Top 10 Footballers To Play In North America
Jermain Defoe is set to head over to the MLS to play for Toronto FC following in the footsteps of many international superstars over the last 40 years. FREEbets.org.uk takes a look at the top 10 players ever to turn out in North America.
10. Carlos Alberto
The flying right back stayed longer in North America than most of the international superstars that swung by after first joining the New York Cosmos in 1977 and leaving for the second time in 1982. In between his two spells in the Big Apple he enjoyed one season with the sadly now defunct California Surf. He also managed in the USA after his playing days were over with the Miami Sharks.
9. Gordon Banks
The legendary keeper enjoyed two stints in the US, firstly on loan in 1967 with the Cleveland Stokers where he played a handful of games before returning at the age of 40 to impress for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Banks only stayed a season before returning to England to take charge of Telford United.
8. David Beckham
Becks shocked the world when he decided to head to LA Galaxy after leaving Real Madrid in 2007 as he was one of the few international stars to head to the States still in his prime. Whether or not he caused a revolution in the sport in America can be debated but he spent five years with the Galaxy playing over 100 games for the club.
7. Gerd Muller
Der Bomber is one of the greatest goal scorers of all time and he continued to find the back of the net in the US at the end of his career. He moved to Fort Lauderdale Strkers from Bayern Munich in 1979 and banged in 38 goals in three seasons before retiring in 1981.
6. Franz Beckenbauer
The German legend joined Carlos Alberto at the New York Cosmos in 1977 and spent four seasons with the club. He returned to his homeland with Hamburg for a couple of years but enjoyed his time in the US so much that he went back to the Cosmos for the last season of his career in 1983. His three titles in America added to the string of Championships he won with Bayern Munich.
5. George Best
After leaving Manchester United in 1974 Best played for a whole host of clubs and they included three stops in America with the Los Angeles Aztecs, Fort Lauderdale Strikers and San Jose Earthquakes. He scored a total of 57 goals in the US so made quite an impact before finally leaving those shores in 1982.
4. Bobby Moore
For many, Moore’s career may as well have ended when he left West Ham in 1974 but he played for a number of years post-Upton Park including spells with both the San Antonio Thunder and Seattle Sounders. He finished his stay in the States with the latter in 1978 before a brief spell in Denmark and then retirement.
3. Johan Cruyff
Arguably the greatest Dutch player of all time headed off to play for Los Angeles Aztecs in 1979 then went on to turn out for Washington Diplomats in a couple of impressive years across the pond. One of the more interesting things about his trip to the US is that he returned to Holland to win two more titles with Ajax and then another with Feyenoord showing that he still had plenty to offer.
2. Eusebio
The late great Eusebio travelled extensively after leaving Benfica in 1975 including four clubs in North America, all of which are now defunct. His first stop was Boston Minutemen in 1975 before appearing for Toronto Metros-Croatia, Las Vegas Quicksilvers and New Jersey Americans. 18 goals in 25 games in Toronto and then five in four for New Jersey proved he still had it.
1. Pele
The Brazilian great was semi-retired when he was signed by New York Cosmos in 1975 but that did not stop him banging in 64 goals in three seasons for the club, helping them lift the title in 1977. Pele is largely credited with popularising the sport in the US in the first place and his performances there only further enhanced his reputation as the greatest player in history.

18+. Acca Insurance: Min selection odds 1/10. Acca odds 3/1. Pre-match straight line accas only. 1 free bet up to £/€10 per customer/day, credited within 24 hrs, valid for 7 days, Min 1 boost per day. Full T&Cs apply

New customers only. £10 min dept using promo code "888ODDS" req. Qual bet must be placed at the normal odds Min//max £5. Extra winnings paid in FREE BETS added within 72 hrs of qualifying bet settlement valid for 7 days.T&Cs apply

18+. New UK+IRE customers. Paypal and some deposit types excl. Winning bets paid in cash as normal price. Enhanced odds paid in £5 free bets within 24 hrs, valid for 4 days, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.

