NEW YORK (December 9, 2020) – Six LA Galaxy legends were honored amongst the greatest players in Major League Soccer history on today as the league announced The 25 Greatest presented by AT&T – honoring the 25 brightest stars in league history.
A special panel of nearly 200 MLS experts from across North America was brought together to select the 25 players who achieved the most on the field, drove the narrative off the field, and helped lay the foundation and set the course for MLS’s next 25 years.
Major League Soccer nominated 137 of the most decorated and impactful players in league history. The nomination committee looked for players who accomplished one or more of the following as an MLS player:
- Received multiple league-wide individual honors such as: Best XI, Most Valuable Player, Golden Boot, Defender/Goalkeeper of the Year, All-Star selections
- Won major team trophies such as: MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield, U.S. Open Cup, international club competitions
- Made extraordinary off-field contributions or impact
- Ranked among the all-time leaders in key statistical areas
The 25 Greatest presented by AT&T is as follows. Given that their achievements vary by type, position, era and circumstance, The 25 Greatest will not be ranked. They are all equally worthy of this prestigious honor.
- Jeff Agoos
- Kyle Beckerman
- David Beckham
- Carlos Bocanegra
- Dwayne De Rosario
- Clint Dempsey
- Landon Donovan
- Marco Etcheverry
- Robin Fraser
- Sebastian Giovinco
- Kevin Hartman
- Cobi Jones
- Robbie Keane
- Chad Marshall
- Josef Martinez
- Tony Meola
- Jaime Moreno
- Eddie Pope
- Preki
- Steve Ralston
- Nick Rimando
- Carlos Valderrama
- Diego Valeri
- Chris Wondolowski
- Bradley Wright-Phillips
In all, nine different nationalities are represented in The 25 Greatest. The 25 players appeared for 20 different MLS clubs over their careers. Of the 25 players, three players as goalkeepers, five were defenders, nine primarily played as midfielders, and eight were predominantly forwards.
The voting panel was comprised of four groups: MLS Greats & Emeritus (former players, coaches, staff), current MLS Club staff, Media Members and Broadcast Partners (local and national). MLS invited panelists based on years of experience within MLS, geographic balance, and game expertise.
The 25 Greatest presented by AT&T bios:
Jeff Agoos
D.C. United: 1996-2000; San Jose Earthquakes: 2001-2004; MetroStars: 2005
A three-time honoree in the MLS Best XI and a member of the MLS All-Time Best XI (2005). Winner of the MLS Defender of the Year award in 2001. Five-time winner of MLS Cup, second-most in league history. Also won the Supporters’ Shield (twice), U.S. Open Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup, and Copa Interamericana. A 9-time MLS All-Star selection.
Kyle Beckerman
Miami Fusion: 2000-2001; Colorado Rapids: 2002-2007; Real Salt Lake: 2007-present
The only player to play in 20 seasons in Major League Soccer. Second-most all-time with 498 career league appearances. Winner of MLS Cup and the Supporters’ Shield. A 9-time MLS All-Star selection.
David Beckham
LA Galaxy: 2007-2012
Two-time MLS Cup champion and twice winner of the Supporters’ Shield in six MLS seasons. Member of the Best XI in 2011. A 3-time MLS All-Star selection.
Carlos Bocanegra
Chicago Fire: 2000-2003; Chivas USA 2013-2014
A two-time winner of MLS Defender of the Year honors (2002, 2003) and a two-time member of the MLS Best XI. Named MLS Rookie of the Year in 2000. A U.S. Open Cup winner. Twice named an MLS All-Star.
Dwayne De Rosario
San Jose Earthquakes: 2001-2005; Houston Dynamo: 2006-2008; Toronto FC: 2009-2011; New York Red Bulls: 2011; D.C. United: 2011-2013; Toronto FC: 2014
A six-time member of the MLS Best XI, winner of the MLS Most Valuable Player award in 2011. Won the MLS Golden Boot in 2011. Scored 104 league goals, ninth-most all-time. A four-time winner of MLS Cup, twice was named MLS Cup MVP (2001, 2007). Also won the Supporters’ Shield and U.S. Open Cup. A 7-time MLS All-Star selection.
Clint Dempsey
New England Revolution: 2004-2006; Seattle Sounders FC: 2013-2018
Twice named to the MLS Best XI. Had 72 goals, 42 assists in his MLS career. Won MLS Cup, the Supporters’ Shield and U.S. Open Cup. Named MLS Rookie of the Year 2004. A 6-time MLS All-Star selection.
