Retiring stars Landon Donovan and Thierry Henry were named to Major League Soccer’s annual Best XI squad on Tuesday, as was New England Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen.
This is the seventh time in his career that Donovan has been named to the Best XI, breaking a tie with MLS veteran Dwayne De Rosario for the most of any player in league history. Donovan had one of his best seasons ever, finishing the regular season with 10 goals and a career-high 19 assists as the Galaxy finished second in the Western Conference and just missed winning the Supporters’ Shield for best regular-season record.
Henry received the honor for a third time after also being named to the Best XI in 2011 and 2012. His Red Bulls teammate Bradley Wright-Phillips also made the squad after tying the league’s regular-season scoring record with 27 goals.
Nguyen enjoyed his best season since coming to MLS in 2012, helping lead the Revs to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference with a 17-13-4 record. The Revolution MVP scored the game-winning goal in nine of his club’s 17 victories, setting a new club record and equaling the second-best total in MLS history. The top scoring American in MLS this season and the top scoring midfielder in MLS history, Nguyen’s 18 goals were tied for the second-best single season tally in Revolution history.
The 2014 MLS Best XI:
Goalkeeper: Bill Hamid (D.C. United)
Defenders: Bobby Boswell (D.C. United), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders: Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution), Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers)
Forwards: Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders FC), Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)