Opinion: Snubs on MLS’ list of ‘The 25 Greatest’

Major League Soccer announced “The 25 Greatest” last week, its 25 greatest players of all time in celebration of its 25th season. Most of the players deserve to be on the list.

One of them caught my attention. And I’m having trouble rationalizing it. David Beckham. No disrespect to Beckham. The man is a true professional and was a special player. But in this instance, I think his celebrity status earned him a ticket to the greatest 25.

I respect that Beckham filled the stands. And he played well, when he played. But I’m not sure one could say that his play left a mark on the league. Maybe he turned some heads and got some people interested in MLS. But is he really worthy of being named one of MLS’ top 25 greatest players? I don’t think so. Prove me wrong.

I’m afraid that the people who voted for the players may not know all about the history of the league. There are players who literally helped build the league. They were the faces of MLS. They were the players others dreamed to be like. Beckham was nowhere on the radar.

Brian McBride was the first-ever draft pick. DaMarcus Beasley was the youngest player ever signed in 1999. Taylor Twellman was the youngest and fastest player to reach 100 goals. Alexi Lalas — the name speaks for itself. If you were a soccer fan in 1994, you knew who Alexi was. And then you followed him to MLS. There are a lot of people who should have had their names thrown into the ring.

Here are a few of my suggestions:

Chris Armas began his MLS career with the Los Angeles Galaxy. But when the Chicago Fire picked him up in 1998, Armas became a mainstay in the midfield for Chicago. He was the heart and soul of the Fire. In 264 career matches, Armas left it all on the pitch every match. He tallied 12 goals and 48 assists during his 12 seasons. Armas, a four-time MLS Best XI selection, retired from MLS in 2007. Armas most recently served as head coach of the New York Red Bulls.

At the time Beasley inked a deal with MLS, he was the youngest player to ever sign at 16 years old in 1999. It didn’t take Beasley long to make his mark on the Chicago Fire. Beasley was fast and sneaky. The only way defenders could stop him was to foul him. And they did. A lot. In 222 MLS matches, Beasley notched 17 goals and 26 assists, while suffering 567 fouls. The 567 fouls suffered rank eighth all time in MLS. Beasley played abroad for 10 years, but returned to MLS to finish out his career with the Houston Dynamo. Beasley starred on the U.S. men’s national team and is the only American to have played in four World Cups. Beasley now runs his soccer camps and is co-owner of Fort Wayne FC.

Jason Kreis played 12 seasons in MLS with the Dallas Burn and Real Salt Lake. During his tenure, Kreis played in 305 matches, collecting 108 goals and 74 assists. He still ranks eighth all time in goals scored. Kreis was drafted 43rd overall in the inaugural MLS draft in 1996. He scored the first goal in Dallas Burn history. Kreis had a standout year in 1999, tallying 18 goals and 15 assists. He became the first player to register a 15-goal and 15-assist season in league history, earning league MVP honors. Kreis retired in 2007 and became the head coach of Real Salt Lake. He led the club to the 2009 MLS Cup championship. Kreis has also coached New York City FC and Orlando City SC.

McBride represents the blood, sweat and tears that made MLS. He was the first overall pick in the inaugural MLS draft. McBride played 220 games in MLS — in Columbus (1996-2003) and Chicago (2008-10) — recording 80 goals and 52 assists. In between his MLS stints, McBride made a name for himself starring for Fulham FC, playing in 154 matches and notching 40 goals. McBride appeared 95 times for the U.S. men’s national team with 30 goals. McBride was lethal in the air and has hardware in his cheek to prove it.

Twellman made a name for himself quickly in MLS. He was fast and powerful as a forward for the New England Revolution. In 174 games played in eight seasons, he tallied 101 goals, earning All-Star honors five times. Twellman put his body on the line every match. His physical play cost him his career; he retired in 2009. Twellman became the youngest and fastest MLS player to reach 100 goals at 29, and still ranks 10th all time in goals scored. Twellman also played in 30 matches for the U.S. men, with six goals.

When MLS began, there were a handful of stars who made a name for themselves both on and off the pitch. Alexi Lalas was without a doubt one of the most well-known players. With his crazy hair and long beard, Lalas was an American star on the 1994 World Cup squad. Lalas became the first American to play in Italy’s Serie A (Calico Padova), but returned to join MLS in 1996. The defender played in 181 games in MLS and 96 for the U.S. men. Lalas joined the business side of soccer after retiring in 2003, with San Jose Earthquakes, New York Red Bulls and Los Angeles Galaxy. Lalas now works as a soccer analyst.

Again, these are just a few suggestions for MLS’ best 25 players ever. But it worries me that the people voting on the list forgot some of these faces. These men helped build this league. And they continue to give back to the game. That may be the most impressive thing. Not one of them forgot where they came from. Major League Soccer would not be what it is today if it wasn’t for each and every one of them.

Follow Kathryn on Twitter: @Katknapp99.

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