Compiling a list of the best imports in any league can be hard, there have been many great Argentine, Colombian, and World Cup winning players in MLS. When it comes to the European talents, we are examining name value, influence at their club, and honorable mentions.Not featured on the list are Andrea Pirlo, Steven Gerrard, and Frank Lampard who while had acceptable stints in MLS, they did not crack the best of the best.

This list goes back all the way to 1996, when the league kicked off, and mentions those European players who pioneered the way to MLS in the early days. Here are 25 top European players to have played in MLS.

Bastian Schweinsteiger

When Bastian Schweinsteiger came to MLS, he was expected to elevate the Chicago Fire, he did in a way, helping the club break a five-year drought in the MLS playoffs. Schweinsteiger was a class professional and while the Fire was at times below the German World Cup winner, Schweinsteiger was worth the price of admission. 8 goals in 85 games.

Roberto Donadoni

Roberto Donadoni was one of MLS biggest signings in its inaugural season in 1996. Donadoni was a workhorse player for the legendary AC Milan teams of the 1990’s, in MLS he set a standard for a foreign import. Donadoni was pure class on and off the field, a league that was below his level he trained harder, worked harder and even returned to the Italian national team to play in Euro 1996. A true example of what a name player must be, Donadoni played only 2 seasons in MLS and what did the Italian maestro do after 1997? He returned to AC Milan.

Romain Alessandrini

The French midfielder was a terror down the flank for the LA Galaxy, Romain Alessandrini scored 24 goals in 61 games, and while the club did not win any silverware during his time, Alessandrini was one of the few last home run signings for the Galaxy.

Hristo Stoichkov

The legendary Bulgarian forward Hristo Stoichkov came to MLS in 2000 and played very well for the Chicago Fire, again a name player leading by example, winning the US Open Cup in 2000. When he was traded to DC United in 2003, DC got a slower and crankier version of Stoichkov. Nonetheless Stoichkov was a very good signing for MLS.

Marco Di Vaio

Italian forward Marco Di Vaio signed with the then Montreal Impact and scored 34 goals in 76 games, he helped the club win two Canadian Championships in 2013 and 2014. The Impact would eventually sign better players in Piatti and Drogba, but Di Vaio was a home run DP.

Mo Johnston

Lost in the sands of time could be the signing of Scottish international Mo Johnston to the Kansas City Wizards in 1996. Johnston played from 1996-2001, scoring 31 goals in 149 games. He formed a great partnership with Preki and won the MLS Cup and the Supporters Shield in 2000.

Daniel Royer

Some names may not be as glamorous but are equally as important, Daniel Royer played over 100 games for the New York Red Bulls and scored 39 goals being a menace on the wings. 2020 and 2021 saw a dip in form but fans should not forget how important Royer was to the New York team’s attack.

Joel Lindpere

Another Red Bull, Joel Lindpere was all about hard work in New York. Lindpere was a fan favorite for his hustle and his leadership on the field. He scored 17 goals in 104 appearances for the club in three seasons, Lindpere was an ironman in the Red Bulls midfield.

Maxime Chanot

Recently crowned MLS champion defender Maxime Chanot has been a leader at the back for NYCFC, putting in a memorable MLS Cup performance. Chanot has been with the club since 2016 and will now lead them in 2022 as the team to beat in all of MLS.

Robert Warzycha

Polish midfielder Robert Warzycha was one of the Columbus Crew’s first major signings in 1996 and played until 2002 with the club. Warzycha was an example and leader on the field, winning the US Open Cup in 2002 and becoming the club’s head coach from 2009-2013.

Nani

Nani is on this list because the Portuguese midfielder’s arrival to Orlando City was crucial in getting the Lions out of their MLS funk. Nani scored some amazing goals in MLS and in total netted 28 times in 76 games. Nani was an All-Star in 2019 and 2021.

Johnny Russell

Continuing Kansas City’s tradition of Scottish imports, Johnny Russell has been nothing but gold for now Sporting KC. 40 goals in 113 games, Russell has been one of MLS best players since his arrival in 2018, 2021 was his best season to date. Inexplicably not in consideration for the Scottish national team.

Albert Rusnák

Slovakian midfielder Albert Rusnák is still only 27 years old, but he’s an old man at this point in RSL. Rusnák has played 140 games and scored 41 goals for RSL, now entering his sixth season with the club Rusnák has been there from the best of times and the worst.

Víctor Vázquez

Silky Spanish midfielder Víctor Vázquez was the final piece of the puzzle to help Toronto FC win the 2017 MLS Cup. Only playing 2 seasons, Vázquez showed his class and skill, while Toronto FC fans may be high on Alejandro Pozuelo’s individual awards, Vázquez’s time had more substance.

Laurent Ciman

Defenders need love too, Laurent Ciman was a rock for the Impact and a leader at LAFC. Considered one of the best MLS defenders in recent memory, the Belgian was a three-time All-Star.

