GOAL ranks the top soccer players from each of the country's four regions, including USMNT players both past and present
From Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey to Brian McBride and Christian Pulisic, decades of groundwork have given rise to great American soccer players. With the 2026 World Cup less than nine months away, the United States has steadily progressed into a genuine force in the global soccer scene.
Some regions in the U.S. have deeper player pools than others, so who is the best of the best? And who were some of the top players from those soccer-rich states that didn't make the cut in the top of three, given the stiff competition?
GOAL ranked the top three men's soccer players from each of the 50 states, and now ranks the best from each region.
STATE RANKINGS: Northeast | South | Midwest | West
Getty ImagesNortheast: Christian Pulisic
Hometown: Hershey, Pennsylvania
Clubs played for: Dortmund, Chelsea, AC Milan
USMNT caps: 80
Why he's No. 1: The East is arguably America's premier soccer region when it comes to producing talent. From legendary players such as Tim Howard and Jozy Altidore to Bruce Arena, a Hall of Fame manager, the region is stacked. What sets Pulisic apart is his unprecedented club success in Europe.
He is the face of AC Milan, traditionally one of Europe's top six clubs, and he's the only player U.S. player to win the Champions League. While his USMNT legacy might not be as strong as some of the legends, his talent is undeniable. As analyst and former USMNT star Stu Holden once said, success seems inevitable for the 27-year-old.
"I think he'll go down as the best U.S. Soccer player by the time he's done, and he might be already in terms of what he's achieved on the club level," Holden told GOAL. "Talent alone, he will be the best U.S. Soccer player of all-time."
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidwest: Brian McBride
Hometown: Arlington Heights, Illinois
Clubs played for: Wolfsburg, Columbus Crew, Preston North End, Everton, Fulham, Chicago Fire
USMNT caps: 96
Why he's No. 1: The race for best player in the Midwest involves three players: Brian McBride, Tim Ream, and Cobi Jones. While Jones is widely considered to be a top-five all-time USMNT player, Ream has also had long-term success, largely in England's second division, and a late career breakout.
But ultimately, it's McBride, who is neck and neck with Altidore as the best striker in national team history.
McBride was a revolutionary talent for the USMNT, playing in three World Cups and becoming the first American to score in two tournaments. On the club level, it's hard to imagine Pulisic or Clint Dempsey being entrusted to be the faces of European clubs without McBride blazing the trail.
He is the first American with back-to-back double-digit scoring seasons, accomplishing that in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 campaigns for Fulham. The striker's work rate and role in keeping Fulham in England's top flight during his five seasons for the club elevated him to iconic status – he even had a bar named after him at Craven Cottage.
Getty Images SportSouth: Clint Dempsey
Hometown: Nacogdoches, Texas
Clubs played for: New England Revolution, Fulham, Tottenham
USMNT caps: 141
Why he's No. 1: Clint Dempsey's path to success wasn't always easy. He grew up in a small town, 140 miles from Houston. Dempsey famously mentioned if it wasn't for his parents driving hours at time to attend camps and practices, he wouldn't have been a professional player. Thankfully for U.S. fans, they did.
Dempsey wasn't fleet of foot, didn't have a locked-in position, and wasn't necessarily prolific at any particular skill, but as Arena famously once said "He tries sh*t." The Texan was gritty, relentless, and persistently had a chip on his shoulder that helped him to defy the odds.
He once famously used criticism from then-manager Roy Hodgson as motivation to help Fulham – traditionally one of European soccer's smallest clubs – stun Italian powerhouse Juventus in the Europa League with arguably the best goal scored by an American on the continent.
The goal, a lobbed chip, had no business going in. But it did. In many ways, that moment was symbolic of Dempsey's career. He also had incredible success on the national team, winning three Gold Cups. He is on the short list of America's greatest soccer players.
AFPWest: Landon Donovan
Hometown: Ontario, California
Clubs played for: Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy, Everton, Leon
USMNT caps: 157
Why he's No. 1: Dempsey has a case. So does Pulisic. But in the end, Donovan is the best player in American soccer history, due to his consistent success on the national team level, paired with his dominance in MLS. At the peak of his powers, Donovan was the face of U.S. Soccer, a box office draw that put fans in seats.
He is tied with Dempsey for all-time national goals with 57 and holds the record for assists with 58 – the next closest is Michael Bradley with 22. Donovan had a way of delivering in key moments for the U.S., from the Go Go USA goal against Algeria to a being a consistent thorn in Mexico's side over nearly two decades.
Yes, there's an argument that he should have tested himself more on the global stage, instead choosing to stay in MLS while others continually played in Europe. And he frustrated some with his decision to retire from international soccer, and then try to play in the 2014 World Cup.
But ultimately, he is the closest thing the U.S. had to a world-class outfield player – with Pulisic still in contention to take that title.