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FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
Sport
Tom Hancock

The biggest overseas stars ever to play in North America

MLS NASL World Cup North America LA Galaxy David Villa Geoff Hurst Gordon Banks Hristo Stoichkov Peter Lorimer
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 20: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami looks on before the match between Toronto FC and Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium on September 20, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images).

Top-level football in the USA and Canada has been graced by some of the game's all-time greats over the years.

The influx of elite European and South American talent into North America began with the birth of the old NASL in 1968 – and another wave came as MLS got underway in 1994.

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