Highlights

• Some American soccer stars have carved out successful careers abroad despite the perception of limited talent in the USA.
• From Tim Howard's heroic World Cup performance to Landon Donovan's record-breaking goal-scoring, these players have left an indelible mark on the world of football.
• More than one on this list has gone on to forge a fine career on the European scene too.

There's a perception among football fans that - despite its size and influence in other sports - the USA offers very little by way of footballing mastery. Baseball, basketball, and the NFL leave 'soccer' low in the pecking order, leading to an inappreciable talent pool compared to nations in Europe and neighbours South America.

But while the USMNT's dusty trophy cabinet supports the blurred perspective, it fails to account for the many American-born footballers who have left their country to star in great teams all across the globe. From Brian McBride to Cobi Jones, there have been some fine players to grace the pitch elsewhere in their careers, and they deserve their time in the limelight.

To prove they have boasted superstars throughout its football history, GIVEMESPORT has created a list, ranking the 10 greatest players to ever play for the USA.

Ranking factors

• International achievements (honours, appearances, goals, assists, etc)
• Club achievements (honours, appearances, goals, assists, etc)
• Individual awards
• Legacy within football

10 Tab Ramos

Career Span: 1988 - 1996

Tab Ramos had a devastatingly short career in comparison to his talents. The fleet-footed attacking midfielder's playing days were marred by injury, with two knee injuries in seven years making his chances of longevity limited. But that didn't stop him from becoming one of the US's finest architects.

Perhaps his best-known assist was the pass that set up Paul Caligiuri’s goal in the USA’s 1-0 win over Trinidad & Tobago in 1989, which clinched the team’s first World Cup appearance since 1950. He also tallied a vital goal in a 1-0 qualifying win over Costa Rica for the 1998 competition. He played in three World Cups, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame, despite a short-lived apex.

9 Brian McBride

Career Span: 1993 - 2012

Brian McBride never took no for an answer. He played football fearlessly and never left anything left on the pitch once the final whistle blew. Curiously nicknamed 'McHead', the forward was never afraid to put his head where it hurts, and he remains his nation's fifth-highest goalscorer. He played a key part of the 2002 World Cup campaign - a summer where the USA recorded their best-ever international finish when they reached the quarter-finals.

It is with Fulham that his lionhearted bravery played a starring role at club level. As the club's top scorer in the 2006/07 Premier League season, he was handed the captaincy, and he returned from a gruesome knee injury to save the club, scoring three goals as part of the 2007/08 relegation battle known around the club as the 'Great Escape.'

8 DaMarcus Beasley

Career Span: 1999 - 2019

Travelling doesn't form a vital part of a football player's artillery. However, the fact DaMarcus Beasley played in eight different countries across a 20-year career is impressive, all the same - especially when added that he achieved a more than respectable tally of 126 caps for the USMNT.

Of those many clubs and ventures, it was with PSV in the Netherlands, and Rangers in Scotland, where Beasley made a name for himself. The winger possessed a wand of a left foot and fired both sides to two league titles apiece between 2004 and 2010. His longevity for the Stars and Stripes saw him win the CONCACAF Gold Cup for a record five times.

7 Tim Howard

Career Span: 1997 - 2021

Tim Howard achieved national acclaim at the 2014 World Cup after his stellar display against Belgium. The then-Everton stopper recorded 16 saves – a World Cup single-match record – and was quickly labelled the “Secretary of Defense”, receiving a call from President Obama, and spawning the #ThingsTimHowardCouldSave hashtag for his exploits.

Certainly, it was Howard's career high point. But after enduring such a long spell between the posts, there are plenty of other reasons the New Jersey native deserves a place in US footballing stardom. On and off the pitch, he proved he was worth his weight in gold as a heroic leader, and his contributions for Everton and Manchester United show he was up to the task of playing in the best league in the world - a league he even recorded a goal thanks to a swerving goal kick against Bolton Wanderers in 2012.

6 Claudio Reyna

Career Span: 1994 - 2008

Born to two Argentinians, Claudio Reyna also exhibited a tango-esque flair to his game, with his verve and flamboyance to keep the midfield cog ticking feeling much like a cheat code for the US national team throughout the 90s and early 00s. His only obstacle was a poor fitness record, with injuries limiting his time at Rangers, Sunderland, and Manchester City.