18+ UK+IRE players signing up via promo page. Min dep £5. Paypal & some deposit methods excl. Paid in cash at normal price. Enhanced odds paid in £5 free bets within 24 hrs, valid for 4 days, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply
- 9 Potential Winners of the World Cup 2018 Golden Glove Award
- Top 10 World Cup Humiliations
- Top 10 Mourinho Master Classes
- Top Eight Premier League Title Races
- Top 10 Uncapped Players that could make the England World Cup squad
- Top 10 England Goalkeepers
- Top 10 Transfer Deadline Day Flops
- Top 10 Football Rivalries
- Top 10 Retired Cricketers Who Would Have Been T20 Kings
- Top 10 footballers to play in North America
- 7 Unique things we LOVE about the Ryder Cup
- Top 10 Team GB Winter Olympic Gold Medal Winners
- Top 8 Valentines Day Sports Stars
- Top 10 Cracking Cricketers with Dodgy Debuts
- Top 10 Sporting Nicknames
- Top 10 Chinese Sports Stars
- Top 10 Sporting Whitewashes
- Top 10 Desperate Aussie Pre-Ashes Mind Games
- Top 10 Boxers Avenging Defeats
- Top 10 Multi-Sport Sportsmen
- Top 10 Sporting Veterans
- Top 10 Royal Sporting Names
- Top 10 Sporting Debuts
- Top 10 Sporting Upsets
- Top 10 Thrashings in Sporting Finals
- Top 10 UK Open Shock Results
- Top 10 Fights in London
- Top Six Play-Off Heartaches
- Top 10 Moments that ended a sporting era
- Top 10 sportsmen who should retire
- Top 10 Footballers Luis Suarez can feast on next
- Top Eight Grand National Long Shots
- Top Five Six Nations Climaxes
- Top Five British Europa League Heartbreaks
- Top 10 England Opening Batsmen
- Top Five Champions League Comebacks
- Top 10 England stars of the future
- 13 Greatest World Cup Players Of All Time
- Top Eight All-Rounders in world cricket
- Top Five Premier League Summer Signings
- Top Eight Premier League Veterans
- Top 10 Football Player Comebacks
- Top 10 England one-cap wonders
- Top Five Welsh Snooker Players
- Top 10 World Number Ones
- Top 10 Foreign England Cricketers
- Top 10 Worst Managerial Appointments
- Top 10 Goal Celebrations
- Top Seven Euro 2016 Kits
- Top Nine Football Stadiums in Europe
- Top Five European Championship Goals
- Top Five Iconic UK Sporting Venues
- Top Five Most Controversial Boxers of All Time
- 6 Typical Cheltenham Festival Goers
- Top 10 British Boxing Grudge Matches
- 10 of the Best Managerial Sackings
- Top 10 Unlikely Masters Champions
- Top 10 Greatest Manchester Derbies
- Top 10 Relegation Escapes
- Top England ODI XI of All-Time
- Top 10 Greatest FA Cup Finals of All-Time
- 4 World Cup 2018 group stage shock exits to look out for
- Top 10 Clay Court Tennis Players of the Open Era
- Top 10 Champions League Finals
- The 9 Greatest England v Scotland Matches
- 11 Greatest victories for English teams in the Champions League
- Top 10 Players Missing the World Cup
- The 8 Greatest Lions Victories
- The 14 Worst Transfers in Premier League History
- Top 10 Premier League Bargains
- Top 7 Premier League One Season Wonders
- 11 Best Premier League Opening Day Matches
- 7 Best Premier League Debut Campaigns
- Top 10 Upsets in Boxing and UFC history
- Top 7 Football Shirts of All-Time
- 10 Greatest American Tennis Players of the Open Era
- The 11 Greatest World Cup Matches Ever
- Top 10 Greatest T20 players in history
- Top 10 Darts Players of all Time
- 14 Greatest Champions League Players Ever
- 9 Greatest Liverpool vs Manchester United games of the Premier League era
- The 10 Greatest World Cup Goals Ever
- 10 uncapped players that could make the England World Cup squad
- The 12 Greatest South Americans in Premier League history
- Top 10 Players who could win the 2018 World Cup Golden Boot
- Top Five FA Cup Final Upsets
- 10 English wins over Spanish teams in the Champions League
- The 15 Greatest British Heavyweight Boxers in History
- 10 worst England players ever to make a World Cup squad
- Top Seven Australian Open Outsiders
- Top 10 Individual Ashes Performances
- 10 Worst January transfer window signings in Premier League history
- 9 Best January transfer window signings in Premier League history
- 14 UFC fights we want to see in 2018
- Top 10 British boxers that could become world champions in 2018
- Top 10 Boxing Rematches Ending in the Same Result
- Top Five Formula One Drivers Of All Time
- Top 10 Craziest Premier League Players
- Top 10 Gaps not filled in the Transfer Window
- Top 10 Cricket All-Rounders
- Top 10 Worst Current World Champions
- Top 10 Players to watch at the ICC Champions Trophy
- Top 10 Potential Future World Snooker Champions
- Top 10 Opponents Tyson Fury Can Face
- Top Five Heavyweight Contenders
- Top 11 Undefeated Streaks in Boxing History
- The 5 worst England performances at World Cups ever
- Top 5 Current Pound for Pound Boxers
- The 5 Best England performances at World Cups
- 11 World Cup 2018 Fantasy Football Bargains
- The 10 Biggest Shock Group Stage Exits in World Cup History
- The 10 Biggest Premier League Opening Day Upsets Ever
- The 10 best transfer deadline day signings in Premier League history
- 2018 World Cup: Top 10 Young Players to Watch
If you fancy a break from the serious side of betting, take a look at our Topical Feature List for a bit of a giggle.
Click Here To View The List »