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Major League Soccer announces its 2024 MLS Best XI
Blogs

Major League Soccer announces its 2024 MLS Best XI

04/12/24 22:53

So who made the cut?

Yesterday the official lineup for this year’s team of the tournament was announced and it is packed with star-studded quality. Eight different nations, nine different clubs and ten MLS all-stars, here is a look into who those individuals are and what they’ve achieved this campaign.

Goalkeeper: Kristijan Kahlina (Charlotte FC)

Making history by becoming the first-ever Croatian and Charlotte FC player to make an MLS Best XI, it was always going to be Kristijan Kahlina starting this list as he also won the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award a few weeks ago. Playing every minute in goal for Charlotte this season Kahlina has been the North Carolina-based club’s number one keeper ever since their inaugural 2022 season.

Aged 32 most of his career was spent in Eastern Europe at Croatian, Slovenian and Bulgarian clubs. Kahlina was part of a defence that conceded the second least amount of goals in the regular season (37) and had the most clean sheets of all keepers in the league (12). He also had one of the highest save percentages in the league at 76% so his inclusion is a no-brainer.

Defender: Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF)

When Jordi Alba signed and became the third ex-Barcelona legend to travel to Miami, big things were expected. The Spaniard has lived up to those expectations in his first full season, ending it as the defender with the most assists in the league (14) as well as being named Inter Miami's Defender of the Year and helping his club clinch their first ever Supporters’ Shield.

Not every player that makes the transfer from European football to MLS succeeds but Alba has managed to defy any allegations of being a failure. Whilst he will be disappointed with his club’s shock premature end to the season, which you can read about here, the fullback can boast an average of 63 passes completed and 5.8 ball recoveries per 90.

Defender: Yeimar Gómez Andrade (Seattle Sounders FC)

Seattle finished the season with the best defensive record in the league (35 goals conceded) so it makes sense that someone from their backline is included. A name that many put forward to win the Defender of the Year award, this is Yeimar’s second inclusion in the MLS Best XI after his selection in the 2021 season team as well.

Having now made over 150 appearances for the Sounders since his transfer in 2020, the Colombian was starting in 11 of Seattle’s 13 collective clean sheets. Yeimar made a league-high 57 interceptions, which was paired with 141 clearances across 2024.

Defender: Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew)

The Crew managed to average just 1.07 goals conceded per game, and a big contributor to that was the 2024 MLS Defender of the Year, Steven Moreira. The second player on this list to be the first from their nation to make the Best XI, the Cape Verde international spent the majority of his career in the French top flight before moving to Ohio.

A 2023 MLS Cup champion, unfortunately, Moreira could not deliver the same success this season. He is however one of the most progressive fullbacks in the league averaging 1.67 progressive carries and 5.76 progressive passes per 90.

Midfielder: Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati)

Last year’s MVP and by far the player on this list with the most MLS experience, this is Luciano Acosta’s fourth MLS Best XI appearance and third straight inclusion (selected in 2018, 2022, 2023 & 2024). The Argentinian is gradually becoming an FC Cincinnati club legend, as the club's record goalscorer (54 goals) Acosta also is second in all-time appearances (151) for the Ohio outfit.

The former DC United midfielder finished the season with a career-high 33 goal contributions, he also ranks ninth in the all-time MLS assist chart, just shy of the 100 mark. A creative livewire, Acosta completed 224 shot-creating actions this season - the most in the league - as well as 86 successful take-ons.

Midfielder: Evander (Portland Timbers)

Only Lionel Messi surpassed Evander in regular season goal contributions and the Brazilian was playing for a Timbers side that crashed out of the playoff picture by losing 5-0 to Vancouver in the Western Conference wildcard match.

After a standout sophomore 2024 season, he is surprisingly just the third Brazilian to have made an MLS Best XI after Luciano Emilio (2007) and João Paulo (2021). With his only previous footballing experience being in Brazil and Denmark, Evander racked up 15 goals and 15 assists beating his xG+xAG (21.2) by almost 9 whole figures.

Midfielder: Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy)

Surprisingly not one single player in the MLS Best XI will be involved in the MLS Cup Final this upcoming weekend. Riqui Puig is the only player on this list to represent either LA Galaxy or New York Red Bulls but suffered a torn ACL in the Western Conference Final last week. Incredibly he played 35 minutes with this injury, a testimony that reflects why he is truly one of the best players in the league.

He is the first Galaxy player to feature in the Best XI since Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2019, reflecting the LA club’s 2024 resurgence. Arguably snubbed of an MVP nomination, Puig leads the regular season statistical charts for passes completed (2443) and passes in the final third (346). The decision to leave Barcelona for the MLS just days before his 23rd birthday was questionable, but with his four goals and three assists in LA Galaxy’s 2024 playoff run, the La Masia product is solidifying himself in Galaxy folklore.

Forward: Christian Benteke (D.C. United)

The only player on this list not to have made an appearance in the postseason, Christian Benteke is still one of the first names on the list as the winner of the MLS Golden Boot. If the Belgian striker had a more competent team around him DC would’ve easily made the playoffs with his 23 goals in 30 games, 44.23% of his club’s goals.

After an average 2023 season (netting 14 times) the former Crystal Palace and Aston Villa player has had his most prolific season yet. It’s not just his goals that are noticeable, Benteke also won 310 aerial duels in 2024, 200 more than anyone else in the league. A real comeback campaign in Washington.

Forward: Denis Bouanga (LAFC)

After back-to-back seasons with over 20 MLS goals, Denis Bouanga joined Carlos Vela as the only two players in LAFC’s history to produce at least 30 goal contributions in a single season. The Gabonese winger is getting closer to Vela’s goal record for the club, after scoring 69 times in three seasons in LA.

As the main goal contributor for the team that finished top of the Western Conference, Bouanga has become a free spirit in America, with no one recording more shots on target (4.71 per 90) since the beginning of 2024. Even managing to outshine the likes of Olivier Giroud and Gareth Bale in their spells at the club.

Forward: Cucho Hernández (Columbus Crew)

The second player from Columbus in the lineup and previously known for his five Premier League goals for Watford in their 21/22 relegation campaign. ‘Cucho’ is another example of someone who has arrived in the MLS and become a hero. Contributing to the Crew’s third-ever MLS Cup triumph in 2023.

His case for a spot in the Best XI is aided by 19 goals and 10 assists in the MLS as well as a Leagues Cup win in August of this year. An integral part of Columbus’ creative engine, he is not only their main goalscorer but also has 5.7 shot-creating actions per 90, the highest in the whole of the Crew’s squad.

Forward: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)

It could not be a ‘Best XI’ without a forward from Inter Miami’s regular season point record-breaking team. But the MLS’ poster boy is not just in the team for his famed name. Lionel Messi proved in his first season that he is a class above the rest of the league, even with a mid-season injury reducing his game time. The eight-time Balon d’Or winner led the league for goal contributions despite making just 19 regular season appearances.

His outstanding season is supported even further by the fact he outperformed his non-penalty xG by eight whole goals. He also led the league with a whopping 1.57 goal-creating actions per 90. Everyone will have high expectations surrounding the little magician’s upcoming second season at the club, especially now that former Barcelona teammate, Javier Mascherano will be managing him after Tata Martino’s exit.

All statistics are taken from FBref.com, the MLS Cup Final is on Saturday 7th December at 9pm British Time and will be free to watch via Apple TV.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist
James McLeish

Writer

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