The 10 oldest players in MLS 2024 feat. forgotten Barca man & two ex PL stalwarts…
Major League Soccer doesn’t quite have the reputation as a retirement home for European stars as it once did.
Sure, there’s still the likes of Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets arriving in the United States, but these days there are a number of homegrown rising stars and South American wonderkids turning out for the top MLS clubs.
Still, when you take a look at the oldest players turning out for MLS clubs in 2024, there are some noteworthy names – including former Premier League and Barcelona stars – among the grizzled MLS veterans. We’ve taken a closer look at the 10 oldest players in this season’s MLS.
10. Martin Caceres
Sneaking into the top 10 ahead of his old Barca team-mates Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets, 37-year-old Caceres is still going strong at LA Galaxy.
The Uruguayan centre-back, who represented the likes of Juventus, Sevilla and Lazio alongside Barcelona, started a new chapter in 2022 by moving from Levante to Los Angeles.
His advancing years have seen him play a rotated squad player role for Steve Cherundolo’s side, although this season he’s been more prominent with six starts from their eight outings so far.
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9. Luis Suarez
Another ex-Barca old boy, Suarez has lifted trophies at almost every club he’s represented – in his native Uruguay, the Netherlands, England, Spain and Brazil – and he’s now looking to see out his career with yet more silverware in America alongside his old pals at Inter Miami.
He turned 37 back in January and moves a lot more gingerly these days, but he hasn’t lost that lethal goalscoring instinct.
The veteran striker notched six goals and three assists in his first eight MLS appearances and is a definite contender for the Golden Boot this season.
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8. Hugo Lloris
Despite being the club’s long-serving captain, Lloris spent his final six months at Spurs watching on from the sidelines after losing his spot between the sticks to Guglielmo Vicario.
“I have now arrived at a point in my career where I feel free to decide my next project and destination and I liked everything about MLS,” Lloris told The Athletic after moving to LAFC on a free transfer in January.
“They have a budget for the goalkeeper spot that they couldn’t go over because the rules are different, so there was not even a question about salary. It shows how much I wanted to come!
“I don’t have the national team anymore because I retired a year ago, so this was a chance to discover a new continent with my family. California is an amazing place.”
7. Tim Melia
Little known outside of the United States, where he’s spent his entire career, Melia is something of an MLS stalwart.
The ‘keeper, who turns 38 next month, has never received an international cap but has represented Real Salt Lake, Chivas USA, FC Dallas and DC United. He’s best known as Sporting Kansas City’s No.1 – he’s now into his ninth season with the club, for whom he’s made over 200 appearances.
6. Stefan Frei
Another ‘keeper, Frei was born and raised in Switzerland but moved to the United States when he was 15 and has been there ever since.
In his younger days, he represented the wonderfully named trio of clubs California Golden Bears, San Fransisco Seals and San Jose Frogs.
Frei’s been a regular in Major League Soccer for 15 years now, with over 400 matches in the competition for Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders. Only 11 players in MLS history have made more appearances.
5. Steve Clark
Not to be confused with the Def Leppard guitarist or current Scotland boss, this Steve Clark is another experienced MLS goalkeeper.
After making over a hundred appearances for Norwegian outfit Honefoss in the early 2010s, Michigan-born Clark returned to his home continent in 2013 and has been back there ever since. He’s currently guarding the net for Houston Dynamo, having previously represented Columbus Crew, DC United and Portland Timbers.
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4. Diego Chara
The defensive midfielder earned a couple of caps for Colombia while turning out for Deportes Tolima in 2010-11 but has since made his name in the United States with Portland Timbers.
Chara turned 38 earlier this month and remains something of a modern-day Timbers hero. The club captain was named in the MLS All-Star team in 2019 and the best XI the following year, while he’s won the MLS Cup once and Western Conference playoffs three times.
In 2019 he became a naturalised US citizen. His current contract expires at the end of this season but it wouldn’t be a shock to see him extend and keep going ’til his forties. It just wouldn’t feel like MLS without seeing Chara patrolling the Timbers’ midfield.
3. Evan Bush
Another veteran ‘keeper that never quite had enough for USMNT contention, Bush is now seeing out the twilight years of his career as a back-up for Columbus Crew.
But he’s been called into action a couple of times this season and recently helped keep a clean sheet after replacing Nicholas Hagen in a 0-0 draw with Real Salt Lake.
2. Brad Guzan
The former Aston Villa goalkeeper might be turning 40 later this year, but this old dog is still learning new tricks.
With over 200 games under his belt for Atlanta United since he joined them in 2017, Guzan recently notched his first-ever MLS assist in a 1-1 draw with New York City FC.
“This pass was a little bit more intentional, I would say,” he said, comparing it to his only other career assist with Villa back in 2013.
“But they both count, so it’s alright.”
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1. Kei Kamara
Major League Soccer’s 10 oldest players list is unsurprisingly dominated by goalkeepers, but it’s an outfielder that takes the No.1 spot.
Former Sierra Leone international Kamara looks set to continue playing into his forties, with his current contract with LAFC going beyond that milestone birthday this September.
European audiences might (not) remember Kamara for his inauspicious stints with Norwich and Middlesbrough a decade ago, but those the other side of the Atlantic will recognise a career that’s seen him represent no fewer than 12 different clubs in the United States and Canada.
The journeyman forward is the only player to have scored for 10 MLS clubs and he’s looking to make it 11 after signing up last month for one more job with LAFC.