It is no secret that the United States is not a premier country when it comes to soccer. The country thrives in basketball, American football, baseball, and even hockey – yet the world’s most popular sport is not successful for the world’s third largest country. That being said, the U.S. has had some great players. Here are the top 5 players in U.S. soccer history.
5) Tim Howard: He was dubbed the true “U.S. Secretary of Defense” after his performance at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Arguably the best goalkeeper in U.S. soccer history, Howard was signed by Manchester United in 2003 and was inconsistent for years. He performed at his peak during his time on loan to Everton.
4) Brian McBride: A man with no regard for his body, McBride sacrificed every inch of his 6’ 1” body on what it seemed like every play. He was a ruthless leader for the United States national team and always seemed to come up in big moments.
3) Clint Dempsey: His gritty style of play with a higher motor than anyone on the field resulted in him being adored by U.S. fans. After being labeled as the best American player going into the 2014 World Cup, Dempsey delivered with one of the fastest goals in tournament history in the opening match against Ghana.
2) Claudio Reyna: If you are looking for a midfielder that could facilitate an attack, look no further than Claudio Reyna. His great ball skills helped the national team in the ’98, ’02, and ’06 Cup teams. If it was not for a hamstring injury, a young Reyna could have helped the team tremendously when they hosted the World Cup in 1994.
1) Landon Donovan: Retiring at just 32 years old, Landon Donovan is still regarded as the greatest soccer player in U.S. history. As captain of the World Cup team in 2010, Donovan scored one of the most memorable goals in the country’s history with his game winning strike against Algeria. He also won multiple MLS titles with the LA Galaxy.
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