USMNT Players Headline MLS Best XI

With the MLS season drawing to a close, the league announced the season's best XI earlier today. Of the 11 players, 5 have recently been called to camp by Bob Bradley, showing that the best of our domestic league are catching the eye of the National Team coaching staff.

Chad Marshall matched his second consecutive MLS Defender of the Year award with a second consecutive MLS Best XI honor. The Crew standout anchored a defense that finished tied for third in fewest goals against, while also having quite a successful Gold Cup.

In the midfield, it's no surprise that Landon Donovan was honored for the third time in his career. Donovan finished the season with 12 goals and 6 assists, leading an LA Galaxy team through a worst-to-first turnaround. Joining him in the midfield is Dynamo star Stuart Holden, who is earning this honor for the first time in his young career. Both players have provided a creative spark for club and country, with speculation that they both might be headed to Europe in the winter.

At striker, Conor Casey and Jeff Cunningham earned Best XI honors for their successful seasons. Casey finished the season with 16 goals and 1 assist, forming a dynamic partnership with Omar Cummings for the Colorado Rapids. Cunningham, meanwhile, won the Golden Boot, scoring 17 goals with FC Dallas. This was the second time Cunningham finished with the most goals in MLS, the other being 2006 when, not coincidentally, he earned his only other MLS Best XI honor.