Landon Donovan
San Jose Earthquakes: 2001-2004; LA Galaxy: 2005-2014, 2016
Second all-time with 145 goals, all-time leader with 136 assists. All-time leader in postseason goals (25) and assists (15). Named seven times to MLS Best XI (most ever) and member of MLS All-Time Best XI in 2005. Winner of the 2009 MLS Most Valuable Player; won 2008 MLS Golden Boot. Six-time winner of MLS Cup (most of any player) and two-time MLS Cup MVP, twice winner of the Supporters’ Shield, and one U.S. Open Cup championship. A 14-time MLS All-Star selection, most of any player in league history.
Marco Etcheverry
D.C. United: 1996-2003
A four-time member of the MLS Best XI; named the MLS Most Valuable Player in 1998. Member of the MLS All-Time Best XI (2005). Ranks seventh all-time with 101 league assists; his 13 postseason assists are tied for third-most all-time. A three-time MLS Cup champion (MVP in MLS Cup ’96), also winning the Supporters’ Shield (twice), U.S. Open Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup, and Copa Interamericana. A 7-time MLS All-Star selection.
Robin Fraser
LA Galaxy: 1996-2000; Colorado Rapids: 2001-2003; Columbus Crew: 2004-2005
Twice named the MLS Defender of the Year (1999, 2004). A five-time recipient of MLS Best XI honors. Twice winner of the Supporters’ Shield and winner of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. A 5-time MLS All-Star selection.
Sebastian Giovinco
Toronto FC: 2015-2018
Three-time member of the MLS Best XI. Winner of the MLS Most Valuable Player award in 2015. Scored 68 goals and added 52 assists in 114 league games. Winner of the MLS Golden Boot in 2015. MLS Cup champion and winner of the Supporters’ Shield. MLS Newcomer of the Year in 2015.
Kevin Hartman
LA Galaxy: 1997-2006; Kansas City Wizards: 2007-2009; FC Dallas: 2010-2012; New York Red Bulls: 2013
Ranks second all-time in goalkeeper wins (180), shutouts (112) and league appearances (416). Named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and to the MLS Best XI in 1999. Two-time MLS Cup champion, three-time winner of the Supporters’ Shield; also won the U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions Cup. A 5-time MLS All-Star selection.
Cobi Jones
LA Galaxy: 1996-2007
Recorded 91 assists (ninth-most all-time in MLS history), along with 13 postseason assists (tied for third-most all-time). Member of the 1998 MLS Best XI. Two-time MLS Cup champion. Also won the Supporters’ Shield (twice), the U.S. Open Cup (twice) and CONCACAF Champions Cup. A 9-time MLS All-Star selection.
Robbie Keane
LA Galaxy: 2011-2016
Four times named to the MLS Best XI. Won the MLS Most Valuable Player award in 2014. Scored 83 league goals, 14th-most in MLS history. Had nine goals and six assists in the MLS Cup Playoffs (tied for ninth-most goals). MLS Cup winner on three occasions; won MLS Cup MVP in 2014, and also won the Supporters’ Shield. A 3-time MLS All-Star selection.
Chad Marshall
Columbus Crew: 2004-2013; Seattle Sounders FC: 2014-2019
Three-time Defender of the Year (2008, 2009, 2014; most in MLS history). Named four times to the MLS Best XI. 409 career league appearances (third all-time among field players). Two-time MLS Cup champion, three-time winner of the Supporters’ Shield, and U.S. Open Cup winner. A 4-time MLS All-Star selection.
Josef Martínez
Atlanta United: 2017-present
Has two of the seven highest-scoring single seasons in MLS history. Scored 31 goals in 2018, then the all-time MLS single-season record. Has 77 goals for his four MLS seasons (21st-most all-time). A three-time member of the MLS Best XI. Winner of the MLS Most Valuable Player award in 2018. Won MLS Cup, the U.S. Open Cup, and Campeones Cup. Named MLS Cup MVP in 2018, becoming the only player in league history to win league, All-Star Game and MLS Cup MVP honors in the same year. Twice named an MLS All-Star.
Tony Meola
MetroStars/New York Red Bulls: 1996-1998, 2005-2006; Kansas City Wizards: 1999-2004
Named the MLS Most Valuable Player for the 2000 season, the only goalkeeper ever so honored. Also MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2000. Named to the MLS Best XI and the MLS All-Time Best XI (2005). MLS Cup champion in 2000, also winning MLS Cup MVP honors. Won the Supporters’ Shield and U.S. Open Cup. A 5-time MLS All-Star selection.
