The best Metro from every year
January 3, 2025
Lothar Matthaus is the oldest player in Metro history, having played his last game at the age of 39 years, 198 days. He is also the oldest player in Metro history, having been born on March 21, 1961, or 53 days before Thomas Dooley. (Who is the second oldest player in Metro history... and the second oldest player in Metro history.) But who are the best Metros to be born in each year? The full breakdown can be found here, but read on for our choices!
1961
It's between Matthaus and Dooley, who was brought here so Lothar could have a German-speaking old man to hang out with. Instead, Lothar took his much younger girlfriend to St. Tropez! Kinda have no choice here but to go with Lothar Matthaus.
1962
There is no competition for Antony De Avila, so "El Pitufo" takes it. He would be a worthy choice in many other years.
1963
Two players, the only two Italians in Metro history: Nicola Caricola and Roberto Donadoni. This one is obvious.
1964
As much as it pains us, we have to choose Branco over the useless Mickey Kydes and one-game wonder Carlos Ledesma.
1965
Wow. This is just bad. In no world can we choose Ruben Dario Hernandez. Omid Namazi is a one-game wonder. We have to go with Brian Bliss.
1966
Now here is a quality year! Tab Ramos, of course, but Peter Vermes and Paul Dougherty would have easily won if they were born one or two years earlier.
1967
... or a year later, as our choices are five minutes of Marcelo Balboa, the irrelevance of Chris Brauchle, or one goal of Ian Hennessy.
1968
From this point on and until we hit the late 1980s, each year has at least eight players, so we will not list them all here. Adolfo Valencia vs Youri Djorkaeff gives us the toughest battle so far, but we have to give it to the Frenchman.
1969
Tony Meola, and it's not even close. Diego Sonora is the runner-up over Eduardo Hurtado.
1970
Two of early Metro heroes here: Rhett Harty and Giovanni Savarese. Clown Alexi Lalas finishes last, because he is an idiot.
1971
We have to give it to Mike Ammann... and definitely not the man who assaulted him: Mamadou Diallo, who finishes last, because he should have never been a Metro in the first place.
1972
A very very weak year comes down to Shaun Bartlett and Sasa Curcic, and we will give it to the self-styled "Dennis Rodman of MLS" and future winner of Serbian Big Brother.
1973
Because he started with the Scum, it's easy to forget how good Eddie Pope was in his first year with Metro. It's not easy to forget how bad Sergio Galvan Rey was in his first year!
1974
As much as we love Paul Grafer and his pants and have to mention the early promising duo of Miles Joseph and Brian Kelly, Jonny Walker was one of the best goalkeepers in team history.
1975
We're very, very, very sorry, Steve Jolley, but you would agree with us here: Juan Pablo Angel.
1976
Holy crap. We can't even choose. This is insane. Four Metro greats, who could win in pretty much any other year. With apologies to Dave van den Bergh, he finishes fourth here. Amado Guevara is third. Third for one of the greatest Metros ever! That's because... oh how do you even choose! Mike Petke and Clint Mathis. We can't choose.
1977
The only, the only, the greatest ever, Thierry Henry. We will not mention John Wolyniec in the same sentence, but he was pretty great as well.
1978
Now this is an absolute downer after the last two. The one quality player elsewhere, Dwayne De Rosario, was pretty bad here. Craig Ziadie, we guess?
1979
And now back to glory, with Tim Howard winning the battle of Tims over Tim Cahill. Rafael Marquez finishes last for obvious reasons.
1980
Carlos Mendes is still in the top 10 for games and minutes, so he is a worthy choice here. Ibrahim Sekagya is a good runner-up.
1981
We are not sure if Joel Lindpere ever visited all 50 states, but we hope that someday he will fulfill his dream. Seth Stammler and Jamison Olave would be solid choices in other years... and Kenny Arena, Peter Canero, and Khano Smith would never ever be.
1982
Remember when the MLS Draft meant something? Jeff Parke was picked by Metro with the last pick and became one of the best defenders in team history. Luke Rodgers will forever remain a cult hero and is a worthy runner-up.
