MLS: Top 5 English players in MLS history

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CARSON, CA – JULY 04: The David Beckham statue in the Galaxys Legends Plaza located outside the stadiums main entrance during the MLS match between Los Angeles Galaxy and Toronto FC at Dignity Health Sports Park on July 4, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images) /

There have been some amazing foreign imports in the 25-year history of Major League Soccer, but who ranks in the top five English players of all time.

In total, 78 English players have plied their trade in the top flight of American soccer. A few of those have gone on to win the MLS Cup.

Some have been more successful than others, both individually and for the respective teams, but there are some that have had an amazing impact on Major League Soccer. But which have been the best to grace the league throughout its history?

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Well, here is our list of the top five Englishman to have played in MLS. And there are some major names to have missed out, Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole chief among them.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – May 29: Frank Lampard #8, Andrea Pirlo #21 and David Villa #7 of New York City FC in action during the New York City FC Vs Orlando City, MSL regular season football match at Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, May 29, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) /

5. Frank Lampard

Coming in at number five on our list is the man who ‘could not play alongside Steven Gerrard for England’ in the middle of the park, Frank Lampard, who spent two seasons with New York City FC. Having signed for the club in late 2014, he spent the rest of the 2014-15 season on loan with Manchester City before joining up with the fellow Sky Blues Stateside and went on to play for the club for 18 months.

Lampard left behind English shores where he had become a West Ham United, Chelsea and England legend over the course of a 19-year career in his home country. He scored more than 200 goals for Chelsea, eventually becoming the club’s record goalscorer before leaving for Manchester City in the summer of 2014.

When he got to MLS in 2015, he joined a midfield that had Italian legend Andrea Pirlo in it, and the Sky Blues looked like they would contend, especially with the goals of David Villa up top. The three Designated Players working well in tandem with each other.

The Englishman scored 15 goals in 29 appearances for New York City FC, helping them into the postseason in 2016. He tallied just over 2,000 minutes on the field, before calling it a day following that campaign.

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