“If someone does not want to play for your country, good riddance. Goodbye,” Donovan told Tim Howard on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast.

“And I’m not mad at him. He can make his decision. But now, I don’t care about you anymore. I don’t.”

Banks has emerged as a standout performer in the Bundesliga this season, sparking high hopes for his future in the U.S. defensive rotation. His absence looms large as Pochettino begins the critical process of narrowing down his core roster ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

Pochettino sets the stage for European friendlies

With high-profile tests against Belgium and Portugal on the horizon, Pochettino has summoned a 27-man roster. The selection reflects a “win-now” mentality, leaning on established European stalwarts while filtering in a few MLS standouts.

The full 27-man roster:

• Goalkeepers (4): Chris Brady, Matt Freese, Patrick Schulte, Matt Turner.
• Defenders (9): Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Joe Scally, Auston Trusty.
• Midfielders (8): Sebastian Berhalter, Johnny Cardoso, Weston McKennie, Aidan Morris, Gio Reyna, Cristian Roldan, Tanner Tessmann, Malik Tillman.
• Forwards (6): Brenden Aaronson, Patrick Agyemang, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah.

The ‘Banks’ sized hole in the defense

While the roster is deep, Banks’ absence is a notable storyline. Given his elite statistical profile at the club level, many viewed this window as the perfect opportunity to “cap-tie” the youngster and solidify the backline.

For now, the door remains open, but if Donovan’s sentiment reflects the internal culture of the squad, Banks may find the road back to the national team much steeper than he anticipated.

“Any team, including the MLS All Star team in this case, would want Messi playing in it… so this puts MLS in this awkward situation of having their marquee player not playing in their marquee game, and by contract violation,” said Alexi Lalas on his State of the Union podcast.

“This is a contractual obligation, and MLS and Inter Miami are paying you a boatload of money, and Apple for that matter, are paying you a boatload of money,” added the two-time World Cup participant with the USMNT. “You signed the contract. If you did not like the contract at the time, you should have changed it… And if you can’t, then don’t sign the contract if you’re not going to live up to it.”

Messi and Alba’s decision to skip the All-Star Game reportedly had to do with prioritizing rest, following several intense weeks of play with minimal recovery time. However, this choice ultimately backfired, as Inter Miami will now be without them for a critical clash against Eastern Conference leaders Cincinnati.

Beyond the sporting implications—which are undoubtedly significant in this controversy—Lalas emphasized how the situation reflects poorly on everyone involved. “It’s a bad look for Messi. I think it’s a bad look for MLS,” said the former player. “Messi, as awesome as he is, it doesn’t mean that he is not worthy of criticism.”

Landon Donovan also shared his thoughts on Messi

In addition to Alexi Lalas, another former U.S. soccer star commented on the All-Star Game controversy. “From the League’s perspective this is really frustrating because you have your best player, your partners want him there, the owners want him there, the sponsors want him there, the fans want him there, the other guys on the MLS All-Star team want the chance to play with Messi – that’s a dream for them,” said Landon Donovan in a post on the official Instagram account of Unfiltered Soccer.

The former American forward also spoke about the potential consequences of Messi’s absence and the resulting suspension. “From Lionel Messi’s standpoint, I can understand why he didn’t want to come,” said Donovan. “Inter Miami and the league are trying to renegotiate, so that he stays here – his contract is up at the end of the season. So this becomes a really challenging situation.”

What’s next for Messi?

Head coach Javier Mascherano will need to find alternatives to replace two of his top players in Saturday’s match against FC Cincinnati at Chase Stadium. Once that game is behind them, Inter Miami will shift focus to the Leagues Cup, where they will make their debut Wednesday night against Atlas of Mexico. Messi is expected to play in that match and, as always, will be the center of attention. The Herons will then face Necaxa and Pumas as they aim to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.

While Portugal celebrated their UEFA Nations League title, Donovan used the moment to call out Pulisic, pointing Cristiano Ronaldo’s commitment as a sharp contrast. “This is what it means to represent your country… He’s (Cristiano) 40 years old, he played a long-a** season, he’s tired, he was out there grinding and hurt himself in the process. And I can’t help but think about some of our (USMNT) guys on vacation right now, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It’s p****g me off,” he said, via Fox studio.

Although Donovan did not mention Christian Pulisic, everything points to the fact that his words were directed towards the now AC Milan star. After this, his father Mark Pulisic did not remain silent and responded forcefully: “This guy is…talking about commitment. look in the mirror + grow a pair and call names out or are you afraid next time you want an interview you will get rejected again,” he said, on his Instagram account.

