Seattle Sounders FC was named the No. 1 Major League Soccer team of the last decade on Friday morning by MLSsoccer.com’s Bobby Warshaw.
With 2020 just around the corner, Warshaw has rolled out a series of features highlighting the league’s top franchises, putting a spotlight on the most ambitious and successful clubs that have pushed North American soccer forward.
Throughout the week, the rest of the top five, which includes FC Dallas (5), Sporting Kansas City (4), the New York Red Bulls (3) and the LA Galaxy, were rolled out on the league site.
"Greatness involves two qualities: Excellence and Consistency," Warshaw wrote to open the piece. "The ability to reach exceptional heights, and the resilience to maintain a certain level. You can neither be a shooting star nor a steady stream. You must demonstrate both height and width."
In particular, Warshaw highlighted the club’s stellar trophy haul over the last 10 years, in addition to qualifying for the postseason each year.
From the article: "Yet even when it wasn't pretty, the Sounders found a way to win. They have six trophies this decade. And, unlike the Galaxy, they competed in the playoffs every year. The Galaxy missed the playoffs twice and finished last once — I couldn't put a team that finished bottom of the table as the club the decade."
Of course, you can’t talk about the Sounders’ legacy without mentioning the history of elite players donning the iconic Rave Green jersey
"When you look back on the past 10 years, there's a diverse group of the players who have defined the club. ... When you think of the Sounders, you think of the hardened lower-league players, millionaires and local kids all in the same picture," Warshaw wrote.
You can read the full article HERE.
