Newly minted Vancouver Whitecap Thomas Muller is the latest global superstar to cross over to Major League Soccer.
With his anticipated arrival in Vancouver on Wednesday and official introduction Thursday, The Canadian Press looks at other big names whose signings to MLS teams made splashes over the years.
Didier Drogba, CF Montreal (then Montreal Impact)
The Chelsea and Ivory Coast legend was on the back end of his career but made his mark in Montreal. Drogba, who is Chelsea's fourth all-time leading scorer and a four-time Premier League title winner, was named a finalist for MLS Newcomer of the Year after finishing the 2015 season with 11 goals, including four game-winning goals, in just 11 games, helping Montreal into the MLS playoffs.
Lorenzo Insigne, Toronto FC
The Italian brought loads of excitement to Toronto when his signing was announced. Insigne signed a four-year deal that made him the highest-paid player in the league at US$15 million per year. However, the addition of the star who had helped Italy win the European Championship in 2020, did not translate to on-field success for TFC, as the team never finished better than 11th in the Eastern Conference standings. He had 15 goals and 10 assists in 66 games before agreeing to a mutual termination from the club earlier this year.
Lionel Messi, Inter Miami
Arguably the greatest player of all time, Messi's signing in July 2023 made Miami the big-name team of the league. After a storied career at Barcelona, a short stint with Paris Saint-Germain and a World Cup win for Argentina in 2022, Messi won league MVP in his first full season in South Florida in 2024. The 38-year-old is tied for the league lead with 18 goals despite a recent injury.
David Beckham, LA Galaxy
Beckham made headlines worldwide when he put pen to paper to play for the Galaxy in 2007 after a second stint with Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid. The England legend, who had won six Premier League titles with Manchester United and a Champions League trophy, brought more than glitz to the league. He helped the Galaxy to back-to-back MLS titles in 2011 and 2012 before finishing his career with Paris Saint-Germain.
Thierry Henry, New York Red Bulls
The Frenchman, one of the greatest strikers to ever grace the Premier League and a runner-up for the Ballon d'Or in 2003 and 2004 while starring for Arsenal, signed with New York in July 2010. He was a three-time league all-star from 2011-2013, a finalist for MLS MVP in 2012 and helped the Red Bulls clinch the Supporters’ Shield in 2013.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, LA Galaxy
The Swedish striker made quite the impression when he took out a signed full-page advertisement in the Los Angeles Times to announce his arrival in March 2018. Ibrahimovic starred and won trophies with the likes of Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United before his arrival. In his two seasons in L.A., Ibrahimovic scored 52 goals and 17 assists in 56 regular-season games, was named a two-time all-star and was named MLS Newcomer of the Year in 2018.
Wayne Rooney, D.C. United
Manchester United's all-time leading goal-scorer (253 goals) touched down in Washington, D.C., in June 2018 after a brief return to Everton in the Premier League. He was named team MVP and its golden boot winner, leading the team with 12 goals in 21 games in his debut campaign in MLS. He closed his two-year stay with 23 goals in 48 appearances, exiting after a playoff loss to Toronto in October 2019.
More star power: Other global stars to make an impact in MLS include David Villa and Andrea Pirlo (New York City FC), Kaká (Orlando City), Steven Gerrard and Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), and Bastian Schweinsteiger (Chicago Fire).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2025.
Abdulhamid Ibrahim, The Canadian Press
