The Premier League was once a popular destination for players from the United States of America.
Back in 2006, Fulham hosted Everton at Craven Cottage, and between the two clubs, six United States players had taken to the field. It was a time where the fans and pundits alike thought that the next superpower of world football could, and perhaps should, be America due to it’s superior resources and selection pool.
However, since then, things seem to have taken a turn for the worse, with only one American now remaining in the English top flight who sees regular game time, that being Geoff Cameron of Stoke City.
A number of players still have migrated to England in their search of glory, but things have not turned out perhaps as they had hoped in most cases. Former Sunderland and Hull City striker Jozy Altidore is one such example, as is Stoke City’s Brek Shea, who left after only three appearances for the Potters.
Will there be more to come in years to come? Who knows. But it hasn’t been all bad, and the States have provided us with some memorable players in the Premier League era.
Visit Britain are looking to find the biggest Super Football Fan in the world, and to be honest, there will be a fair few to choose from in this particular part of England.
Think your the biggest fan? Bet you can’t remember these lot. Here are the top 15 American goal scorers in Premier League history…
15 – Landon Donovan
LA Galaxy’s all time leading goalscorer, as well as his country’s, Landon Donovan had a brief stint in the Premier League with Everton, in which he scored twice in 22 appearances. However, the American didn’t have what it takes to cut it at the highest level.
14 – Stuart Holden
Holden promised so much on his breakthrough season in the Premier League with Bolton Wanderers, making 30 appearances and scoring two goals. A series of injuries cut his career shot, though.
13 – Geoff Cameron
Cameron is still holding the fort for the Americans in the Premier League with Stoke City, and has scored two goals himself in 156 appearances for the Potters. The former Houston Dynamo defender has been a solid player for Mark Hughes’ side over the years.
12 – Jay DeMerit
DeMerit spent one season in the Premier League with Watford, where he scored just two goals in 39 appearances as he led the line for the Hornets that year. No wonder they got relegated.
11 – Eric Lichaj
Now at Nottingham Forest, Lichaj spent five seasons with Aston Villa in the Premier League between 2008-2013, but he only managed 42 appearances and two goals in that time. He was loaned out to Conference side Lincoln City, but has since rejuvenated his career in the Championship with Forest.
10 – John Harkes
A key member of the Sheffield Wednesday squad during the inaugural Premier League season of 1992/1993, Harkes was the first player from the United States to make his mark by scoring in the modern top division of English Football. He scored three goals in 32 appearances in his only season in England’s top flight.
9 – Jonathan Spector
Manchester United reject turned West Ham regular Jonathan Spector made 87 appearances for the Hammers and scored four goals. Ironically, all four came in his last season with the club before he was released. Too little, too late perhaps?
8 – Preki
Another who was amongst those playing in the Premier League during it’s first ever season, Preki was signed for Everton by Howard Kendall for £100,000 and scored four goals in two seasons with the Merseyside club before moving on to play indoor football.
7 – DaMarcus Beasley
The boy that never was. DaMarcus Beasley had impressed during his season-long loan from PSV to Manchester City during 2006/2007 as he netted four times in 22 games for the Sky Blues.
That – much to the surprise of fans – was not enough to earn him a permanent stay and his career then plummeted thanks to a number of injuries and poor form. Back on the up with Houston Dynamo, Beasley still represents the national side on occasion.
6 – Jozy Altidore
A frustratingly inconsistent player, Altidore scored only five times in 82 appearances during his two spells in the Premier League with Hull City and Sunderland. Annoyingly, he seems to have shone almost everywhere else he has played, including for New York Red Bulls, AZ Alkmaar and most recently Toronto.
5 – Claudio Reyna
Now the director of operations at New York City FC, Claudio Reyna is a true footballing icon in the United States. The former captain of the national team, and ex-Sunderland and Manchester City star scored eight times in 133 appearances in England’s top flight. He also made the 2002 FIFA World Cup All-Star XI.
4 – Joe Max-Moore
Joe Max-Moore scored eight goals in 52 appearances for Everton, scoring five in his first five in 1999/2000, before falling completely off the radar.
3 – Roy Wegerle
Wegerle was at Coventry City when the Premier League first started in 1992/1993, and the American midfielder spent three seasons with the club before he left for his home country and the Colorado Rapids.
It was enough time to make him the third highest scoring American of all time in the Premier League, as he bagged nine times for the Midlands club. The goal above is actually against his future club Coventry during his tenure at QPR.
2 – Brian McBride
Fulham’s two time player of the year is one of the most decorated USA players of all time, having been awarded the CONCACAF Gold Cup, as well as the competition’s MVP and Golden Shoe awards in 2002.
He is also a member of the US Soccer Hall of Fame. McBride first scored four in eight games with loan side Everton, before scoring 41 times in five seasons with Fulham to take his total to 45 in all. The American still has a bar named after him in Craven Cottage, such was his popularity at the club.
1 – Clint Dempsey
Truly a terrific player during his times and both Fulham and Tottenham, Dempsey is without doubt the greatest American player to ever grace the Premier League, and not just because of his goalscoring record – he scored 72 times in the top-flight.
The midfielder was a class-act in the middle of the park, and could pull the spectacular out of the bag when he needed to. His career is still going strong with Seattle Sounders, with whom he has been named the MLS’ MVP for each of the last three years.
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