Since breaking into the elite ranks, Christian frequently battled injuries, which even curtailed his tenure at Chelsea FC. Now, he has regained peak physical condition. Participating in this tournament, however, could heighten his risk of re-injury or lead to fatigue-induced absences from his team. Additionally, Pulisic is not the only player facing challenges, Yunus Musah also found himself sidelined, albeit for personal reasons.

Is Christian Pulisic finally hitting his stride at AC Milan?

Christian Pulisic joined Chelsea FC with high expectations after a $73 million transfer. However, he struggled to make a consistent impact over four years. He played 145 games, scored 26 goals, and recorded 21 assists. Numerous injuries hampered his progress and kept him off the field. Thus, the English team transferred him to AC Milan in 2023, where he has showcased his talent.

In just two years with Milan, Pulisic has thrived. He managed to play 100 games and scored 32 goals. With 23 assists, he has become a key figure in the team’s project. His dynamic play with Rafael Leao has made them Milan’s most important players. Free from injuries, he seems rejuvenated. He now prioritizes his health, even if it means missing U.S. national team games.

It’s been a week since Inter Miami’s 2-3 loss to Atlanta United which left them out of the 2024 MLS Playoffs. It was a disappointing result for The Herons, who were the most consistent team during the regular season. But USMNT legend Landon Donovan wasn’t impressed by Lionel Messi’s attitude after the final whistle.

During the latest podcast episode of Unfiltered Soccer with Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, the USMNT icon criticized Messi and his Inter Miami‘s teammates for leaving the pitch right away, without congratulating their opponents publicly or acknowledging their fans.

“I don’t like that,” the current San Diego Wave boss said. “Just shake their hands and say congratulations. Messi walked right off the field and maybe in the locker room they came out and said congrats or whatever and by the way, your fans are out there too, at least congratulate them on a great season and thank them for all the support they’ve had,” he added.

The day after the Playoffs elimination, Messi did address Miami’s fans in an Instagram post. The Argentine also reaffirmed his commitment to the team, with which he has a contract running until December 2025. He also has the option to extend it another year.

However, on the pitch, Messi and his teammates’ frustration was visible, with some heated moments during the match. For example, when Messi tried to snatch the ball from Brad Guzan or Leo Campana giving him a push.

Leo Messi has a Landon Donovan’s record in sight

Donovan is regarded as one of the best USMNT players of all time, being a six-time MLS Cup winner and the league’s all-time assists leader with 136. The MLS MVP Award was renamed in his honor.

When it comes to his international career, Donovan is the man with most assists with 58. However, Messi could surpass him. The Argentine is currently second with 57, meaning that he has a chance to do so in Argentina’s last match of the year against Peru.

Meanwhile, after the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo made a shocking decision when he decided to play with Al Nassr. The Portuguese legend wanted to start a soccer revolution and he recently conquered the Arab Club Champions Cup.

Now, in a moment where Lionel Messi’s performances are inevitably compared with Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia, there’s been revealed an extraordinary record held by a USMNT player over these two stars.

Landon Donovan holds record over Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar

According to an investigation made by Sporting News, Landon Donovan has the record for most assists at the international level with 58 in 157 official matches. Neymar is currently second with 57 assists in 126 games.

That’s why, during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in October, the Brazilian player could catch Donovan. In third place there’s a tie between Lionel Messi and Ferenc Puskas with 53.

The rest of the Top 10 is completed by spectacular names: Sandor Kocsis (50), Pele (47), Kevin De Bruyne (45), Mesut Ozil (40), David Beckham (36) and Cristiano Ronaldo (33).

That is what sports is at times, great feel-good stories, and with the return of Tom Brady to the NFL, it is another indicator that great players leave when they want to, not when their told.

Here is a list of 25 sports stars who came out of retirement and tried to make a comeback. The situation may vary, and the end result may be different but all 25 wanted to return and make a splash, this is how they fared.

25. Tom Brady

The greatest NFL player of all-time Tom Brady retired in 2022 after winning 7 Super Bowls, 5 Super Bowl MVPs, and 3 NFL regular season MVP awards. Brady at 44 still has something left in the tank and after only 40 days of retirement he announced he’d be back with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2022 season.

24. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Pretty boy Floyd Mayweather Jr was boxing’s pound for pound best and retired a total of three times, nonetheless Mayweather still has a professional boxing record of 50-0, undefeated in 5 weight classes. Despite his out of ring persona, Mayweather was a great defensive boxer and came out of retirement on three occasions usually for big time money fights and today boxes in exhibition bouts. His comebacks can be graded as B+ given that they were demanding fights that at times failed to meet expectations.

