With Lionel Messi set to take his first steps as an **MLS** player after joining **Inter Miami**, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner becomes the latest in a long line of Barcelona icons to have played on both sides of the pond.
Both LIGA MX and MLS have seen their fair share of ex-Blaugrana players come and go, starting with Juan Manuel Asensi’s two-year stint at Puebla back in the early 80s.
More recently, some of the Catalan giants’ most important players of the past few decades have also plied their trade in North America - whether in their formative years, or in the latter stages of their careers:
Hristo Stoichkov
The madcap Bulgarian marksman spent six seasons across two stints at Barcelona, winning the league title in all but one of those campaigns and scoring over a century of goals along the way.
After leading his country to a historic fourth-place finish at the 1994 World Cup, the forward would return to the United States later in his career, this time at club level.
A three-year stay at Chicago Fire saw Stoichkov lift the US Open Cup in 2000, before moving to D.C. United for a single season in 2003. He has since gone on to work as a commentator for Mexican television.
Rafael Márquez
After coming through the ranks at Atlas FC, the legendary Mexican center-back’s illustrious seven-year spell at Barcelona included four La Liga medals and a Champions League title in 2006.
Márquez later spent three seasons with the New York Red Bulls, before moving on to Club León and then closing out his career with his formative club.
Thierry Henry
The World Cup winner was a mainstay in Barcelona’s historic 2009 treble, and left the following year to join the New York Red Bulls.
The Arsenal legend would go on to leave an unmistakable mark on American soccer, finding the net 52 times over five campaigns, and thrilling fans with his characteristic skill and strut.
Ronaldinho
The midfield magician sealed his place in the footballing pantheon with a scintillating spell in Catalonia, combining carefree trickery with a devastating eye for goal.
Although he would spend most of the twilight of his career back in Brazil, Ronaldinho did take up one final challenge abroad as he joined Querétaro for the 2014/15 LIGA MX season.
The highlight of a memorable year in Mexico would see the 2005 Ballon d’Or winner bag a double in a 4-0 win at the Estadio Azteca, over then-holders Club América.
David Villa
Spain’s all-time top scorer packed his bags for America in 2014, when he accepted an offer to spearhead the newly-launched New York City FC.
The scoring touch that had seen El Guaje star in World Cup and Champions League-winning campaigns would not desert him in the Big Apple.
In four campaigns with NYCFC, the Asturian put away 80 goals, picking up the league-wide MVP award in 2016 and twice making the Best XI at the end of the season.