1983
Until this year's amazing playoff run, 2008 stood alone as Metro's lone foray to MLS Cup. And that would not be possible without Dane Richards, whose amazing game to top champion Houston on the road, 3:0, will forever stand in Metro lore. Damien Perrinelle is proof that you don't have to be young, fast, or ugly to play defense in MLS.
1984
Lloyd Sam was possibly the best winger in Metro history. Luis Robles was CLEARLY the best goalkeeper.
1985
We read these alphabetically, come up to Sacha Kljestan, and think, sure, it's gotta be him... No! It's his former teammate at Metro and current teammate at Apple, Bradley Wright-Phillips!!!
1986
Once upon a time, Eddie Gaven was the rock that Metro's future was going to be built upon. Then, the clown Lalas traded him away. They, he beat Metro in MLS Cup. Then, he quit soccer before turning 30. The rest of the options are not that great here, with Aurelien Collin finishing second.
1987
Mike Grella might have scored the fastest goal in MLS history and out on some flashy moves, but there is no dislodging Dax McCarty, the Ginger Ninja. Dax just retired, of course, which makes us feel very, very old.
1988
A lean year with only six players: Eric Alexander, who played every game in the first Shield year... and five others who are not even close.
1989
You see this, Eric Maxim Choupo-Motting? You can have this, you just need to do better than Jozy Altidore and Connor Lade. Doable, perhaps, even in your advanced age?
1990
An excellent top three here: Ryan Meara, Felipe Martins, and Daniel Royer, one of four players in team history to score 50 goals.
1991
What a terrible year this is... until we got the most recent 1991-er, Emil Forbserg. We would have had to settle for Chris Duvall otherwise. (No, not Cory Burke!)
1992
We got to Kemar Lawrence and thought, jackpot... but the next name alphabetically was Aaron Long.
1993
Probably one of the hardest decisions, with Sean Davis topping Tim Parker. Davis is third in team history in games played and fifth in minutes, so he gets it.
1994
Only three players, and they are all... bad. Really, really bad: Justin Bilyeu, Marius Obekop, Carlos Rivas. At least Rivas scored a couple of goals?
1995
If Tom Barlow was born a year earlier, he would have won easily. But here, he finishes very far behind Alex Muyl, Alejandro Romero Gamarra, and Matt Miazga. Kaku was great until Chris Armas caged him, but Miazga was absolutely essential on the second Shield winner.
1996
Two current Metros battle it out, with 2021 MVP Carlos Coronel lagging behind 2022 and 2024 MVP Lewis Morgan.
1997
Another battle of two current Metros, with two-time team Defender of the Year Sean Nealis topping one-time team Defender of the Year Kyle Duncan.
1998
Wow, Mother Nealis must have been busy, since Dylan Nealis came just a year and a half behind Sean. We also have Patryk Klimala and Dante Vanzeir... let's move on. But nice playoff goals, Dante!
1999
Our run of current Metros breaks with Tyler Adams. Andres Reyes dropped out with a mysterious illness.
2000
Another very hard choice: Frankie Amaya versus Cristian Casseres. Two players who played the same position and were both sold mid-year recently. We will go with the Venezuelan, but this is a toss-up.
2001
Now the numbers dwindle, with only five here. We're choosing Cameron Harper over Elias Manoel, because the Metro brass just did the same.
2002
Four players here, and three of them just started MLS Cup: Noah Eile, Peter Stroud, and John Tolkin.
2003
Five players here, and one of them just started MLS Cup: Daniel Edelman. File Caden Clark under another what-could-have-been.
2004
You will note that Dennis Gjengaar did not play a single playoff minute, but Ronald Donkor did.
2005
Curtis Ofori has not played yet, so Serge Ngoma by default.
2006
No one!
2007
Davi Alexandre hasn't played yet.
2008
Tanner Rosborough and Aidan Stokes haven't played yet, so Julian Hall.
2009
Adri Mehmeti is just 15. We just feel old.
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