Nonetheless, whenever he did feature, Reyna was a key feature in some sparkling team performances. His best season came in 1999/00, when the Gers won the Scottish Premier League and Cup double. For his country, Reyna appeared in four World Cup tournaments, with his 2002 magnum opus earning him a place in the Team of the Tournament.

5 Cobi Jones

Career Span: 1992 - 2007

Ubiquitous, tireless, and immensely battle-hardened, Cobi Jones obtained legendary status in his playing career by becoming the USA's most-capped player of all time. Certainly, it didn't come without its controversial moments, with Mexico’s Rafa Marquez elbow aimed towards him at the 2002 World Cup - but that's what made him even greater.

The image of a prone 5ft 7in Jones lying on the field as Mexico raged at their World Cup collapse to their most bitter rivals is one of the most revisited ones from a famous rivalry, and that alone warranted a coveted place in the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

At club level, Jones played an unforgettable but short season at Coventry City before returning to LA Galaxy for the inaugural MLS campaign. It is here that the diminutive midfielder shone brightest, scoring an impressive 70 goals and winning multiple championships. He would also hoist the 1998 US Player of the Year Award before retiring from soccer in 2007.

4 Brad Friedel

Career Span: 1992 - 2015

American sports are typically hand and ball-orientated. They often require good hand-eye coordination, reflexes, quick reaction times, and safe handling. Therefore, it is no surprise that a goalkeeper makes it high on a list of the USA's greatest-ever footballers. When you factor in that, Brad Friedel has 450 Premier League appearances - whilst playing for Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, Liverpool, and Tottenham - the shock factor wanes further.

The legendary Stars and Stripes' goalkeeper also sits eighth all-time for most clean sheets in the English topflight, while his exploits at international level in the 2002 World Cup brandished him the nickname "The Human Wall" - and it certainly suits him.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Brad Friedel holds the record for most appearances in the Premier League by a US player with 450, while his 310 consecutive appearances, between 14 August 2004 and 29 September 2012, also broke a league record.

3 Christian Pulisic

Career Span: 2016 - Present

Although much younger than other entries, AC Milan's explosive winger Christian Pulisic already has the accolades to prove he's one of the finest exports the USA has ever produced. He became the most expensive North American footballer of all time in 2019 following his £57.6m switch from Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea - a club he won the Champions League with and broke the record by becoming The Blues' youngest player to score a hat-trick.

For the USMNT, Pulisic has left a lasting impression. He captained the side at just 20-years-old, won the Gold Cup Best Young Player award in 2019, and inspired two victories in the CONCACAF Nations League. Even better is the fact that he's still only 25 years old, so could yet rank higher on this list one day.

2 Clint Dempsey

Career Span: 2004 - 2017

Becoming the first American to feature in a major European final when he reached the 2010 UEFA Cup deciding day with Fulham, Clint Dempsey earns his place high up on this list as one of very few USA exports to really light up the Premier League - with his 218 appearances the most of any outfield US player.

The versatile forward shares the record for most goals for the national team with first place on this list, while his gilt-edged tenure in west London also sees him straddle top of Fulham's all-time Premier League top goalscorers list. "Deuce" - as he was called by his US teammates - scored 50 topflight goals for The Cottagers, with his nearest rival for the throne being compatriot Brian McBride with 32.

1 Landon Donovan

Career Span: 1999 - 2019

Landon Donovan is the most legendary USA footballer of all time. And, arguably, it's not even up for debate. He has scored the most goals for the national team (tied with Clint Dempsey), holds the record for the most assists, and is also USMNT's record goalscorer at World Cup tournaments.

There's no denying Donovan is his country's most important player. For almost a decade between 2002 and 2012, he was the driving force for MLS stability. With the domestic league planning to fold ahead of the 2002 World Cup, USMNT's heroic - and largely unexpected - run to the quarter-finals called for reassessment, with Donavan winning the tournament's Young Player award.

The landscape of modern football in the USA was given a fighting chance by Donovan, whose knack for scoring goals everywhere he went opened doors for the country in its latest chapter of stabilisation, growth, and hunt for better success.