The fact that many American players are plying their trade throughout world soccer is a huge plus for the continued growth of US soccer, with domestic leagues now becoming much stronger, fans are flocking to games in record numbers.
US clubs are now rocketing in value, with the perceived increase in interest as the 2026 World Cup grows closer, there is real optimism that the MLS can become an even bigger force in soccer.
As for the players themselves, with an abundance of young, world-class talent coming through, especially in Europe, the feeling is that the sky really is the limit.
Let’s look at the top 10 American soccer players in Europe, prepare to be impressed.
10. Tyler Adams
- Club: RB Leipzig (Bundesliga)
- Position: Defensive Midfielder
This quality midfielder learns his trade in one of the toughest leagues in Europe, his Leipzig team going toe to toe with Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga.
A native New Yorker, Adams left his hometown club in 2019 and moved to Germany. He now plays regularly in the league and Champions League for his new club and has developed into an exceptional talent.
At only 22 years of age, Adams can only improve and looks set for a bright future. He should also be hitting his prime for the 2026 World Cup, which is great for the future of the USA team.
9. Konrad De La Fuente
- Club: Olympique Marseille (Ligue 1)
- Position: Left-Winger
With pace to spare, and an attacking flair that saw him snapped up by none other than Barcelona, Konrad De La Fuente is a rising star for the US team.
Due to the horrific debts at Barcelona, De La Fuente was sold to Marseille in the summer of 2021, and Spains’ loss is very much France’s gain.
Born in Miami, Florida, Konrad now has 3 international caps to his name, and will surely be adding to these over the coming tournaments.
Keep an eye on this guy in the future as he bombs down the wings for club and country.
8. Timothy Weah
- Club: Lille OSC (Ligue 1)
- Position: Left-Winger
Another New Yorker here, and also building a name for himself in France, Timothy Weah, another young star on the rise, plays his club soccer for Lille.
Already cemented into the national squad, Weah has 16 caps for the USA and looks set to play on the right for years to come. Similar to De La Fuente, Weah has pace to burn, can play as a right-winger or striker, and looks set for a great career at the top level.
7. Chris Richards
- Club: TSG Hoffenheim (Bundesliga)
- Position: Centre Back
From Birmingham, Alabama, to the Bundesliga, Richards has had a meteoric rise in stature over the past year.
After leaving Bayern Munich for Hoffenheim in August 2021, Richards became the second most valuable US center-back around.
With 4 caps to his name and a bright future ahead, Chris Richards can be at the heart of the US defense for the next decade, with so many players coming through around the same age, it is hard not to be optimistic for team USA.
6. Zack Steffen
- Club: Manchester City (Premier League)
- Position: Goalkeeper
One of the elder statesmen at the ripe old age of 26, Zack Steffen moved to Manchester City in June 2020 for a crisp $7 million and has now become the backup keeper for the champions of England.
With 24 caps for his country, Steffen will surely be hoping for more game time, and a possible loan move could help him to cement his place between the sticks for club and country.
5. Yunus Musah
- Club: Valencia CF (La Liga)
- Position: Right-Winger
There are only two words to describe Yunus Musah, Wonder. Kid.
With a conservative price tag of €15 million, and a more realistic one of around €100 million, this potentially world-class youngster could be the best player the USA has ever produced.
At only 18 years of age, this Valencia player, a New Yorker by birth, is progressing at an extraordinary rate. Having been in Spain since 2019, Musah now has 9 caps to his name. And could well reach the figures of Cobi Jones (164 caps), and Landon Donovan (157).
It is hard to overstate just how far Musah can go, and a move to one of the biggest teams in world soccer can only be a matter of time.
4. Weston McKennie
- Club: Juventus FC (Serie A)
- Position: Central Midfielder
Already an established International, Weston McKennie has cemented his place on our list due to his qualities in central midfield.
Juventus, one of the most successful teams of all time, while maybe not the power they once were, knows what makes a world-class midfielder. With legends such as Andrea Pirlo and Pavel Nedved to name but two, McKennie has some giant shoes to fill.
