MLS: Top 5 Irish players in league history

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PARIS, FRANCE – JUNE 13: Robbie Keane of Republic of Ireland during the UEFA EURO 2016 Group E match between Republic of Ireland and Sweden at Stade de France on June 13, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images) /

There have been some amazing foreign imports in the 25-year history of MLS, but who ranks in the top five Irish players of all time?

In total, only 15 Irish players have featured in Major League Soccer over the last quarter of a century, with the first joining in the inaugural season back in 1996. Both Ian Hennessy and Paul Keegan played in the debut MLS campaign, with the latter making it onto our list of the top five Irishmen of all time.

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There are some big omissions, but who else joins Keegan in our top five?

SEATTLE, WA – NOVEMBER 22: Kevin Doyle #9 of the Colorado Rapids dribbles the ball during a match against the Seattle Sounders in the first leg of the Western Conference Finals at CenturyLink Field on November 22, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. The Sounders won the match 2-1. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /

5. Kevin Doyle

The first man to make our list of the best Irishmen to ever play in Major League Soccer, is former Colorado Rapids forward Kevin Doyle. He was in the final stages of his career when he made the move Stateside following a lengthy career in his native Ireland and England, along with an illustrious international career behind him as well, scoring 14 times in 64 games for the Republic of Ireland national side.

After joining in May 2015, Doyle immediately became the club’s first-choice striker and scored five times in 20 appearances in his debut campaign in the league. He eventually retired from professional football following the 2017 term due to ongoing concussion issues.

Doyle finished his MLS career after three seasons with the Rapids, scoring 16 goals in 71 regular-season matches. He was also part of the side that went through to the Western Conference Finals in 2016, where the Rapids lost out to eventual MLS Cup champions Seattle Sounders.

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