10 Greatest USA Players Who Played in the Premier League

10 Greatest USA Players Who Played in the Premier League

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just around the corner, fans of the USA national team will be hoping to see a strong performance throughout the tournament from their country, as they are one of the three host nations alongside Mexico and Canada.

A fair few of the USA squad that will be competing this summer are currently playing their football in Europe, such as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Brenden Aaronson.

Over the years in Europe, but more specifically the Premier League, there have been an array of talents from America but which of these players would rank as the ten best American players to play in the Premier League?

Ticket prices, hotel rates and summer flights aren't the only eye-watering cost factors causing a headache for World Cup travellers.

FIFA parking prices in the vicinity of stadiums have reached unprecedented levels, with a whopping average of $175 per spot, including for… pic.twitter.com/wZXoso7SiF

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) February 27, 2026

10 Greatest USA Players Who Played in the Premier League

10. Carlos Bocanegra

A two-time MLS Defender of the Year joined Fulham in January 2004 and went on to make 116 appearances for the Cottagers, including captaining the side too. During his time in London, he was popular amongst the fans and seen as an important part of the team, as he was so versatile and could play anywhere along the back line.

9. Christian Pulisic

Arguably USA’s greatest current player ahead of the home World Cup in June; however, his time in the Premier League wasn’t the most successful of his career. He joined Chelsea in a deal worth around £55 million from Borussia Dortmund, but injuries and inconsistent performances made it hard for him to consistently start matches in the Premier League. Since leaving Chelsea, he has been a success in Italy with AC Milan.

🚨 AC Milan are open to selling Christian Pulisic this summer for offers in the region of €80M. 🇺🇸

Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United are all monitoring the situation closely. 👀

(Source: @CaughtOffside) pic.twitter.com/23T2OBURgT

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) February 16, 2026

8. Brad Guzan

Brad Guzan made his move to the Premier League in 2008, where he joined Aston Villa. His time in England was a success, as he made 171 appearances for Villa, winning Player of the Season for the club in 2013 and helping the team reach cup finals and avoid relegations along the way. He also had shorter stints at Middlesbrough and Hull City in England before leaving the country to move back to the United States in 2017.

7. Kasey Keller

Kasey Keller made his move to the Premier League in 1992 when he joined London-based club Millwall. Keller went on to make 201 Premier League appearances for a variety of clubs, including Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham. During his time in the Premier League, he kept 57 clean sheets and opened the door for American goalkeepers to make their way to Europe.

6. Antonee Robinson

The only player on this list that is currently playing in the Premier League is Fulham defender Antonee Robinson. Since joining the Cottagers in 2020, the English-born left-back has shown that he is one of the best left-backs in the division over the past few seasons. He is definitely someone that is going to be a big part of the USA squad in the summer.

5. Brian McBride

Another one of the sixteen USA players that have played for Fulham over the years is Brian McBride. Before moving on a permanent transfer to Fulham in 2004 in a deal worth around $1.5 million, McBride had loan spells at Preston North End and Everton. He went on to win two Player of the Year awards at Craven Cottage and was club captain for a period of time. He left the club in 2008, returning to the USA to join Chicago Fire.

4. Landon Donovan

Landon Donovan’s time in the Premier League was a lot shorter than anyone else on this list, with only 22 Premier League appearances in his career. However, the impact he had during the short spell makes him deserving of a place on this list. His first loan spell at Everton lasted 13 games, where he won player of the month during that time and had 2 goals and 3 assists. In his second spell at the club two years later, he got 6 assists in 9 appearances and Everton went unbeaten during this period.

3. Tim Howard

Tim Howard spent a very long time in the Premier League playing for both Manchester United and Everton. He began his time in England at Manchester United as a backup goalkeeper before making a move to Everton in 2006. He spent 10 years at Everton and during this time was vice captain for the club. Howard made 399 Premier League appearances in his career, earning 133 clean sheets in this time and is certainly one of the greatest USA goalkeepers in history.

2. Brad Friedel

Brad Friedel played for a few different clubs in the Premier League, such as Liverpool, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham Hotspur. Friedel holds the record for the most consistent Premier League appearances, with 310 between August 2004 and September 2012. He featured in the Premier League Team of the Year in 2002 whilst at Blackburn Rovers and also won the League Cup in his time with the club.

The man with the record for most consecutive starts in Premier League history 👏

Happy birthday to the legend, Brad Friedel! 🥳 pic.twitter.com/CYbieKct6e

— Premier League USA (@PLinUSA) May 18, 2023

1. Clint Dempsey

Clint Dempsey is possibly the greatest ever USA footballer of all time and he spent a big part of his career in the Premier League. Dempsey was an important part of the Fulham side that reached the Europa League final before making a move to Tottenham Hotspur. During his time in the Premier League, Dempsey made 218 appearances, scoring 57 goals and establishing himself as the greatest ever USA player to play in the Premier League.