23. Landon Donovan

Landon Donovan was the poster boy of American soccer for much of the 2000s, a player known for showing up in big games. Donovan was one of the best players in the 2002 and 2010 World Cups for the USMNT. In MLS Donovan had an exceptional career winning 6 MLS Cups, despite retiring in 2014 he did comeback to two terrible stints, a poor 6 game run with the Galaxy in 2016 and a marketing stunt with Leon of Liga MX in 2018. Grade F.

22. Lance Armstrong

Winner of seven consecutive Tour de France, Lance Armstrong retired in 2005 and was considered one of the greatest athletes in history. Unfortunately, a big doping scandal would tarnish his career and achievements. Armstrong tried to clear his name and reputation with a comeback in 2009 but did not win the Tour de France. Grade F.

21. Gordie Howe

NHL legend Gordie Howe retired in 1971 at 43 after an amazing career, even more amazing was he came out of semi-retirement eight years later and played in the NHL and had a decent season for the Hartford Whalers, scoring 16 goals and 27 assists. Grade B+

20. Daniel Bard

Relief pitcher Daniel Bard played on and off for the Boston Red Sox from 2009 – 2013, after dropping out and failed attempts to make any MLB roster in 2020 he got his chance with the Colorado Rockies and has steadily been rebuilding his career since. Grade C

19. Troy Percival

Another MLB pitcher who had two comebacks was Troy Percival, the first one in 2007 with St. Louis and in 2008 with the Tampa Bay Rays where he saved 28 games for the club. Grade B+

18. Zico

One of the greatest attacking midfielders in Brazilian soccer history, and that is saying a lot, Zico retired after a celebrated career in 1989. When the Japanese J-League began in the early 90s, Zico was tempted out of retirement with a big contract to play for the Kashima Antlers and he delivered 35 goals in 45 games. Grade A+

17. Johan Cruyff

Legendary Netherlands player Johan Cruyff played for Ajax and Barcelona and retired after a storied career. Upon hanging his boots up Cruyff was tempted to play in the NASL for the Los Angeles Aztecs and later the Washington Diplomats. The great attacking midfielder and forward would return to Europe and play in Spain and again at Ajax producing excellent numbers. Grade A+

16. Arjen Robben

Another Netherlands great Arjen Robben played for such big clubs like PSV, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Winner of 30 titles throughout his career, Robben came out of retirement to play with his first club FC Groningen, as a way to help the club financially due to COVID-19 losses. Robben, well past his prime played in only 6 matches. Grade – F

15. Dominik Hasek

The iconic NHL goalie Dominik Hasek retired in 2002 in order to spend time with his family. In 2003 that changed quickly as Hasek laced up his skates and returned to the Red Wings. Hasek would play until 2008 before calling it a day in the NHL. Grade B+

14. Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon retired unofficially when he decided to not race full time in the NASCAR Cup circuit. In 2016 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. was injured, Gordon hopped back into a race car and drove as a substitute. Grade – C

13. Brett Favre

Brett Favre called it a day in March of 2008, but then changed his mind and returned in 2009 with the New York Jets. It was with the Minnesota Vikings that Favre turned back the clock and produced 2 solid years getting the Vikings just one game from the Super Bowl. Grade B+

12. Björn Borg

Swedish Tennis star Björn Borg was once a world number 1 player and winner of 11 Grand Slam tournaments, who first retired in 1982. 10 years later in 1991 the tennis star returned but to little fanfare, his comeback lasting three years with embarrassing losses. Grade – F

11. Joe Louis

Boxing icon Joe Louis returned to the ring in 1951 for a mega fight with Rocky Marciano. Louis, who was in a financial bind, did his best and held his own against the up-and-coming Marciano, going down in the eighth round. Only losing three times in his career, during his comeback Louis won 8 fights and dropped 2. Grade B+

10. Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona was the greatest soccer player of all time during his days in Napoli and with Argentina in the mid 80’s to his first fall from grace in 1991. Maradona would be suspended for cocaine abuse and his first of many comebacks in Sevilla of Spain in 1992 ended after all of one season. In trying to prepare for the 1994 World Cup in the United States, Maradona would play all of 5 games at Newell’s Old Boys before being expelled from the 94 tournament for intaking a banned substance. Maradona would try a third time to return to the sport he loved so much playing three seasons with Boca Juniors. Although his time at Boca was always on again off again, usually with Diego dealing with his addictions. Maradona had two careers, everything from the start to his first doping suspension in 1991 and the downward spiral afterward. Grade – D