Jaime Moreno
D.C. United: 1996-2002, 2004-2010; MetroStars: 2003
Scored 133 goals, fourth-most in MLS history, and had 102 assists, sixth-most all-time. One of two players in MLS history with more than 100 goals and 100 assists. Scored 12 postseason goals (fourth all-time) with 10 postseason assists (tied for fifth all-time). A five-time honoree in the MLS Best XI and member of the MLS All-Time Best XI (2005). Four-time MLS Cup champion and MLS Cup MVP in 1997. Also won the Supporters’ Shield (four times), U.S. Open Cup (twice), CONCACAF Champions Cup, and Copa Interamericana. A 7-time MLS All-Star selection.
Eddie Pope
D.C. United: 1996-2002; MetroStars: 2003-2004; Real Salt Lake: 2005-2007
Four-time member of MLS Best XI and named to MLS All-Time Best XI (2005). MLS Defender of the Year in 1997. Three-time winner of MLS Cup, scoring the game-winning golden goal in the league’s first championship game in 1996. Won the Supporters’ Shield (twice), U.S. Open Cup, CONCACAF Champions Cup, and Copa Interamericana. An 11-time MLS All-Star selection.
Preki (Predrag Radosavljevic)
Kansas City Wizards: 1996-2000, 2002-2005; Miami Fusion: 2001
The only player in league history to win the MLS Most Valuable Player award on two occasions (1997; 2003). Four-time member of the MLS Best XI. Two-time MLS Scoring Champion. Has 112 assists (fifth-most all-time) and 79 goals (20th all-time). Won MLS Cup, the Supporters’ Shield (twice), and U.S. Open Cup. An 8-time MLS All-Star selection.
Steve Ralston
Tampa Bay Mutiny: 1996-2001; New England Revolution: 2002-2010
Recorded 135 assists, second-most in MLS history. Also scored 76 goals (23rd all-time), in 378 career league appearances (sixth-most in league history). Named to the MLS Best XI on three occasions. Winner of the Supporters’ Shield and U.S. Open Cup. A 7-time MLS All-Star selection. The league’s first Rookie of the Year in 1996.
Nick Rimando
Miami Fusion: 2000-2001; D.C. United: 2002-2006; Real Salt Lake: 2007-2019
The all-time MLS leader in league appearances (514), goalkeeper wins (223), shutouts (154) and saves (1701). Saved more penalty kicks than any goalkeeper in MLS history. Two-time winner of MLS Cup (MLS Cup MVP in 2009) and a two-time Supporters’ Shield winner. An 8-time MLS All-Star selection.
Carlos Valderrama
Tampa Bay Mutiny: 1996-1997, 1999-2001; Miami Fusion: 1998-1999; Colorado Rapids: 2001-2002
Recorded 114 assists (fourth all-time in league history). Holds the MLS single-season record with 26 assists in 2000. Named MLS Most Valuable Player in the league’s inaugural season. Three-time honoree in the MLS Best XI and member of the MLS All-Time Best XI (2005). Winner of the Supporters’ Shield. A 5-time MLS All-Star selection.
Diego Valeri
Portland Timbers: 2013- present
Has recorded 88 assists (10th-most in MLS history) along with scoring 84 goals, one of three players in league history to reach 80 goals and 80 assists for their careers. Named to the MLS Best XI on three occasions. Winner of the MLS Most Valuable Player award in 2017. MLS Cup champion in 2015, also winning MLS Cup MVP honors. A 5-time MLS All-Star selection. MLS Newcomer of the Year in 2013.
Chris Wondolowski
San Jose Earthquakes: 2005; Houston Dynamo: 2006-2009; San Jose Earthquakes: 2009-present
The league’s all-time leading goalscorer with 166 goals. Tied for the then single-season goalscoring record with 27 goals in 2012. Winner of the MLS Most Valuable Player award in 2012. Twice won the MLS Golden Boot (2010, 2012). Named to MLS Best XI on three occasions. Two-time MLS Cup champion. A 5-time MLS All-Star selection.
Bradley Wright-Phillips
New York Red Bulls: 2013-2019; Los Angeles Football Club: 2020-present
Twice winner of the MLS Golden Boot, tying the then all-time MLS single-season record with 27 goals in 2014. Named to the MLS Best XI on two occasions. Has 116 goals for his MLS career, sixth-most in league history. Winner of the Supporters’ Shield three times. Twice named an MLS All-Star.
