Atlanta United: Best ever in MLS?
By Drew Hubbard
The 2018 Five Stripes recorded one of the best-ever seasons in MLS. But with the dominant 2017 Toronto side, can Atlanta United be the best we’ve ever seen?
The Five Stripes were able to deliver one of the best-ever seasons in Major League Soccer history in 2018 with 69 points — tied with Toronto FC of 2017 for the second-highest point total — and an MLS Cup to put the cherry on top of a record-breaking campaign.
The accomplishments of the 2018 Five Stripes is nothing short of remarkable, and it deservedly puts the 2018 Atlanta United squad in the conversation for the best team to ever take the field in MLS history.
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In the 2017 season, Toronto FC grabbed the title of best-ever team in MLS with a record-breaking 69 points, which would be broken by the New York Red Bulls in 2018 with 71 points, an MLS Cup, and taking home the 2017 Canadian Championship. The Reds would then go on to advance to the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League Final where they would eventually fall to C.D. Guadalajara on penalty kicks, becoming the first MLS side to advance to the finals.
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The Reds of 2017 will go down as one of the best-ever teams in MLS history, but the 2018 Atlanta United squad is not far behind.
Atlanta United recorded one of the best regular seasons in league history, finishing with 69 points but failing to earn the 2018 Supporters’ Shield with a devastating 4-1 to Toronto FC on the final day of the season which allowed the New York Red Bulls to take home the trophy and the best regular season in league history with 71 points.
Despite the Supporters’ Shield failure, Atlanta turned around and went on to win the 2018 MLS Cup to further prove their claim that they are one of the best-ever in MLS.
However, an MLS Cup and 69 points still fall short of Toronto FC’s 2017 resume with the Five Stripes’ failure to take home a domestic trophy, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Atlanta United fell to the Chicago Fire in the round of 16 in Mercedes Benz Stadium by a score of 1-0.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is one of the most prestigious trophies in American soccer and is considered much more competitive than the Canadian Championship that includes Toronto FC and other Canadian teams. Although the Canadian Championship may not be on the same level as the U.S. Open Cup, the trophy by the 2017 Reds gives an added item on their resume that the 2018 Five Stripes failed to grab.
Ultimately, the best-ever MLS team will be considered by whoever grabs the elusive CONCACAF Champions League trophy and breaks through the wall that has been holding MLS back for so long. But with rumors floating around Atlanta United and their star players, fans may see a completely different team on the field in 2019 than what won the title in 2018.
Next. Atlanta United: 2018 season review. dark
Despite whatever run the Five Stripes make in 2019, they made their mark in the history books in 2018 and will be considered one of the best-ever teams to ever set foot in Major League Soccer.