Best Americans to Play in the Premier League

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American soccer has never had a brighter spotlight shone on it than it does right now. Admittedly, the MLS’s additions of David Beckham and Thierry Henry certainly grabbed plenty of headlines, but even that fanfare was nothing compared to today. 

Inter Miami’s acquisition of Lionel Messi two years ago took the Stateside game to new heights, while the country’s hosting of two major tournaments back-to-back has shown just how serious Americans now are about the beautiful game. The FIFA Club World Cup is currently ongoing in the country. Next summer, the international version of the tournament will take place there, alongside neighboring countries Mexico and Canada. 

The Stars and Stripes will be aiming to make quite the impression on home turf, even though they are currently in the midst of a dreadful run of form. As such, real money gambling sites don’t give Mauricio Pochettino’s side much of a hope of lifting the famous gold trophy for the first time in history. The latest real money gambling at Bovada odds currently prices the US as a distant 50/1 outsider, some way behind the 11/2 favorites Spain. 

Over the years, plenty of Americans have graced the Premier League. Soccer icons such as Landon Donovan and Stuart Holden have lit up the English top flight. But which Americans performed the best on the British side of the Atlantic? Let’s take a look. 

Clint Dempsey 

Attacking midfielder Clint Dempsey burst onto the scene with the New England Revolution, firing home 25 goals in his first three seasons in the MLS and capturing the attention of plenty of European sides. Premier League outfit Fulham pulled the trigger, paying $4m to bring him to Craven Cottage in January 2007 and making the future USMNT captain the MLS’s most expensive ever export. 

The Texas-born star found chances hard to come by in the months following his move, but in his first full campaign in West London, he took the Premier League by storm. Dempsey played in all but two games in the 2007/08 season, before featuring in all but three the following year and playing a starring role in helping the Cottagers avoid relegation. In 2010, he helped Fulham shockingly reach the Europa League final, scoring a stunning chip in the round of 16 victory against Italian giants Juventus and sparking scenes that the Cottage had never seen before. 

Dempsey’s final season with Fulham was his most prolific. In the 2010/11 season, he moved into more of an out-and-out striker role and justified the decision by netting 17 times in the Premier League. That secured him a move to Tottenham Hotspur, and more goals followed. But after a year, the American international decided to return to his homeland and star in the boom in popularity underway in the MLS. 

Brad Friedel 

After a stellar year in 1997 with the Columbus Crew, a year in which he was selected in the MLS team of the year and named the league’s best goalkeeper, Brad Friedel made the surprise move to heavyweights Liverpool for $2m. Throughout his two-and-a-half seasons at Anfield, he was unable to secure a starting berth, but his career would take a dramatic turn following his move to Blackburn in 2000. 

In his first season in Lancashire, Friedel helped Rovers secure promotion to the Premier League. Then, he went on to become one of the top flight’s best shot-stoppers, winning the Premier League Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2003. Throughout an eight-year stint at Ewood Park, the former UCLA standout racked up a mighty 357 appearances in all competitions, twice helping his side to a spot in the UEFA Cup. 

After eight years of service, Friedel moved to Aston Villa and proved to be as reliable as ever. Between 2004 and 2012, he featured in every single Premier League game, a streak that followed him from Blackburn to Villa Park and ultimately on to Tottenham Hotspur. In the 2012/13 campaign, he would lose his first-team status to French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, but he would remain at White Hart Lane for another three years, retiring well into his 40s after a career that spanned over 700 games for club and country. 

Brian McBride 

A lot of players could have taken the final spot on the list. Tim Ream was a solid servant to both Fulham and Bolton Wanderers for some time, while we could write an entire article on Tim Howard’s career alone. However, we have decided to give the honor to one of American soccer’s original trailblazers, Brian McBride. 

The powerful striker didn’t get his opportunity in the big time until he was past 30. However, after 77 goals in 195 appearances with the Columbus Crew, he was finally given a chance. Everton signed the target man on loan at the back end of the 2002/03 season, and he rewarded manager David Moyes with four goals in eight games. 

18 months later, Fulham swooped and signed him permanently for just over $1m, and they wouldn’t regret the decision. Despite arriving just a few months shy of his 32nd birthday, McBride would spend four-and-a-half years at Craven Cottage, featuring in all 38 Premier League games in his penultimate campaign with the club. Throughout his stint in West London, he made 140 appearances, scoring 33 goals, and securing a legacy as one of the all-time great unsung hero veteran strikers.