LA Galaxy are arguably the most famous club in MLS.
They were the first American soccer club most people outside of the states had heard of thanks to the arrival of David Beckham in 2007, and as of 2024 they have won more MLS Cups than any other club in the league.
It takes more than one superstar signing to build this kind of legacy, though. Over the years, the Galaxy have had some fantastic players on their books. Some were big name signings but others were club stalwarts, loyal to the core and fantastic servants to their club.
It is between these two categories that legends are born, and that is what i’m going to look at here.
When I talk about the top 6 greatest players to have worn the LA Galaxy jersey, i’m not talking about the most famous. I’m talking about the people who have made the biggest impact with the fans, and helped the club achieve everything they have achieved so far. Why only 6? Well, in my opinion the word ‘legend’ is overused.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a tremendous player, for example, and he was an absolute star in MLS during his 2 year stint at the Galaxy. But he didn’t win anything, and in my book wasn’t there long enough to claim legendary status. I’m talking about the people who made the biggest impact and were most committed to LA Galaxy.
6 – Kevin Hartman
It takes a lot for a goalkeeper to become a legend. So much of the focus goes on outfield players who score or create goals, but Kevin Hartman started his professional career with LA Galaxy, joining in 1997, and stayed for 9 seasons leaving in 2006.
He had a tough task when he started, being an unknown replacing Mexico international Jorge Campos, but fans took to him almost instantly. His athleticism earned him the nickname ‘El Gato’ (the cat), and he turned into one of the best goalkeepers the MLS has ever seen.
With Galaxy, he won 2 MLS Cups, 2 US Opens, and a CONCACAF Champions Cup to boot. He also holds the LA Galaxy record for the most saves in a game with 12, and the most saves in MLS history. When you consider he played for a very successful team with a solid defence and wouldn’t have faced as many shots as some others, this really is quite a stat.
5 – Mauricio Cienfuegos
No one could argue that Mauricio Cienfuegos was anything other than committed to his club. The tough little Salvadorian was the second longest serving player at LA Galaxy since MLS began back in 1996, sticking around until he retired in 2003 aged 35. That’s 8 seasons.
He was an excellent play maker in the middle of the field, and no stranger to scoring goals either, scoring 35 times and bagging 78 assists in 206 appearances. His work rate and attitude along with his ability to create opportunities was instrumental in the club’s good fortunes during his time there. He won the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the MLS Cup, the US Open, and 2 Supporters Shields, and remains one of the club’s most respected players.
On a personal level he was an MLS All Star 5 times and an MLS Best XI on 3 occasions.
4 – Robbie Keane
The Irish hero became a Galaxy hero during his name in the states, playing for the club for six seasons between 2011 and 2016. He brought a wealth of Premier League experience with him when he joined as a designated player, and he scored on his debut too. He would go on to play 165 times and score 104 goals for the club, and assist plenty more.
Keane was 31 when me went to America, yet he managed to bag 3 MLS Cups and 1 Supporters Shield during his time there, not to mention multiple MLS and LA Galaxy MVP and MLS Best XI awards. He was also Galaxy’s top scorer for 4 consecutive seasons between 2012 and 2015. He simply shone in MLS, proving a consistent danger in front of goal and a terror to defensive lines.
As a big name player at the time, Robbie Keane also brough more attention to the club. Although Beckham was still there when Keane joined, the fact the club were able to attract yet another huge talent from Europe kept them in the headlines, and brought further interest to the MLS from foreign shores.
3 – Cobi Jones
Cobi Jones is LA Galaxy’s longest serving player. In fact, he is an all round American soccer hero.
A true original, Cobi was there in 1996 when MLS began, holding his place in midfield for 12 seasons before retiring aged 37. In fact, in 2005 he became the only MLS player from the inaugural season still playing for their original team. During his playing years he helped the Galaxy to win 2 MLS Cups, 2 US Opens and a CONCACAF Champions Cup. He was a long serving player in the national team too, earning 164 caps for the USA, a record he still holds. He was hugely influential at the club, and although he wasn’t a star in the way someone like Landon Donovan was, Jones was the most dependable player on the pitch.
After retiring as a player he stayed at the club and took on a coaching role, even filling in as interim head coach in 2008. He eventually left in 2011, marking the end of a 16 year career with the club. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in the same year. He is still LA Galaxy’s record appearance holder, pulling on their jersey 368 times.
2 – David Beckham
Many big name players come to play in MLS at the end of their careers, stay for a season or two, bank their cheques, then retire. Beckham came when he was 32, direct from Real Madrid where he was still a first team regular, and stayed for 6 seasons.
He is not number 2 in this list simply because he is famous. Beckham showed loyalty to LA Galaxy, and played a huge role in their 2011 and 2012 MLS Cup wins. He also brought ridiculous levels of attention to Galaxy and the MLS in general, which many believe gave the league the boost it needed to become what it is today. The sponsorship deals that came with his arrival did wonders for the club’s finances, so Beckham’s impact off the pitch was as great if not greater than his impact on it.
It didn’t start that well for him though. Injuries kept him side lined and off his best form to begin with, but in true Beckham style he overcame those obstacles. He scored some memorable goals for the club, and was the first Designated Player in MLS history. Some people even call it the David Beckham rule, since it was more or less created to get him into the league.
1 – Landon Donovan
No one will be surprised to see Landon Donovan’s name at the top of this list. He is not just a legend at LA Galaxy, but a legend of American soccer in general. So much so, that the Most Valuable Player award was re-named in his honor in 2015.
Donovan spent more than a decade up front or on the wing for the Galaxy, bagging 4 MLS Cups and more personal accolades such as Golden Boots, MVPs, and All Star appearances than I can list. He is the epitome of a fan favourite, for club and country. He even came out of retirement to play for Galaxy again after a particularly bad injury spell in 2016.
He is their all time top scorer with 135 goals in 310 appearances, and wore the captains armband with pride on many of those occasions. No one showed more effort and commitment on the pitch than Landon Donovan.