With the COVID-19 situation in the USA is looking dire, it’s time to reminisce some better times.
Today we rank the top five iconic moments in MLS history, on and off the pitch, with no particular ranking.
Alphonso Davies Sale
Alphonso Davies has taken the football world by storm this season. His outstanding performances at left-back in the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League for Bayern Munich have brought the teenager to the global spotlight. An incredible personal story, the Canadian began his meteoric professional rise as a 15 year old in Vancouver. One of the youngest ever debutants in MLS history, Davies immediately became a sensation. The Vancouver Whitecaps Academy graduate captivated the league with his speed and dribbling ability.
He eventually caught the eye of global giants Bayern who were willing to spend $22 million. While he is not the first league export to Europe, his arrival and success in Germany have signified a new chapter in the history of MLS. In the past few seasons, MLS has become a selling league, whether it is academy graduates or young Latin Americans brought over to develop. Davies’ departure signaled the MLS is now on the global stage for developing football stars of the future.
Stefan Frei’s Save in MLS CUP, 2016
The save heard around the world. The Seattle Sounders keeper absolutely stood on his head all postseason, and the final was no different. Toronto FC dominated all night long on their home turf and thought they won it all on this Jozy Altidore header - but Frei reached back and clawed the ball seemingly out of the net with cat-like reflexes, against his former team.
Eventually, the tie was decided in a penalty shootout, where Frei stopped another and helped the Sounders win their first ever MLS Cup. It was a defining moment in MLS history and catapulted the Seattle-Toronto postseason rivalry which has dominated for years now.
Eddie Pope’s MLS Cup Winner, 1996
Previously mentioned in the Top 5 games edition, this goal and game, in particular, brought MLS to the big stage. In the inaugural season, a non-conventional league bursts onto the scene with a classic game. Pope’s header set the scene for the D.C. United dynasty in the early days of MLS. It showed to young players all across CONCACAF that MLS could harbor and develop their talents. Most importantly, it set the tone for the dramatic and unpredictable MLS we all love today.
Dwayne De Rosario Free Kick, 2005
We looked at the best save in MLS history, now it's time to look at the best goal in MLS history. Unlike the Frei save, this freekick by MLS legend Dwayne De Rosario has no real significance to it. It just happens to be one of the most satisfying goals ever scored, when he was playing for the San Jose Earthquakes.
De Rosario runs up to the ball, hits it sweetly and wraps the ball around the wall and sneaks it into the top corner at an absolutely fast speed. Looking at it from all the angles, and it just gets better and better. The fact that it was done by a Canadian and not one of the global superstars that have come to MLS makes it more special. The former MVP winner had an illustrious MLS career full of swagger and skill, and both are in full effect with this legendary strike.
David Beckham, 2007
David Beckham’s arrival to MLS changed the league forever. The rules were changed, but more importantly, the culture. In 2007 MLS was struggling, and Beckham resurrected it. Starting a new chapter in MLS, more big-name players began to come in and change the outlook of MLS. The Englishman’s arrival turned heads all across the world, and especially in the United States. Whether a fan of football not, everyone knew who David Beckham was and became interested in the L.A. Galaxy all of a sudden. The arrival brought millions of dollars to the league - directly and indirectly, changed MLS forever.
Thumbnail photo by Major League Soccer official Twitter account.