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Keane, Magee, Zusi highlight 2013 MLS Best XI

RobbieKeaneLAGalaxy6 (LAGalaxy)

By DAN KARELL

Major League Soccer revealed their Best XI on Tuesday afternoon, and it features a number of familiar faces who put up big numbers during the 2013 season.

Only Graham Zusi, Robbie Keane, and Matt Besler return from the 2012 MLS Best XI as a number of players, including Mike Magee, Tim Cahill, and Diego Valeri, had breakout seasons to propel them into this year’s version. The Best XI features five Designated Players and three starters from the U.S. Men’s National Team.

The Best XI was voted on by MLS players, club officials, and media members.

Here’s a look at the 2013 MLS Best XI:

Mike Magee————–Robbie Keane————-Marco Di Vaio

——-Diego Valeri—————————–Graham Zusi———

——————-Tim Cahill——-Will Johnson———————

——Jose Goncalves——Matt Besler——Omar Gonzalez——-

————————–Donovan Ricketts—————————-

—–

What do you think of this year’s selections? Who do you think missed out? Should the league have included fullbacks into the Best XI?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Why does MLS always make these “best” lists on formations that are completely unrealistic? 3-2-2-3? Really? If you’re going make this “stretch” at least add a bona fide defensive midfielder to help the 3 in the back (completely unrealistic)! Osvaldo Alonso and/or Kyle Beckerman come to mind. And 3 Timers? Not a team in MLS deserves any more than 1 and certainly not 3 on a list like this…Completely bogus and unrealistic list any way you look at it!

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  2. I think all these “why is/isn’t so-and-so included?!?” sorts of questions have actually been answered by the article already:

    “The Best XI was voted on by MLS players, club officials, and media members.”

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  3. I would only quibble with Zusi, who didn’t impress this year the way he did last. It probably didn’t help that he was gone a third of the season with the Nats. I’d give his teammate Aurelien the spot instead. Then we could have four CB’s on the back line!

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  4. Nagbe is probably the best player in MLS today and not to make it is an insult. If you think I have lost my mind just watch on Saturday who really runs the Portland offense and you will be surprised how big an impact Nagbe has for that team. More so than Valeri!

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    • Nagbe best player in MLS? Are you out of your mind? He is a good player who is extremely exciting to watch and could well develop into a star but best player right now, talk about hyperbole

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      • Good comment Morales vs Nagbe on Saturday. Let them settle it on the field. Boniek did not have as good a year as either Morales or Nagbe so I would not put with the other two.

    • Saturday? Was there a last minute trade or something? Last anyone heard, Nagbe was a Timber, and not playing in the MLS Cup final on Saturday.

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  5. In response to your last question, the league clearly should have included fullbacks. There is not a single team in MLS that lines up in a 3 defender formation so why should their team of the year use that formation? Give the fullbacks some love. Also Gonzalez is the biggest issue I have, he does not deserve it based off how he played this year.

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    • Galaxy fan here to agree with you re Omar. I really like Omar, but I would go with Collin, Olave, or even Okugo ahead of Omar based on this year’s performance.

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    • I submit Daniel Sturridge.

      Seriously though, as an LA fan and a long-time fan of Robbie Keane, I love that celebration. I can definitely see why it’d goad non-LA fans though.

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      • I think his goal celebration borders on being silly but I don’t have a problem with it. Just glad people don’t give him crap about shooting his guns at the end. The world needs to lighten up a bit.

  6. I would have at least thought RSL would get a bone thrown to them with Rimando who was
    excellent all year. Ricketts allowed 5 goals on aggregate in the Western Conference final.
    So, no one in the Best XI and one would think that at least Kreis would win Coach of The Year?
    No. No wonder why he is moving to the next media darling in the MLS, NYCFC.

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      • What a bunch of crap Zero people for RSL this year? 3 People for Portland that got thrown out of the playoffs. Portland also takes Coach of the Year. Wow this is a terrible selection.

      • You do realize that the voting for the Best XI takes place before the playoffs. Javi and Rimando both deserved to make the Best XI because they had great years…but so did everyone who did make the list. There will always be deserving players left off these end of year awards. To call the selection terrible is a little misguided though.

      • Yeah I know they do it before playoffs, but you look at where is the Golden boot winner? Is it because he did not make the playoffs? Well then why is Mike Magee on there. Will Johnson or Zusi, I love those guys but Javier Morales had a better year than both of them. Then there is Rimando that pretty much every site says he is the number one keeper. So I guess Portland is the darlings of the league? Yes so terrible selection.

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