby
Darren Huckerby enjoyed a relatively successful career in England before making the move to the United States.
He played for a host of clubs including Newcastle United, Coventry City, Norwich, and many others.
But at the twilight of his career, he made the switch to the MLS, joining the San Jose Earthquakes in 2008.
Unfortunately, his time with the club didn’t last long as he was forced to call time on his career due to a hip injury sustained in his second season at the club.
8. Ryan Shawcross
Former Stoke City defender, Ryan Shawcross drew the curtains on a 14-year stay at Stoke City to join up with Inter Miami in 2021.
The defender racked up over 400 appearances in those 14 seasons, but he switched from the Bet365 Stadium to the DRV PNK Stadium.
Although only 35, he has since brought his playing career to an end after he suffered a season-ending back injury which ultimately made him retire early.
Despite playing only one season with the Miami side, he is fondly remembered as one of the top players to have turned out for Inter Miami.
7. Danny Dichio
Danny Dichio is half Italian, half English, but he more than passes for an English man.
Dichio enjoyed a long career with Canadian MLS outfit, Toronto FC. He holds the prestigious record of scoring FC Toronto’s first goal in the league.
The striker is much loved by fans of the club and he remains one of the biggest names to have played for the club.
6. Nigel Reo-Coker
Former West Ham man, Nigel Reo Coker played for three clubs in the MLS within the space of two years.
He signed for Vancouver Whitecaps but later joined Chiba’s USA and Montreal Impact.
Not one with a big star value, the midfielder was class in his time with all three clubs he represented in the MLS.
In his final season with Montreal Impact, he helped them reach the final of the CONCACAF Champions League.
5. Steven Gerrard
Yes! Steven Gerrard played in the MLS. The Liverpool legend had a stint with Los Angeles Galaxy albeit for one season.
After leaving Liverpool where he had a glorious career, he showcased a midfield masterclass every time he put on the Galaxy shirt.
Although a few injuries did not let fans see him quite often, whenever he appeared he was more than majestic.
His record of 11 assists in 21 games gave a pointer to what could have been if he had stayed fit during his time in Los Angeles.
4. Frank Lampard
Another Premier League great who graced the MLS although only played a limited amount of games for New York City FC.
He joined the New York outfit from sister club, Manchester City, and played for two seasons.
3. Liam Ridgewell
Another player with vast Premier League experience joined Portland Timbers in 2014.
Timbers took a chance on him by bringing him into their setup as a Designated player.
The former West Ham and Aston Villa defender instantly became a mainstay and he is still going strong to date.
2. Bradley Wright-Phillips
Bradley comes from a footballing family. His father is former Arsenal striker, Ian Wright, while his brother Shaun Wright- Phillips played for a host teams in the Premier League plus a stint at New York Red Bulls.
In three seasons, Wright-Phillips plundered loads of goals, and that earned him legendary status.
He won the MLS Golden Boot on two different occasions and set a lot of other records.
1. David Beckham
This list will not be complete without the inclusion of David Beckham. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid winger joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2007 with much fanfare.
Beckham’s influence extended beyond the pitch and did much to help the reputation of the team and the MLS in general.
It was not just all fanfare. Beckham also won a few titles by scoring goals and providing assists frequently.