Kylian Mbappe to MLS? David Beckham Has Already Started Recruiting

David Beckhamsigned with the LA Galaxy in 2007 and became the first world football star to join Major League Soccer, thus establishing a Europe-to-MLS pipeline.

Of course, Beckham was directly involved in luring Lionel Messi to sign with Inter Miami CF in July 2023, and he’s apparently already begun recruiting France and Real Madrid superstar striker Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe is just one match into his and Les Bleus’ bid at the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup to win their second World Cup since 2018. Plus, he has a Golden Boot title to defend. That’s all he cares about right now, but he was asked about the far-off potential of moving to MLS during his Sunday media availability.

“Playing in MLS one day? I don't know,” Mbappe said, per Fabrizio Romano. “David Beckham mentioned that to me many times. We will see, I don't know.”

He added, “The American culture is different, there are no limits to ambitions, I like it.”

Mbappe is only 27, and he’s tied to Real Madrid through 2029, so this is merely hypothetical. But Messi has redefined what an MLS move means to European stars. It doesn’t have to be a swan song.

Messi is 1-of-1, so it may not be accurate to say that he set a new blueprint because almost nothing he does is replicable.

But Messi signed with Inter Miami at 36 years old and, at 38, is currently the reigning back-to-back MLS MVP, and because of him, Inter Miami is the reigning MLS Cup champion. It would be incredible to watch Mbappe resurrect an MLS franchise like that someday.

Mbappe is getting a taste of what it’s like to play in the United States this summer at the World Cup. Mbappe scored a brace in France’s 3-1 opening win over Senegal on June 16, and they’ll look to carry that momentum against Iraq at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Monday, June 22.

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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 12:09 AM.