9. Jim Eisenreich

Outfielder Jim Eisenreich was forced to retire from 1994-1987 due to his battle with Tourette syndrome. In 1987 Eisenreich returned to the Kansas City Royals, eventually winning a World Series with the Florida Marlins. Grade A-

8. Deion Sanders

“Prime Time” as Deion Sanders was known, stepped away from the NFL in 2001 after only one season with the then Washington Redskins. Then in 2004 in a shock move “Neon” Deion came back with the Baltimore Ravens. Grade C+

7. Magic Johnson

Forced to retire in 1991 due to being diagnosed with HIV and the stigma there was around the virus at that time, the NBA lost one of the greatest players to ever play the game. Nonetheless when the world became a bit more informed and understanding, Magic made a comeback in 1995 playing one season with the Lakers. Despite the long hiatus and stigma that there was at the time, Magic averaged a respectable 14.6 PPG during his 32 games. Grade A

6. George Foreman

George Foreman retired from boxing in 1977 forever pointed as the man knocked out by Muhammad Ali in Zaire. 10 years later at near 40 and considered a laughingstock the now easy going and “fun” Foreman began to shed his bad guy image and was known as the “yes we can” athlete. It all culminated when at 45 Foreman knocked out reigning heavyweight champion Michael Moorer and became WBA and IBF heavyweight champion. Foreman would sell his grills and fight four more times and retire at 48 with a better image and an even bigger wallet. Grade A+

5. Martina Hingis

Former women’s tennis star Martina Hingis returned many times to the sport, first retiring in 2003 due to injuries. She later came back in 2005 but was suspended for testing positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. Hingis would return on again off again until 2017. The 5-time Grand Slam champion never really ever showed her full potential after her first retirement but did find success in doubles. GradeC+

4. Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps retired from swimming in 2012 after the Olympic games and with 22 medals to his name. After battling depression and a few arrests he made a comeback in the 2016 Olympics, adding six more medals to his resume. Grade A

3. Muhammad Ali

The greatest, Ali left the sport of boxing in 1979 with a 59-3 record and an image that no athlete has yet to ever achieve. Then he was convinced to make a comeback and lost both fights, one worse than the other showing signs of his Parkinson’s disease. Grade F

2. Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan retired after the murder of his father in 1993, winning three NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls in a row. In 1995 MJ returned and won three straight from 1996-1998. Jordan’s second comeback was in 2001 with the Washington Wizards and still his airness was able to put up decent numbers considering his age and team he played for. Grade A+

1. Sugar Ray Leonard

No comeback will ever be as defining and great as the comeback by Sugar Ray Leonard in 1987 after a four-year layoff to face then WBC and The Ring middleweight champion Marvin Hagler. In one of the greatest fights in boxing history the tight contest was decided on the scorecards and the flashy Leonard defeated the powerful Hagler in a decision that is still debated to this day. The context of the fight is what makes the comeback great, Marvin Hagler was by far one of the best boxers in the world and Leonard took no warmup fights to face the towering Hagler, instead going straight at him. Leonard showed no ring rust and at times dominated parts of the fight. Grade A+

One name stands out among the 3 rumored candidates and that is former USMNT forward and six-time MLS champion Landon Donovan. Donovan, 39, is currently the head coach and co-owner of the San Diego Loyal of the USL. According to an article in The Athletic, Donovan was recently interviewed for the position, although RSL has not begun the final round of interviews yet to fill the vacant coaching position.

Real Salt Lake at the moment sit sixth in the West and have a .500 record at 9-6-9, they are coached by another USMNT legend, Pablo Mastroeni. While it would be interesting to see Donovan in a role like this in MLS, it’s doubtful that he would leave his own club, SD Loyal, to coach such a small market MLS team. Here are the other two candidates RSL is said to be interviewing.

Jason Kreis

Under Jason Kreis from 2007-2013 RSL saw its best moment in their history, winning MLS Cup in 2009, and reaching the final in 2013. On the backbone of players like Rimando, Beckerman, Morales, Saborio, and Olave, among others. Kreis also reached the final of the CONCACAF Champions League in 2011 losing to Monterrey.

Since then, Kreis had unsuccessful stints with NYCFC, Orlando City, and most notably missing out on the Tokyo Summer Olympics with the USMNT U-23 squad.

Rob Valentino

Rob Valentino’s stock has risen since his interim coaching position at Atlanta United. Held to high regard at Atlanta, Valentino has been an assistant at the club since 2018. He stepped in this season to coach the team after the Gabriel Heinze debacle.

