Messi vs. Müller: World Cup Winner in MLS Cup | Olé USA

Over the 30 years from the history of the MLS, 17 footballers who have won the World Cup have played in the American tournament, which It began in 1996 and this year celebrates its thirtieth campaign with a dream final starring two international stars: Lionel Messi con Inter Miami y Thomas Müller con Vancouver Whitecaps.

This stellar confrontation will be the stage where For the first time a World Cup champion becomes a Major League Soccer champion, competition that players like Andrea Pirlo, Kaká, Thierry Henry, Branco, Kléberson, among others.

1. Branco | Metro Stars 1997
2. Lothar Matthaus | Metro Stars 2000
3. Denilson | FC Dallas 2007
4. Youri Djorkaeff | New York Red Bulls 2005-2006
5. Thierry Henry | New York Red Bulls 2010-2014
6. Alessandro Nesta | Montreal Impact 2012-2013
7. Jose Kléberson | Philadelphia Union 2013
8. David Villa | New York City FC 2015-2018
9. Andrea Pirlo | New York City FC 2015-2017
10. Kaka | Orlando City 2015-2017
11. Bastian Schweinsteiger | Chicago Fire 2017-2019
12. Blaise Matuidi | Inter Miami 2020-2021
13. Thiago Almada | Atlanta United 2022-2024
14. Lionel Messi | Inter Miami 2023-Present
15. Sergio Busquets | Inter Miami 2023-Present
16. Oliver Giroud | LAFC 2024
17. Hugo Lloris | LAFC 2024-Present

Cláudio Ibraim Vaz Leal, Brazilian player better known as Branco, was champion in the 1994 World Cup and he was the first to land in the MLS. The second was Lothar Matthausa legend of the Germany champion team in Italy 1990, that arrived in the American competition in 2000. In fact, after passing a campaign for Metro Stars New York the footballer He decided to retire from the fields.

Thierry Henry, champion with the France national team In the 1998 World Cup, he arrived en 2010 a New Yorl Red Bull. Towards the end of his career, the French attacker still played He played five seasons in the MLS, tournament in which he reached the figure of 52 goals. In that same club, but five years before, played another French champion in 1998, Youri Djorkaeff, who disputed two seasons in the United States.

Of the 17 world champion players what have happened by MLS There is only one who was already playing in the tournament when he was crowned. This is the Argentine Thiago Almada, who at the moment of being called by Lionel Scaloni for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, played for him Atlanta Unied, team that signed him that same year from Vélez Sarsfield.