Darlington Nagbe made a name for himself across the MLS with various clubs as a top player in the league. Though outside fans wouldn’t view him as a legend due to never leaving the MLS for a top European league, he is viewed as a league legend because of it.
The MLS saw a collection of its ageing stars announce their retirements at the end of the season. Many of these players were either league journeymen or European stars who spent their final years in America.
One Announcement may not have been a major shock, but it still made its rounds across the league as the most notable of retirements.
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Darlington Nagbe’s Stellar Career
An MLS Lifer
A lot of the MLS talent spends time in Europe or in other countries before settling in the MLS, even if it is just for youth development. Despite not being born in the United States, Nagbe represented the USMNT shield and came through the college soccer system.
He led the Akron Zips in 2010 to a national championship while bringing in hardware for himself that season. Akron may be viewed as a powerhouse hold soccer school since their national championship run, but that wasn’t the case before Nagbe.
He then went to the Portland Timbers, where he made an impact at the very start of his career at only 20 years old. This would be the start of a very promising career on what was a Timbers team that went from a mid-table squad to champions.
This wasn’t the only time Nagbe would be a key piece on a championship team, though he wouldn’t win another with Portland.
He spent two seasons with Atlanta United, in which he won an MLS Cup in his first season with the red and black. That would be his only title with the team, as he would leave the Peach State for the Buckeye State.
Nagbe called Ohio home in 2020. This time, he traveled to the capital to play for the Columbus Crew. He helped the Crew win a title in his first season, similar to what he did in Atlanta. After two tough seasons post his third MLS Cup, he won a fourth that would cement him as one of the most accomplished players in the league.
A Fan Favorite
Players who play at a high level and stay within the league get respect from fans across the MLS. Unfortunately, players don’t stay in the MLS if they are young and at the upper end of the talent pool in the league.
We see that now, with current USMNT players, almost every starter is overseas playing in various leagues across Europe. Some are at top teams in the big five leagues, while others are all across the table, hoping their teams will be good enough to get promoted.
Nagbe joined the MLS at a time when American players stayed in the MLS or at least played a big part of their careers in the league. There were a handful of USMNT players who spent time out of the States but never made a full career out of it.
Players like Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan are prime examples of players who went overseas but still made their names right here at home.
Nagbe may not have been at that level as an international talent, but he will go down as one of the greatest MLS players to ever put on the shirt. His commitment to the MLS and its teams, as well as his success on the field, will forever affect the MLS and American soccer.
Main Photo
Credit IMAGO / Icon Sportswire
Recording Date 18.07.2025