McKennie upon arrival at El Salvador stopped and took pictures with the fans, although that may not have been what caused this particular issue. McKennie announced on Instagram prior to the match that he had violated team protocol and was “sorry for his actions. “The Juventus midfielder had a similar issue happen to him at Juventus when he hosted a party for 20 people at his house during the pandemic, which forced him to miss a game for the Italian Old Lady.

One former USMNT great who did not take this lightly was Landon Donovan who on Grant Wahl’s Futbol with Grant Wahl podcast voiced his concern and disbelief that Weston McKennie could be so “selfish”.

Landon Donovan “incredibly disappointed” with Weston McKennie

Weston McKennie may be out of Wednesday’s game against Honduras, and this is his second offense when it comes to breaking COVID-19 protocol. Donovan mentioned on Wahl’s show that he “knows what happened” and would not announce publicly what occurred.

Donovan simply stated: “am incredibly disappointed in Weston, I can understand at Juventus during a long club season you’re sitting at home for months and months and you want to have people over, is it the smartest thing to do? No, but I get it. This is one week of your life with three massive games. Not only for yourself but for your teammates and for your country to go to a World Cup. The level of selfishness is beyond me, honestly it’s beyond me.”

The three-time World Cup veteran also went on to state that “he had made mistakes as well in his career”, but McKennie is young but old enough to know “not to put yourself in those situations.” That McKennie should learn from this and that the situation was “almost beyond repair” and he needs to work with his teammates to ensure that the USMNT midfielder never does something “like that again.”

Issues over McKennie’s professionalism have come under question at times, once from former Juventus coach Andrea Pirlo, although McKennie did prove himself on the field. McKennie is seen as a leader of the USMNT and this was a huge blow for the team to lose him for up to two key World Cup qualifying matches.

Despite being the undisputed favorite for the individual all-around finals, Simone Biles removed herself from the first day of individual competition to focus on her “well-being” as put out in a statement by the USA Gymnastics twitter account. The 24-year-old had previously mentioned feeling under a lot of pressure on her social media accounts on Sunday. Many star athletes, like former USMNT forward Landon Donovan, have come out in support of Biles decision to put herself first above any competition or unwanted pressure.

Landon Donovan is no stranger to needing to look after oneself, Donovan took a break from soccer in 2013 and other sports stars have had to do the same. In the world of sports pressure, it is very common for athletes to succumb to the media, social, and peer pressure that comes with the fame of being a pro athlete. In Uruguay, for example, three professional soccer players have taken their lives in the last six months. Being able to spot when a person is in need is extremely important and hopefully professional sports will do more to avoid this unwanted pressure athletes are forced to deal with. Here is a list of professional athletes who needed to take time for themselves.

Landon Donovan

As mentioned before, Landon Donovan took time off from Soccer in 2013, at the time the USMNT World Cup hero stated he “needed time for himself”, Later it was revealed that Donovan was dealing with depression, Donovan stated in an interview: “I was burnt out, and getting up and going to training every day was really weighing on me. I never wanted it to be that way. I think a lot of players, a lot of athletes feel that way at times. I think they’re scared to say it because it shows perceived weakness. It shows your coach that you’re not completely committed like all coaches want. It shows that you’re human, and sometimes people don’t like to see that. But I realized that if I stayed on that path, it was just going to get worse and worse. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to live my life that way.”

Tiger Woods

In 2009 Golfer Tiger Woods took a break from the sport he loves to focus on salvaging his marriage after it was revealed that the golf great had various affairs with many women. Woods divorced in 2010 and continued to have incidents that have been cause for concern, most recently a near fatal car crash in February of this year.

Naomi Osaka

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka stated having “long bouts of depression” after she won her first major tournament, the U.S. Open in 2018. Osaka took to social media to express what she has been going through and how she tries to deal with it.

Michael Phelps

Swimming legend Michael Phelps came out publicly and admitted to not only having issues with depression but feeling suicidal. “I’ll be the first to admit my mental health has been scarier than it’s ever been throughout all of this, so I can’t even imagine what other people are going through,” he told The Insider. Phelps coups by having a strong exercise routine and being able to “control what he can”.

Andrés Iniesta

Spanish World Cup winner Andrés Iniesta sought professional help after feeling uneasy and feeling that “nothing was right”, after the 2010 World Cup. “When you need help, you have to look for it: at times it’s necessary. People are specialists; that’s what they’re there for. You have to use them.”

Serena Williams

Tennis legend Serena Williams battled depression in 2006 and 2010 following injuries and health concerns. “I definitely have not been happy. Especially when I had that second [foot] surgery, I was definitely depressed. I cried all the time. I was miserable to be around,” Williams had said. Williams took a break from Tennis to seek help for her depression and injuries and has been a spokesperson to cause awareness for the struggles many people face through depression.