Stefan Frei

Switzerland netminder Stefan Frei took over the nets in Seattle from Michael Gspurning and has been one of the best keepers in MLS. Frei began his MLS adventure with Toronto and has played over 230 games for the Sounders.

Carles Gil

Spain has provided many great imports to MLS in recent memory and one that most stands out is Carles Gil of the New England Revolution. Gil received many individual awards since joining the Revs in 2019 and anchored the team in their record setting 2021 season.

Piotr Nowak

Polish midfielder Piotr Nowak was a classic number 10 that helped lead the Chicago Fire to the 1998 MLS Cup. Nowak also won 2 US Open Cups with the club playing in 114 games and getting 16 goals.

Sebastian Giovinco

The Atomic Ant, Sebastian Giovinco came to MLS in a record transfer from Juventus in 2015 to Toronto FC, and the little forward was a goal machine, 68 goals in 114 games. 1 MLS Cup, 1 Supporters Shields, and 3 Canadian championships. A club legend.

David Villa

In search of a new challenge David Villa came to expansion side NYCFC and delivered in every aspect, a role model to the young players and a name to get people through the gates. Villa netted 80 times in 124 games and helped get NYCFC off the ground.

Robbie Keane

Irish international Robbie Keane came to the Galaxy by way of the Premier League, and was an instant hit, scoring 83 goals in 125 games. Keane was a leader and won 3 MLS Cups.

Bradley Wright-Phillips

MLS is a league where a $20 million dollar signing struggles and a Championship forward is one of the league’s top scorers. BWP is a Red Bulls legend, and one of MLS all-time best strikers.

David Beckham

The man who invented the DP rule, the signing that may have saved MLS from oblivion, David Beckham raised the league’s profile, turned Beckham into a team owner and was world news every time he scored. It was not always rosy, but David Beckham is an MLS all-time best, even though he wanted out on many occasions.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic raised the bar, he outdid Beckham who was so squeaky clean, Zlatan was the best villain the league ever had. He scored goals, belittled his opponents, belittled his teammates, but was a pure winner. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was simply a superstar; one the league badly misses.

Thierry Henry

The greatest European import in MLS history is Thierry Henry, why? The class, the goals, the leadership, the example. Henry was tailor made for New York, Henry was tailor made for MLS, Henry is simply a tailor-made soccer player. Few in MLS have connected the dots like Henry, he scored, he was elegant, he was well spoken, and was a perfect ambassador to MLS. A CLASS ACT.

At the moment there are 67DPs in MLS playing for various clubs this season. In 2019, the average MLS player salary was $345,867 yearly, on thislist, we will see that some DP’s are making up to 5-times the average salary.Every year the MLS Players Union reveals each team’s salary budget for the year, and fans get an insight as to how much their club is spending.

While Major League Soccercontinues to grow, so has team spending, and slowly MLSsalaries on average have become more competitive with those of top European leagues.Here are the top highest-paid players in MLS!

20. Valeri “Vako” Qazaishvili, San Jose Earthquakes – $1.47 million

Vako, as he is known in San Jose, has been with the club since 2017, Valeri Qazaishvili has been with them through some tough times and is a pivotal part of their resurgence under Mathias Almeyda. The midfielder is deadly with his passing and he is one of San Jose’s attacking options. Vako’s contract was not picked up by San Jose and it looks like 2020 was his last year in MLS.

19. Alan Pulido, Sporting KC – $2 million

Alan Pulido signed with Sporting KC for a club-record $9.5 million transfer fee. Pulido has lived up to his high price tag as he scored 6 goals in 12 games for the club in the 2020 season.While not official it is reported that the Mexican international earns an estimated $2 million per year.

18.Albert Rusnak, Real Salt Lake – $2million

Albert Rusnak signed with Real Salt Lake in 2017 and has been the team’s midfield brain since then. He has been one of the best players for RSL and has had two consecutive 10 goal seasons. He has played a total of 101 regular season games and has scored 30 goals.

17.Maxi Moralez, NYCFC – $2 million

The little man from Argentina,Maxi Moralez has been the key to so many NYCFC goals since he arrived in 2017. In 2020, Moralezscored 1 goal in 13games, in total he has played 103 games and scored 21 goals. The midfielder is a fan favorite and MLS All-Star.

16.Raul Ruidiaz, Seattle Sounders FC – $2 million

Raul Ruidiaz has been nothing short than a blockbuster signing for the Seattle Sounders. He has an excellent partnership withNicolás Lodeiro. He has, an almost, 1 goal per 2 game ratio for the club.Ruidiaz was a pivotal part of the Sounders 2019 MLS Cup.

15.Jonathan dos Santos, LA Galaxy – $2 million

Jonathan dos Santos came as a complement for this brother Gio dos Santos, whileJonathan dos Santos has played fairly well for the LA Galaxy, when you think of the Galaxy and DP’s he is hardly what you would consider the top of the class.

