Soccer (football) is one of the most popular sports in the world, with billions of viewers watching some of the sport’s most prestigious events. While football has grown in popularity over other popular sports around the world, it is different in the United States, where some of the best action takes place. In this article, we take a look at ten such young American Players who are doing impressively in European soccer leagues.
Let’s see the best 10 American Soccer Players in Europe.
1. Christian Pulisic (Chelsea)
Within the English Premier League (EPL), the famous young American star and one of the best American Soccer Players won hearts in England with instant recognition and approval. In January 2018, prior to his move to Chelsea, Christian Pulisic, who cost £ 58million, was in the Bundesliga at Borussia Dortmund, where he won the 2016/17 DFB-Pokal.
Since the age of 17, Pulisic has played for the United States senior soccer team. His best footballing exploits have earned him several individual laurels such as the title of Young Male Athlete of the Year 2016 in the United States, the title of Male Athlete of the Year 2017 and 2019 in the United States as well as one of the best young American Players of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
With the arrival of new talents, Ziyech Hakim and Timo Werner at Chelsea in the 2020/21 season, you can expect Pulisic to put on another fantastic performance, which will win more hearts in London.
2. Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig)
Tyler Adams succeeded at RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga in less than two years in Europe. The 2019 DFB-Pokal final star moved to Leipzig in 2019 after playing against German football giant Bayern Munich and playing for the New York Red Bulls. The Red graduate Bulls Academy played for the U.S. National Football Team at the U-17 and U-20 levels before graduating from school in 2017.
3. Weston McKennie (F.C. Schalke 04)
Weston McKennie, of the top American Soccer Players, has been playing football since the age of 6, which has helped him become one of the youngest talents in American football. 2016 proved to be a watershed year for the 21-year-old forward who turned down a University of Virginia football scholarship as well as a professional contract from MLS, FC Dallas, to play professional football in Europe.
4. Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen)
At twenty, Josh Sargent is affectionately the youngest and one of the American Soccer Players in europe to ever score a goal in a FIFA U-20 World Cup, having achieved the feat at the age of 17 in 2017. The striker, who previously trained with German team FC Schalke 04, made his first trip to Europe with Werder Bremen, where he has been since September 2017. In 2018 Sargent was called to join the senior national American football team.
5. Timothy Weah (Lille)
The son of football icon and president of Liberia, George Weah, Timothy Weah, was a big help in his football career from an early age. From the age of 13, Weah tried out for clubs such as Chelsea. The Paris Saint-Germain Academy product made its professional debut for the senior PSG team in 2018, having signed a contract the year before. Timothy Weah, who played for the US national team at various levels right from his teens, made his senior debut in 2018.
6. Tyler Boyd (Beşiktaş)
Born to a New Zealand father and an American mother, Tyler Boyd, who grew up in New Zealand, plays as a striker for the Turkish football club Beşiktaş. Most MLS fans don’t know Boyd because he hasn’t played in MLS.
Prior to his career as the top American Soccer Players, Boyd played for different New Zealand football clubs such as Wellington Phoenix FC. He did multiple stints at Portuguese clubs, the Primeira Liga, before arriving in Turkey. Boyd has represented New Zealand in all youth football tournaments and only changed allegiance in 2019. He played for the USA team in the 2019 Gold Cup.
7. DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United)
Newcastle United is no. 22; DeAndre Yedlin has made an impressive stint at some of the top clubs in the EPL, like Tottenham Hotspurs. Prior to moving to England, Yedlin played for Seattle Sounders FC, where he was on the MLS All-Star squad in 2013 and 2014.
His 2014 season was awe-inspiring as he won the Young American Football Athlete of the Year award, which leads him to move to Tottenham Hotspurs. After a brief stint at Sunderland, Newcastle United paid £ 5million to sign him on a five-year contract. Since 2014, the right-back has played for the United States senior soccer team.
8. Zack Steffen (Fortuna Düsseldorf)
Those familiar with the Men’s National American Football and Major League Soccer (MLS) Team will be recognized by the name of Zack Steffen. His first professional goalkeeper position was held by the German team, SC Freiburg. Steffen had to leave college to pursue a career as a professional footballer.
After a season in Freiburg, Steffen joined the Columbus Crew SC in 2016, within the MLS. His 2018 MLS season was one to remember as he earned a spot in the MLS Best XI. Steffen also won the 2018 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award. Steffen’s performance that season caught the attention of EPL clubs such as Manchester City, who parted ways with $ 7million to take him from North America to Europe. Steffen, who is currently on loan at Bundesliga squad Fortuna Düsseldorf, has been the goalkeeper for the senior United States squad since 2016.
9. Duane Holmes (Derby County)
Duane Holmes’s name may not be recognized in England, where he works, or the United States. But this is not surprising as the 25-year-old has made several stints at minor league clubs in England, the most recent being Derby County. The midfielder made his debut for the US senior men’s team in 2019 in a game against Jamaica.
Holmes, one of the American Soccer Players in Europe, had the privilege of choosing between representing the United States or his homeland England but chose the former, was part of the 23-man squad nominated for the Gold Cup.
10. John Brooks (VfL Wolfsburg)
One of Wolfsburg’s defenders in the Bundesliga, Brooks left Hertha BSC, another German club, to join Germany’s premier club in 2017 for € 20million. The German-American center-back represented Germany at the U-20 level before sticking to the decision to represent the United States. Brooks has represented the United States senior soccer team at various tournaments, such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Copa América Centenario. Due to injuries, the United States senior men’s team failed. He hasn’t fully utilized the potential of this incredible 27-year-old, but we hope that will change in the future.
Conclusion: So from the above list, you can find out the most talented youngsters who are making waves in top European leagues.