Originally scheduled forJuly 2toJuly 25,2021, the internationalsoccertournamentwill take place fromJuly 10toAugust 1. The defending champions areMexico. The CONCACAF Gold Cup will be played for the first time with the video assistant (VAR) system.

The Gold Cupwill be held at 11 stadiums across eight metropolitan areas of the United Statesthis summer. Itis a major part of Concacaf’s 60th-anniversary celebration. The final match will be held on Sunday, August 1, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Gold Cup 2021: Who are the most capped players in Gold Cup history?

No doubt, Landon Donovan is the most capped player in Gold Cup history. The United States national hero played 34 matches in the competition in 6 different editions. He managed to winfour Gold Cups, ended up a runner-up once, and took third place on one occasion. In addition, he is also the all-time leading goalscorerin the Concacaf Gold Cup with a total of 18 goals.

He has left behind Panama duo Gabriel Gomez andJaime Penedo.They are the only two active Panamanian starson the list at the moment,but they have not been called up for the 2021 Gold Cup. As a result, the two of themwill not be able to make any changes to the top 10 list of the all-time most capped players in the Gold Cup.

Interestingly, the Panama team can boast of having even five players in the top 10 list, the largest number of all. Next up is the US men’s soccer squad with four players.The only one who will be present in the 2021 Gold Cup is Andres Guardado of Mexico, who is currently sitting inthe sixth position with 24 games so far. If El Tri reaches the Final,and he plays all the matches, he will have the possibility of reaching 30 appearances and thus,climb to the thirdposition in the historical table.

Many players on this list have also had European careers but later came to the MLS and made a big impact on the leaue. Scoring goals comes easy to some of these players as they have racked up an impressive goal count.

It’s interesting to think abouthow different this very same list will look a couple of years from now since many of the top goalscorers are still active now. This list is accurate as of before the 2021 MLS season. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the highest goal scorers in MLS history!

25. Kenny Cooper Jr

Kenny Cooper Jr is a former2008 MLS Best XI who started his career with European giants Manchester United. He has scored 75goals in 211 appearances while in the MLS and retired in 2015 playing for Montreal Impact.

Cooper’s dad, KennyCooper Sr, played professional soccer as well. He was a goalkeeper in the Premier League before also moving to the United Stateswere he played for Dallas Tornadoin the North American Soccer League.

24. Steve Ralston

Steve Ralstonis an American former midfielder who played most of his career playing for the Tampa Bay Mutiny and the New England Revolution. When he retired in 2010, he was the league’s all-time leader in assists with 135.

Ralston also held the United States record for most professional appearances in 2010 with 412. He has 76 goals in 378 appearances in the MLS. Ralston was also the assistant coach for the Houston Dynamo and the San Jose Earthquakes.

23. David Villa

David Villa is a soccer legend. The retired Spanish striker is regarded as one of the best forwards of his generation. He scored 77 goals in 117 games while in the MLS which also gives him one of the best games-to-goals ratio in league history.

Villa is a very decorated player who has won many prestigeous awards. He won the FIFA World Cup in 2010 along with the Champions League with Barcelona. He was the MLS MVP in 2016 and is a two-time MLS Best XI.

22. Josef Martinez

Josef Martinez is a Venezuelan striker who plays for Atlanta United. He holds the MLS record for career hat-tricks with six and the record for most consecutive games with a goalwith 15. He has been tearing up the league ever since his arrival in 2017.

Martinez became the most decorated player in a single MLS season in 2018 when he won the League MVP, All-Star Game MVP, Golden Boot, and MLS Cup Final MVP. He has 77 goals in 84 games and is still active so we could easily see him way higher on this list in the future.

21. Preki

Predrag Radosavljevic, better known as Preki, is a former Serbian midfielder who is an “MLS Original” since he played for the Kansas City Wizards when the league began in 1996. He is the only player to win two MLS MVP awards.

Preki has 79 goals in 242 games in the MLS. In 2020 he was inducted into the American National Soccer Hall of Fame. He won the MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield with the Kansas City Wizards in 2000 and is an MLS legend.

20. Josh Wolff

Josh Wolff is a former American player who is the current Austin FC head coach. Wolff won two CONCACAF Gold Cups with the United States and has won awards with both the Chicago Fire and the Kansas City Wizards.

Wolff has 80 goals in 267 appearances in the MLS. He won an MLS Cup and Western Conference Championship with the Chicago fire and the Western Conference Championship with the Kansas City Wizards too. He also won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with both teams.

