Wayne Rooney is returning to the US to take over at former club D.C. United, making him one of the most high-profile appointments in MLS history
MLS has long been a league that can draw some of the world's biggest stars, with the likes of David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andrea Pirlo and Kaka all calling the league home. But players have not been the only big names continuing their careers in North America, as MLS has also been a landing spot for several famous, and infamous, managers.
From iconic players looking to kickstart their managerial careers to big-name coaches in need of a fresh start, MLS has certainly had its share of memorable hires.
Wayne Rooney is the latest in that line, with the England icon taking over at D.C. United.
He'll look to be the latest success story, but it's fair to say that, more often than not, the league has not proven a happy hunting ground for high-profile appointments.
Below, GOAL takes a look at the 10 biggest names to coach in the league…
Getty ImagesWayne Rooney – D.C. United
The newest entry on this list, Rooney has shockingly returned to D.C. United.
Rooney previously left the club after his two-year stint with an eye on coaching, heading back to England to join Derby County as a player and, ultimately, a manager.
The club's financial situation made his job impossible, with the club docked 21 points ahead of the 2021-22 Championship season, but Rooney nearly pulled off a remarkable relegation escape, with the Rams finishing just seven points from safety.
He left at the end of the season, though, and has now come back to D.C. United, who hope that their new coaching hire will make the same sort of splash he made when he first arrived in the nation's capital as a player.
AdvertisementGettyPhil Neville – Inter Miami
Rooney's former teammate for club and country is also among the bigger names coaching in MLS.
Neville took over Inter Miami ahead of the 2021 season, having been hand-selected by another England icon in David Beckham.
He endured an up-and-down first season, with Miami eventually penalized after the club's front office broke MLS roster rules.
Prior to his time in MLS, Neville had been in charge of England's women's national team as well as serving as an assistant at Manchester United and Valencia.
GettyThierry Henry – Montreal Impact
Like Rooney, Henry eventually returned to MLS as a coach after starring as a player, although he did not return to his former club.
The ex-New York Red Bulls star instead took over as the coach of the Montreal Impact, later rebranded CF Montreal, shortly after a failed stint at former club Monaco.
He led the Impact to their first playoff appearance in four seasons but, ahead of the 2021 season, Henry stepped down, citing his desire to be closer to his children in London after spending nearly a year away from his family due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Henry has since returned to his post as an assistant coach to Belgium boss Roberto Martinez.
Kevin C. CoxGerardo Martino – Atlanta United
Of all of the coaches on this list, the Argentine is probably the most successful.
Martino previously managed Barcelona and Argentina before arriving in Atlanta as the club's first-ever coach, and boy did the Five Stripes get that hire right!
In just the club's second season, Martino led Atlanta to an MLS Cup triumph, having used his stellar reputation to draw stars like Miguel Almiron and Josef Martinez to MLS. Martino didn't just win a trophy, though, as he built a club culture from the ground up while establishing Atlanta as a force in MLS.
After that MLS Cup win, Martino left the club, taking over as manager of Mexico on their road to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.