Dwayne De Rosario is not D.C. United's first MLS Most Valuable Player, but he may be the best. In reality there is an argument to be made for De Rosario as the best player in League history. The Canadian's raw statistics speak for themselves: 93 MLS goals (7th all-time), 63 assists (18th all-time), four MLS Cups, two MLS Cup MVP Awards, five All-Star selections and six MLS Best XI teams (a League record).
In Major League Soccer's 16-year history, United has accumulated more MVP winners than any other team. Only Kansas City comes close, with three honorees in 1997, 2000 and 2003.
At 33-years-old, De Rosario is in peak physical condition due to consistent professionalism and a unique vegan diet, and he shows little sign of slowing down anytime soon. Since arriving in Washington on June 27, De Rosario was United's most impactful player, helping the Black-and-Red surge towards the MLS Cup Playoffs until the final week of the regular season. For United, he had 13 goals and seven assists in only 18 games.
His overall stat line in 2011 is even more impressive, considering he is the first MVP in any of the big five North American leagues to score for three different teams in the same season. The playmaker started 31 of 33 matches overall, registering a single-season best 16 goals and 12 assists in 2,781 minutes of action.
Here's a look back at United's previous three League MVP's before DeRo. Who do you think was the best and which player meant the most to their respective team?
Marco Etcheverry – 1998 MVP
<img src="//dc-mp7static.mlsdev.net/mp6/image_nodes/2011/11/marco-150x225.jpg" alt="" width="150"> |
<ul class="cancel-margin"><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Scored 10 goals and added 19 assists (MLS record at the time, later eclipsed by Carlos Valderrama)</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Won the CONCACAF Champions Cup</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Won the Copa InterAmericana</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">MLS Best XI (four years in a row 1996-1999)</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Played five matches in the MLS Cup Playoffs, recording one goal and two assists</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Other finalists that year were Cobi Jones and Peter Nowak</li></ul> |
Christian Gomez – 2006 MVP
<img src="//dc-mp7static.mlsdev.net/mp6/image_nodes/2011/11/gomez-150x225.jpg" alt=""> |
<ul class="cancel-margin"><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Scored 14 goals and 11 assists, both second-best in MLS</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Helped United win the Supporters' Shield</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">MLS Best XI</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Played three matches in the MLS Cup Playoffs and scored two goals</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Other finalists that year were Jeff Cunningham and Dwayne De Rosario</li></ul> |
Luciano Emilio – 2007 MVP
<img src="//dc-mp7static.mlsdev.net/mp6/image_nodes/2011/11/emilio-150x225.jpg" alt=""> |
<ul class="cancel-margin"><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Won MVP in his first MLS season</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Won MLS Golden Boot with 20 goals (one assist)</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">MLS Newcomer of the Year</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">MLS Best XI</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Helped United win the Supporters' Shield</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Played two matches in the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs</li><li style="margin-top: 6px;">Other finalists were Juan Pablo Angel and Cuauhtemoc Blanco</li></ul> |
