Since its inception in 1996, MLS has always had strong connections to the US national team. And vice versa.
This summer, the USMNT squad will include a dozen or so players currently on the books with MLS clubs. And of those who don't fall into that category, all but a handful have a few seasons of MLS play on their resumes.
That got us thinking about all the current and former MLSers who have ever played for the United States at the World Cup. (Note: To make this list, a player had to see actual playing time at the World Cup, not just be on the roster.) Some of them played in the World Cup before they came to MLS, some while in MLS, and some after they left MLS.
Regardless, here are the 58 players who have played in MLS and for the United States at the World Cup.
Agoos, Jeff – World Cup: 2002 | MLS: DC United (1996-2000), San Jose (2001-2004), New York (2005)
Altidore, Jozy – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: New York (2006-08)
Balboa, Marcelo – World Cups: 1990, 1994, 1998 | MLS: Colorado (1996-2001), New York (2002)
Beasley, DaMarcus – World Cups: 2002, 2006, 2010 | MLS: Chicago (2000-04)
Berhalter, Gregg – World Cup: 2002 | MLS: LA Galaxy (2009-11)
Bliss, Brian – World Cup: 1990 | MLS: Columbus (1996-98), New York (1997), Kansas City (1998)
Bocanegra, Carlos – World Cup: 2006, 2010 | MLS: Chicago (2000-03), Chivas USA (2013-present)
Bornstein, Jonathan – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: Chivas USA (2006-10)
Bradley, Michael – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: New York (2004-05), Toronto (2014-present)
Buddle, Edson – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: Columbus (2001-05), New York (2006), Toronto (2007), LA Galaxy (2007-2012), Colorado (2013-present)
Burns, Mike – World Cup: 1998 | MLS: New England (1996-2000), San Jose (2000), Kansas City (2001-02)
Caligiuri, Paul – World Cups: 1990, 1994 | MLS: Columbus (1996), LA Galaxy (1997-2001)
Clark, Ricardo – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: New York (2003-04), San Jose (2005), Houston (2006-09, 2012-present)
Conrad, Jimmy – World Cup: 2006 | MLS: San Jose (1999-2002), Kansas City (2003-10), Chivas USA (2011)
Convey, Bobby – World Cup: 2006 | MLS: DC (2000-04), San Jose (2009-11), Kansas City (2012-13) Toronto (2013), New York (2014)
Deering, Chad – World Cup: 1998 | MLS: Dallas (1998-2003)
DeMerit, Jay – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: Vancouver (2011-present)
Dempsey, Clint – World Cups: 2006, 2010 | MLS: New England (2004-06), Seattle (2013-present)
Donovan, Landon – World Cups: 2002, 2006, 2010 | MLS: San Jose (2001-04), LA Galaxy (2005-present)
Dooley, Thomas – World Cups: 1994, 1998 | MLS: Columbus (1997-99), New York (2000)
Doyle, John – World Cup: 1990 | MLS: San Jose (1996-2000)
Edu, Maurice – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: Toronto (2007-08), Philadelphia (2014-present)
Feilhaber, Benny – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: New England (2011-12), Kansas City (2013-present)
Findley, Robbie – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: LA Galaxy (2007), Salt Lake (2007-10, 2013-present)
Friedel, Brad – World Cups: 1998, 2002 | MLS: Columbus (1996-97)
Gomez, Herculez – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: LA Galaxy (2003, 2005-06), Colorado (2007-08), Kansas City (2008-09)
Harkes, John – World Cups: 1990, 1994 | MLS: DC (1996-98), New England (1999-2001), Columbus (2001-02)
Hejduk, Frankie – World Cups: 1998, 2002 | MLS: Tampa Bay (1996-98), Columbus (2003-10), LA Galaxy (2011)
Holden, Stuart – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: Houston (2006-09)
Howard, Tim – World Cup: 2010 | MLS: New York (1998-2003)
Johnson, Eddie – World Cup: 2006 | MLS: Dallas (2001-05), Kansas City (2006-07), Seattle (2012-13), DC (2014-present)
Jones, Cobi – World Cups: 1994, 1998, 2002 | MLS: LA Galaxy (1996-2007)
Keller, Kasey – World Cup: 1998, 2006 | MLS: Seattle (2009-11)
Kooiman, Cle – World Cup: 1994 | MLS: Tampa Bay (1996-97), Miami (1998)
Lalas, Alexi – World Cup: 1994 | MLS: New England (1996-97), New York (1998), Kansas City (1999), LA Galaxy (2001-03)
Lewis, Eddie – World Cups: 2002, 2006 | MLS: San Jose (1996-99), LA Galaxy (2008-10)
Llamosa, Carlos – World Cup: 2002 | MLS: DC (1997-2000), Miami (2001), New England (2002-03), Chivas USA (2006-07)
Maisonneuve, Brian – World Cup: 1998 | MLS: Columbus (1996-2004)
Mastroeni, Pablo – World Cups: 2002, 2006 | MLS: Miami (1998-2001), Colorado (2002-2013), LA Galaxy (2013)
Mathis, Clint – World Cup: 2002 | MLS: LA Galaxy (1998-2000), New York (2000-03), Salt Lake (2005), Colrorado (2006), New York (2007), Salt Lake (2008-09), LA Galaxy (2010)
Meola, Tony – World Cups: 1990, 1994, 2002 | MLS: New York (1996-98), Kansas City (1999-2004), New York (2005-06)
McBride, Brian – World Cups: 1998, 2002, 2006 | MLS: Columbus (1996-2003), Chicago (2008-10)
Moore, Joe-Max – World Cups: 1998, 2002 | MLS: New England (1996-99, 2003-04)
O’Brien, John – World Cup: 2002 | MLS: Chivas USA (2006)
Olsen, Ben – World Cup: 2006 | MLS: DC United (1998-2009)
Pope, Eddie – World Cups: 1998, 2002, 2006 | MLS: DC United (1996-2002), New York (2003-04), Salt Lake (2005-07)
Preki – World Cup: 1998 | MLS: Kansas City (1996-2000), Miami (2001), Kansas CIty (2002-05)
Ramos, Tab – World Cups: 1990, 1994, 1998 | MLS: New York (1996-2002)
Reyna, Claudio – World Cups: 1998, 2002, 2006 | MLS: New York (2007-08)
Sanneh, Tony – World Cup: 2002 | MLS: DC United (1996-98), Columbus (2004), Chicago (2005-06), Colorado (2007), LA Galaxy (2009)
Sorber, Mike – World Cup: 1994 | MLS: Kansas City (1996), New York (1997-99), Chicago (2000)
Stewart, Earnie – World Cups: 1994, 1998, 2002 | MLS: DC United (2003-04)
Sullivan, Christopher – World Cup: 1990 | MLS: San Jose (1997)
Trittschuh, Steve – World Cup: 1990 | MLS: Colorado (1996-99), Tampa Bay (1999-2001)
Vermes, Peter – World Cup: 1990 | MLS: New York (1996), Colorado (1997-99), Kansas City (2000-02)
Wegerle, Roy – World Cup: 1994, 1998 | MLS: Colorado (1996-97), DC United (1997-98), Tampa Bay (1998)
Wolff, Josh – World Cups: 2002, 2006 | MLS: Chicago (1998-2002), Kansas City (2003-06, 2008-10), DC United (2012-12)
Wynalda, Eric – World Cups: 1990, 1994, 1998 | MLS: San Jose (1996-98), Miami (1999-2000), New England (2000-01), Chicago (2001)