19. Brian McBride

Brian McBride is a former American player who played for the Columbus Crew and Chicago fire. He is the fifth all-time leading goalscorer for the United States national team and was the team captain for England side Fulham for four years.

McBride has 80 goals in 220 appearances. He has the same number of goals as Josh Wolff but we have ranked him higher since he got to that goal tally with less matches played. McBride won the U.S. Open Cup in 2002 with the Columbus Crew and was inducted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in 2014.

18. Brian Ching

Brian Ching is a former American player who played in the MLS for twelve years and represented the United States national team for eight. He was the first player of Hawaiian descent to be selected in the MLS draft. He scored 82 goals in 233 games while in the MLS.

Ching has won three MLS Cups, one with the San Jose Earthquakes and two with the Houston Dynamo. He has also won two MLS Western Conference Championships and an MLS Supporters’ Shield. The 2004 MLS Golden Bootwinner put up some numbers while in the MLS.

17. Dom Dwyer

Dom Dwyer is an active American player who plays as a forward for Orlando City SC. He was born in Sussex, England, but became an American citizen in 2017 and later that year he got called up to the United States national team to play in the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup were he won the tournament.

Dwyer has 82 goals in 193 appearances. Besides winning the Gold Cup in 2017, he won the MLS Cup, Eastern Conference playoffs, and two U.S. Open Cups with Sporting Kansas City. His transfer from Sporting Kansas City to Orlando City in 2017 is the largest transfer between two MLS clubs.

16. Raul Diaz Arce

Rauld Diaz Arce is a former Salvadoran player who played as a forward. He is El Salvador’s top goal scorer with 39 goals in 68 appearances. He also played for 12 different teams and 5different MLS clubs.

Arce has 82 goals in 150 appearances while in the MLS. He won two MLS Cups, the Supporters’ Shield, and the U.S. Open Cup with D.C. United. In 2009, Diaz-Arcewas inducted into the D.C. United Hall of Tradition.

15. Diego Valeri

Diego Valeri is an active Argentine midfielder who is the Portland Timbers captain. He is considered as one of the best MLS players of all time and is a four-time MLS All-Star and three-time MLS Best XI.He also led his team to win the MLS Cup in 2015.

Valeri has 83 goals in 230 matches while in the MLS. He won the 2017 Landon Donovan MVP Award and the 2013 Newcomer of the Year award while playing with the Portland Timbers. He also won the MLS is Back tournament in 2020.

14. Robbie Keane

Robbie Keane is a former Irish forward who is the top goalscorer for the Republic of Ireland national team.He started his career in Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers were he scored two goals in his debut at only 17 years old.

Keane has 83 goals in 125 matches playing for LA Galaxy. He won three MLS Cups and the Supporters’ Shield while also being a four-time MLS Best XI. He was the 2014 MLS MVP and is a four-time LA Galaxy Most Valuable Player.

13. Roy Lassiter

Roy Lassiter is a former American striker who played in the MLS when the league formed in 1996. He was one of the most lethal strikers in the league at the time and won the very first MLS Golden Boot in 1996 with the Tampa Bay Mutiny.

Lassiter has 88 goals in 179 matches while in the MLS and he won the CONCACAF Champions League in 1998 with D.C. United. He also won the MLS Cup in 1999 with D.C. United. One of the original top quality goalscorers that the league has had.

12. Carlos Ruiz

Carlos Ruiz is a former Guatemalan player who played for five different MLS clubs (D.C. United, Philadelphia Union, Toronto FC, FC Dallas, LA Galaxy).He has 89 goals in 183 matches and has the MLS record for most goals in the post-season with 16.

Ruiz won the MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield with the Galaxy in 2002. That same year he won the MLS Cup MVP and was the Major League Soccer MVP. He is also the all-time top goalscorer in FIFA World Cup qualification games.

11. Edson Buddle

Edson Buddle is a former American player and one of only 11 players in MLS history to have scored100 goals in the league. He scored 100 goals in 304 matches playing for five different MLS clubs (Columbus Crew, New York Red Bulls, Toronto FC, LA Galaxy, and Colorado Rapids).

Buddle won the Supporters’ Shield with Colombus Crew and LA Galaxy. In 2002 he won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and in 2012 he won the MLS Cup with the LA Galaxy. He was part of the MLS Best XI in 2010.

10. Taylor Twellman

Taylor Twellman is a former American player who is mostly remembered for his time playing with the New England Revolution.From 2002 to 2009 no player scored more goals than Twellman in the MLS and he was also the youngest player to score 100 goals in the MLS.

