MLS and the Boldness of the Unlikely Champions

If you think you’ve seen it all in soccer, you might want to check out the last few years of this American league that loves to defy logic. For those who believe only the powerhouses lift the trophy, just take a look at the seasons from 2008 to 2010 and see how the underdogs made it to the top. Because while some teams spend the whole year battling for dominance, others, underdog vibes and all, sneak up, mess with the stats, and leave the favorites staring in disbelief.

In 2008, it was as if Columbus Crew was born for that title. Dominating the regular season by a huge margin, they clinched the Supporters’ Shield with three games to spare, playing some rock-solid, disciplined soccer. That was the year the league brought the final back to the legendary Home Depot Center, and all signs seemed to point to the Crew, who were a real “wall” that season. With Sigi Schmid leading the charge, this was a team that felt destined to be champions. And sure, the Crew’s win over the New York Red Bulls seemed inevitable, but what’s truly impressive is how easy they made it look. A clean 3-1, no fuss, was all it took to hoist the MLS Cup, setting a record gap in points between the finalists in league history.

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Then comes the unpredictable 2009, and with it, Real Salt Lake. No one saw them getting to the final, let alone lifting the title. We’re talking about a team that barely made it into the playoffs, finishing fifth in the Western Conference. And to spice things up, they ended up pushed into the Eastern side of the playoffs, where they faced a few favorites and made some serious waves. Then, in Seattle, at the roaring Qwest Field (now the famous Lumen Field), and in front of an audience of over 45,000 for the first time since 2002, Real Salt Lake dared to dream. In the final, going up against the Los Angeles Galaxy, they weren’t the favorites, but they put on a show fit for a movie finale. A dramatic draw, extra time, and everything came down to penalties. And it was Robbie Russell who took the deciding penalty, sealing the win and taking the title home.

With MLS being what it is, logic took another hit in 2010 with the Colorado Rapids, yet another team that nobody expected to go far but ended up surprising everyone. That season, the Western Conference was so dominant that six of their teams made it to the playoffs, while the East had to settle for only two. This kind of imbalance was unheard of, and guess what—it meant that spots in the East were fought over by Western teams, too. In the Eastern semi, Colorado Rapids and San Jose Earthquakes, both hailing from the West, swept past the Eastern Conference teams. And so, we reached the final, where Colorado faced off against FC Dallas in a match that, once again, was decided in extra time. A 2-1 scoreline was all Colorado Rapids needed to secure their first MLS Cup, and once again, we saw the improbable become reality.

Those three years were like a trilogy of the unexpected, where MLS proved it’s truly fertile ground for underdogs. While Columbus Crew did what was expected, taking the title in 2008 without much trouble, the following years showed that regular season dominance and favoritism don’t always guarantee the final triumph. Real Salt Lake and Colorado Rapids were unlikely champions, but with a tenacity that earned the respect of all who doubted.