14.Carles Gil, New England Revolution – $2.3 million

The Spanish international signed for the Revs in 2019 and has been an instant success. Carles Gil has 10 goals in 40 games for the Revs and was namedMLS newcomer of the year and the Supporters player of the year in 2019.

13. Gustavo Bou, New England Revolution – $2.4 million

Gustavo Bou signed with the Revolution in 2019 from Tijuana in Mexico. In his debut game, Bou scored an impressive volley in a 4–0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps. He has been a consistent goal scorer and one of the Revolution’s top players since signing with the club.

12. Diego Valeri, Portland Timbers – $2.41 million

Diego Valeri is one of the best MLS players of all time. He has entered the MLS’ exclusive 80/80 club having scored 80 goals and 80 assists for the Portland Timbers. Valeri has played over 200 games for the club since arriving in 2013.

11. Nani, Orlando City – $2.48 million

Nani joined Orlando City in 2019 and has been a consistent contributor for the team since his arrival. The team captain, the Orlando attack is built around the talented Portuguese midfielder. Nani has had a sensational 2020 season, scoring highlight-reel goals and taking Orlando City to their first playoff appearance.

10. Nicolás Lodeiro, Seattle Sounders – $2.5 million

Nicolás Lodeiro might possibly be one of the greatest Sounders players ever. Arriving from Argentine power Boca Juniors in 2016 he has been the string-puller of the Sounders midfield. Since the Uruguayan’sarrival, the club has won 2 MLS Cups and he has played over 100 games.

9. Sebastián Blanco, Portland Timbers – $2.85 million

Sebastián Blanco arrived in Portland in 2017 and has been one the Timbers most consistent performers. In 2020, he was having a breakout year until he went down with an ACL, the Argentine was an early 2020 MVP candidate. Blancowas the MLS is Back player of the tournament.

8. Josef Martínez, Atlanta United – $3.05 million

One of the most lethal goal scorers in MLS, Josef Martinez has been nothing but goals for Atlanta United. He has 77 goals in 84 games. LETHAL! Despite his injuries, few players find the back of the net like Martinez. Josef Martinezscored 19 goals in 2017, 31 in 2018, and 27 in 2019.

7. Alejandro Pozuelo, Toronto FC – $3.8 million

Alejandro Pozuelo is the midfield brain of Toronto FC. He arrived in 2019 as a replacement for the recently departed Sebastian Giovinco and Víctor Vázquez in the creative midfield role. Pozuelo has 21 goals, 22 assists in 53 games for TFC.

6. Rodolfo Pizarro, Inter Miami – $4.9 million

The Mexican international is reported to be on Inter Miami’s books for $4.9 million. Rodolfo Pizarro had a decent first season for Miami scoring 4 goals in 19 appearances. He continues to play for the Mexican national team and slowly became one of Inter Miami’s better players as the season progressed.

5. Carlos Vela, LAFC – $6.3 million

Carlos Vela is considered by many to be the best player in MLS. He has been nothing but class since his arrival in 2018 to LAFC. In his secondseason, Vela set the record for most goals scored in a single season by scoring 34 goals. He did not play in the MLS is Back tournament to stay with his wife.

4. Jozy Altidore, Toronto FC – $6.33 million

Many might be shocked to see Jozy Altidore so high up on this list, but in 2015 MLS wanted to bring home some of the 2014 World Cup heroes and Altidore was up to a return, especially considering he scored only 1 goal in 42 outings in the EPL. Altidore has been making this salary roughly since 2015!

3. Michael Bradley, Toronto FC – $6.5 million

Michael Bradley is one of the U.S. Men’s National Team all-time best players. He was playing very well in Serie A for Roma, although Bradleywas not an out and out starter when MLS called in 2014. Again, in 2014 MLS was looking to bring home prominent American players and paid them very well to return. It’s up to debate if Bradley has been worth such a high salary.

2. Javier Hernández, LA Galaxy – $7.2 million

The crown jewel of MLS. Chicharito is the league’s prize catch, it took a long time to get Javier Hernández to MLS, but he is finally here. The Mexican internationalis on the Galaxy books at 7.2 million and the club’s 2020 season was one of their worst ever. Chicharito scored an abysmal 2 goals in 12 outings.

1. Gonzalo Higuaín, Inter Miami – $8.8 million

Who is the highest paid MLS player? Gonzalo Higuaín. The Argentine striker is the league’s highest-paid player, he has signed a two year deal with Inter Miami for $8.8 million a year, according to the Miami Herald. The 33-year-old forward is a proven goalscorer having scored over 100 goals for Real Madrid, 71 for Napoli, 48 for Juventus. While his first season ended with him testing positive for coronavirus and missing the team’s critical playoff game, Higuaín was a much-needed boost for a club going in the wrong direction. For now, his numbers are lukewarm, 1 goal in 9 games, but with a proper preseason Pipita could light up the league in 2021.