MLS: Top 5 attacking midfielders in league history
By Matt Coles
2. Dwayne de Rosario
From one multiple Goal of the Year winner to the other, as Canadian midfielder Dwayne de Rosario takes the No.2 spot on our list of the best-ever attacking midfielders to have featured in Major League Soccer.
DeRo turned professional in 1997 at the age of 19 and began with the Toronto Lynx in the USISL A-League. He then spent a season with German side FSV Zwickau before playing for the Richmond Kickers before his move to Major League Soccer in 2001.
MLS Career & Honours:
- San Jose Earthquakes (2001-2005)
- Houston Dynamo (2006-2008)
- Toronto FC (2009-2011, 2014)
- New York Red Bulls (2011)
- D.C. United (2011-2013)
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- MLS MVP – 2011
- MLS Golden Boot – 2011
- MLS Best XI – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011
- MLS Cup MVP – 2001, 2007
- MLS Goal of the Year – 2004, 2005
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- MLS Cup – 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007
- Supporters’ Shield – 2005
- U.S. Open Cup – 2013
- Canadian Championship – 2009, 2010
- CONCACAF Gold Cup – 2000
The Canadian midfielder signed for San Jose Earthquakes and went straight into one of the best teams in the league at the time. He scored five times and recorded four assists in the regular season, as the ‘Quakes went to the post-season. Although he did not start any of their playoff games, his impact in the MLS Cup final was key, as he came off the substitutes bench to score the golden goal in extra time against fierce California Clasico rivals LA Galaxy, giving San Jose their first major trophy. He was named MLS Cup MVP for his efforts in the final.
After a four-goal, eight-assist campaign in 2002, De Rosario struggled through 2003 with a torn ACL, but returned for the playoff run, playing three times in the post-season, as the ‘Quakes lifted the MLS Cup title for a second time in three seasons, as they defeated Chicago Fire 4-2 in the final, with DeRo coming off the bench in the 60th minute.
There were no trophies in 2004, but the Canadian midfielder earned an individual accolade, taking the MLS Goal of the Year award for a spectacular volley which crashed in off the underside of the crossbar. He repeated the success a year later with arguably an even better strike. His rocket of a free-kick against the Galaxy saw him win the Goal of the Year award in 2005, and he remains the only man to win the award in successive years.
The latter of those two goals played a part in San Jose winning the Supporters’ Shield for the first time in their history in 2005, with DeRo being named to the MLS Best XI for the first time in his career. He was joined in the line-up by team-mates Pat Onstad and Danny Califf, oil what was his final season in California.
After the Earthquakes failed to reach an agreement with AEG over their stadium for the 2006 campaign, the team was relocated to Houston, with the Dynamo franchise being born. DeRo made the move with the rest of his team-mates and there was instant success for the new team, as they won the MLS Cup in each of their first two seasons in the league.
They defeated New England Revolution in the final in 2006 on penalties, before getting the better of the same opposition a year later, with DeRo having a hand in both goals as they overcame the Revs 2-1, with the Canadian earning MLS Cup MVP honours for a second time, becoming the first player in history to be named MVP in the final on multiple occasions. He was also named into the MLS Best XI in both of those title-winning campaigns, after recording a combined 17 goals and nine assists across the two seasons. He was joined by Dynamo team-mate Ricardo Clark in 2006, with defender Eddie Robinson making it into the XI alongside DDR in 2007.
After a third season in Texas, De Rosario moved back home prior to the 2009 season, signing for expansion side Toronto FC, and he was named into the MLS Best XI in both of his first two seasons with the club. The midfielder scored 26 goals and recorded nine assists over the two campaigns, and the side also won their domestic cup competition, the Canadian Championship, in both of those years.
In what is possibly the most disjointed season of his career, De Rosario played for three clubs in 2011, and still took home the season’s MVP honours for his performances. He started with Toronto before being traded to the Red Bulls after two games. However, just three months later, he was then traded to D.C. United, where he would play through to the end of 2013.
Despite playing for three teams, DeRo scored 16 goals and recorded 12 assists in a total of 33 regular-season appearances, he became the first, and to date, the only, Canadian to be named the league’s MVP. He also made his sixth appearance in the MLS Best XI, a record only beaten by one other man, the man who tops our list of the best attacking midfielders.
After two more seasons in the capital, De Rosario returned to Toronto FC for the 2014 campaign, but would only start four games in what was to be his final season in Major League Soccer. His 14-year run in the league saw him feature over 340 times in the regular season, scoring 104 goals and recording a further 77 assists. He also played 24 times in the playoffs to take his total tally to over 360 matches in MLS play.
A year later, he retired from international football as Canada’s all-time leading goal-scorer. He netted 22 times in 81 appearances for his country and was a key part of their CONCACAF Gold Cup-winning squad in 2000. A true legend of MLS and Canadian football, and a man that will be remembered for a long time to come.