Twellman has 101 goals in 174 appearances for New England Revolution. He is the teams leading goalscorer and in 2005 he was the MLS MVP. He is a five-time MLS All-Star and also won the CONCACAF Gold Cup with the United States in 2007.

9. Dwayne De Rosario

Dwayne De Rosario is a former Canadian player who played as a forward or attacking midfielder. He played for five different MLS clubs (San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo, Toronto FC, New York Red Bulls, and D.C. United).

De Rosario scored 104 goals in 342 appearances throughout his MLS career. He is a four-time MLS Cup winner and also won the MLS MVP award in 2011. De Rosario is also Canada’s leading top scorer with 22 goals in 81 games and a four-time Canadian Player of the Year.

8. Jason Kreis

Jason Kreis is a former American player who is now the assistant coach for Inter Miami. He was the 1999 MLS MVP and at one point during his career he was the all-time leading goal scorer in the MLS.He played most of his career for the Dallas Burn, now known as FC Dallas.

Kreis has 108 goals in 305 MLS appearances. He played 14 games for the United States were he scored one goal. He has coached 3 different MLS teams (RealSalt Lake, New York City FC, and Orlando City).

7. Ante Razov

Ante Razov is a former American forward who is the current Los Angeles FC assistant coach. He is the all-time leading goal scorerfor two different current or former MLS clubs (Chicago Fire and Chivas USA). He was the third player in MLS history to score 100 goals.

Razov has114 MLS goals in 262 appearances. He won the MLS Cup in 1998 and the Supporters’ Shield in 2003. He also won three Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups and the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2002. Razov scored six goals in 25 caps playing for the United States.

6. Bradley Wright-Phillips

Bradley Wright-Phillips is an active English player who plays as a striker for Columbus Crew SC. He started his career playing for Manchester City before eventually making his way to the MLS in 2013. In his first full season with the league he equalled the record for most goals in a single campaign with 27.

Wright-Phillips has 116goals in 214MLS games. He has won three Supporters’ Shields and is a two-time MLS Golden Boot winner. He is also a two-time MLS Best XI.Wright-Phillips is still active and has the potential to be in the top 5 spots of this list by the time he retires.

5. Kei Kamara

Kei Kamara is a Sierra Leonan striker who currently plays forMinnesota United. The 6’3 powerhouse forward has played most of his career in the MLSand he could be a serious contender for a top 3spot on this list by the time he retires.

Kamarahas 129 goals in 356 MLS appearances. He is a two-time Eastern Conferencewinner and in 2007 he won the MLS Fair Play Award.In 2015 he was the MLS Cup top-scorer and was also an MLS All-Star.

4. Jaime Moreno

Jaime Morenois a formerBolivianplayerwho playedfor D.C. United for the majority of hiscareer. He was the MLS all-time leading goalscorer when he retired in 2010. In 2009 he was the first MLS player to reach 100 goals and 100 assists.

Moreno scored 133 goals in 340 MLS appearances.He represented Bolivia in five Copa America tournaments and the 1994 FIFA World Cup.He also won four MLS Cups and four Supporters’ Shields. Moreno is also a five-time MLS Best XI.

3. Jeff Cunningham

Jeff Cunninghamis a formerAmerican player who played as a forward. He is a two-time MLS Golden Boot winner and a three-time MLS Best XI. In 2010 Cunninghamwon the MLS Western Conference Championship with FC Dallas.

Cunninghamhas 134 goals in 365 MLS appearances. He won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2002 and the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2004 with the Columbus Crew. He played only 14 games for the United States national team and scored one goal for his country.

2. Landon Donovan

Landon Donovan is a former Americanplayer who holds multiple MLS and United States national team records.He is regarded as one of the bestUnited States men’s soccer players of all time and has the numbers to back up that claim.

Donovanhas 146 goals in 340 MLS games. He has the record for most MLS Cups with six and he is also the leagues all-time leader in assists. He also has four CONCACAF Gold Cups and two Supporters’ Shields with LA Galaxy. He was awarded the MLS Greatest Player of All Time award.

1. Chris Wondolowski

Chris Wondolowski is an active player for the San Jose Earthquakes and the all-time MLS top goalscorer.He is the only player in the league’s history to have scored ten or more goals in ten consecutive seasons and has the record for most MLS game winning goals.

“Wondo” has 164goals in 378 MLS appearances.He won two MLS Cups with Houston Dynamo and two Supporters’ Shields with the San Jose Earthquakes. Wondo is a two-time MLS Golden Boot and a three-time MLS Best XI. He takes our number one spot and he is only going to keep racking up more goals!