MLS: Ranking Henry, Beckham, Marquez, and the Designated Players

Every team in the MLS is allowed to sign players outside it's salary cap. These players are called "designated players." 

There are currently 16 designated players in the MLS, out of whom only Landon Donovan is from the U.S. 

Here's a ranking of all the current designated players in the MLS.

16) Fabián Castillo

Team: FC Dallas

Designated Player since: 2011

At 18 years old he's the youngest and least experienced player on the list. He has potential, but hasn't done anything to deserve any higher a position on the list.

15) Diego Chará

Team: Portland Timbers

Designated Player since: 2011

Chará is the first designated player for this team, but has only been in the league for about a month.

14) Omar Bravo

Team: Sporting Kansas City

Designated Player since: 2010

Bravo scored two goals in only his first six games played.

13) Andrés Mendoza

Team: Columbus Crew

Designated Player since: 2011

Mendoza has been with Columbus Crew since 2010 and signed as a designated player this year. He had decent success in his native Peru before traveling to the U.S., where he has yet to achieve anything significant.

12) Branko Bošković

Team: D.C. United

Designated Player since: 2010

Bošković has only been in the league for one year since signing as designated player on June 14, 2010. He has yet to win any awards in the U.S.

11) Eric Hassli

Team: Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Designated Player since: 2011

Hassli is Vancouver's first designated player. He also scored the team's first goal in the MLS. Although he has never won anything, he has averaged one goal per every two games (4 goals in 8 games total).

10) Julian De Guzman

Team: Toronto FC

Designated Player since: 2009

De Guzman has been a designated player since starting in Toronto. He won a Canadian Championship with the team in 2010.

9) Álvaro Fernández

Team: Seattle Sounders FC

Designated Player since: 2010

Fernández is the third designated player in Seattle history. Although he has not been in the U.S. for very long, he has managed to win a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open.

8) Álvaro Saborío

Team: Real Salt Lake

Designated Player since: 2010

Saborío has not spent long in the MLS, but he was the 2010 Newcomer of the Year.

7) Juan Pablo Angel

Team: Los Angeles Galaxy

Designated Player since: 2007

Angel has been a designated player since the rule's inception. He is a decent forward who scores on slightly more than one goal per every two games on average, with 60 goals in 115 total games since coming to the U.S.

Angel was a part of the MLS best XI in 2007 and won the Western Conference with the Red Bulls in 2008.

6) David Ferreira

Team: FC Dallas

Designated Player since: 2011

Ferreira has been on loan since 2009, nad signed a contract with the team this year. He won the Western conference with the team in 2010 and was selected in the Best XI and as the MLS MVP.

5) Rafael Márquez

Team: New York Red Bulls

Designated Player since: 2010

Márquez was signed by the Red Bulls last summer after helping them win the Eastern Conference last year.

4) Fredy Montero

Team: Seattle Sounders FC

Designated Player since: 2010

Montero was at first on loan before becoming a designated player. In his short time in the MLS, he has won two Lamar Hunt U.S. Opens—in 2009 and in 2010.

Montero was the Newcomer of the Year in 2009 and was named Player of the Month twice (March 2009 & July 2010). Last year he was also named the top player under 24.

3) Thierry Henry

Team: New York Red Bulls

Designated Player since: 2010

Henry is also relatively new to the MLS, but he has scored six goals and tallied six assists in his 18 games in the league.

2) David Beckham

Team: Los Angeles Galaxy

Designated Player since: 2007

Beckham is the original Designated Player. He won the MLS Western Conference in 2009 and 2010 with the Galaxy as well as the Supporters Shield in 2010.

1) Landon Donovan

Team: Los Angeles Galaxy

Designated Player since: 2010

Donovan has been a designated player since only a year ago. He has won two MLS cups with the San Jose Earthquakes, in 2001 and 2003. With the Galaxy he then won another MLS Cup in 2005, as well as a Lamar Hunt trophy in the same year and a Supporters Shield in 2010.

Donovan has also received multiple individual awards including the MLS Cup, MLS All Star, MLS MVP's, US Soccer Athlete of the Year on four occasions and Honda Player of the Year on seven.