And fill them he does, the Texan is a regular in the team, and has been putting himself firmly in his managers’ future plans. One slight criticism of the player is his lack of consistency at times, but this season has been one of the brightest talents in a once-great team.
At only 23, Weston McKennie fits nicely into the mold of emerging talent that the USA seems to have an abundance of, and looks set to marshal the center of the pitch for years to come.
3. Giovanni Reyna
- Club: Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga)
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
Some traits run in families, it could be hair color, eye color, maybe even height. In the Reyna household, it seems the trait that gets passed down is an abundance of skill with a soccer ball.
Son of USA legend Claudio Reyna, Giovanni has followed in his fathers’ footsteps, and then some. Already a key part of Borussia Dortmund’s future, Reyna has an eye for goals that cannot be ignored.
Three appearances for his club this season have returned two goals so far, and with four goals in nine international appearances, it is safe to say this precocious talent will be as well regarded as his father was before him.
Born in Sunderland in the UK, Reyna moved to the US and joined the New York City Football Academy before moving to German giants Dortmund in 2020.
With over 50 appearances already to his name, we can expect to see the young Reyna go from strength to strength, and as he will only be 24 by the 2026 World Cup, he could very well be the key to unlocking defenses for years to come.
2. Christian Pulisic
- Club: Chelsea FC (Premier League)
- Position: Left-Winger
Chelsea, the European Champions League winners of last season, have a midfield the envy of almost every team in soccer.
With quality and competition in each position, they are one of the favorites for this season’s Premier League, and central to that challenge is Christian Pulisic.
With the talent to play in several attacking positions, and an ability to pop up with vital goals, Pulisic has emerged as one of the most valuable players in world soccer.
Having joined Borussia Dortmund under 17s in 2015, and progressing through to the first team only a year later, Chelsea was quick to snap up the playmaker for £56 million in 2019.
Despite such a high price tag, the young Pulisic has taken everything in his stride and gone on to play over 50 times for the English heavyweights and quickly become a key player for the London side.
With a Champions League winners medal already in his trophy cabinet, Pulisic will be looking to add a league title to his resume as quickly as possible.
As for his international pedigree, 14 goals in just 40 appearances have led to Pulisic being labeled “Captain America” in some quarters, and with no signs of slowing in his development, could well be the on-field leader that this young USA team need.
It is hard to see Christian Pulisic going anywhere but upwards over the next few years, and if his club playing time increases, so too will his value and importance.
1. Sergino Dest
- Club: FC Barcelona (La Liga)
- Position: Right-Back
The famed Ajax youth academy has produced some of the best players ever to grace a soccer field.
Year after year the world-famous academy rolls out talent the envy of European soccer, and it is from this Dutch hotbed of talent that we find our number one pick.
Sergino Dest, at only 21 years of age, is now playing for Barcelona FC, having joined from Ajax in 2020. Having worked his way up through the Ajax youth ranks, Barcelona was quick to identify Dest for what he is; Potentially the best future right-back in the game.
It is unfortunate for Dest that soon after joining Barcelona, the world pandemic struck, which had a crippling effect on Barcelonas’ finances. Having lost many of their top players, including Lionel Messi, the club is now in a state of transition.
Gone are the days of buying the best players around, and Barcelona will now have to look to their youth development to survive. Lucky for Barcelona however, is the emergence of Dest on the right side of the defense.
Having already made over 40 appearances for the club, and often being asked to play a more advanced role due to his adaptability, pace, and technical ability, Dest has quickly become one of the first names on the team sheet.
The future of Barcelona now rests on young, untried youth such as Sergino Dest, and given his ability and versatility, the future looks promising. Playing for the USA 15 times already, and scoring twice, the 21-year-old is set for a stellar future in the game.
Could Dest be the new Dani Alves? Who knows, but if he has half the career the famed Alves had, he will go down as a legend at Barcelona. And at the rate he is progressing, he has every chance of doing it too.
