FRISCO, Texas -- Major League Soccer named the RadioShack Best XI team for the 2006 MLS season during the MLS Gala Awards event held last night at the Frisco Convention Center. The New England Revolution and Houston Dynamo will meet in MLS Cup 2006 on Sunday, Nov. 12 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas (live on ABC Sports at 3:30 p.m. ET).
GOALKEEPER (1): Troy Perkins* (D.C. United)
DEFENDERS (3): Bobby Boswell* (D.C. United), Jose Burciaga Jr*. (Kansas City Wizards), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Ricardo Clark* (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution), Dwayne De Rosario (Houston Dynamo), Christian Gomez (D.C. United), Justin Mapp* (Chicago Fire)
FORWARDS (2): Jeff Cunningham (Real Salt Lake), Jaime Moreno (D.C. United)
* First time Best XI recipient
The following are select highlights of the RadioShack Best XI:
TOP TEAM, TOP PLAYERS: D.C. United, the top team during the 2006 regular season, grabbed the most spots on the RadioShack Best XI team with four including: Perkins (MLS Goalkeeper of the Year), Boswell (MLS Defender of the Year), Gomez (Honda MVP) and Moreno. In the 11-year history of the League, D.C. United players have received the honor a record 19 times, with the Chicago Fire coming in second with 17 Best XI selections.
RADIOSHACK BEST XI DEBUTANTS: Five of the 11 players are first-time selections: Perkins, Boswell, Burciaga Jr., Clark and Mapp.
RADIOSHACK BEST XI VETERANS: Six of the 11 players have been selected to a RadioShack Best XI team in previous years. All, but Cunningham were selected to the RadioShack Best XI team in 2005: Conrad (3), Cunningham (2), Dempsey (2), De Rosario (2), Gomez (2) and Moreno (5)
INTERNATIONALS: Four countries are represented in the RadioShack Best XI squad: USA (Perkins, Boswell, Burciaga Jr., Conrad, Clark, Dempsey, Mapp, Cunningham), Canada (De Rosario), Argentina (Gomez) and Bolivia (Moreno)
RADIOSHACK BEST XI REGULARS: Moreno is the third player in the history of the League to be recognized five times on a Best XI squad.
Most Best XI Selections in MLS History:
5 - Chris Armas (Chicago Fire - 5)
5 - Robin Fraser (Los Angeles Galaxy - 4; Columbus Crew - 1)
5 - Jaime Moreno (D.C. United - 5)
2006 RadioShack Best XI:
GOALKEEPER - TROY PERKINS (D.C. United)
DOB - July 29, 1981
Nationality - United States
Perkins, the 2006 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, is in his third full season in the League. He anchored the D.C. United defense while leading his team to the best regular season record (15-7-10) and the Supporter's Shield Trophy. He led the league with 15 wins this season and he ranked third in shutouts (8), goals against average (1.13) and saves (100). Perkins won the MLS Player of the Week award for Week 13, and was selected to his first MLS All-Star game, where he helped keep a clean sheet against English powerhouse Chelsea FC.
DEFENDER - BOBBY BOSWELL (D.C. United)
DOB - March 15, 1983
Nationality - United States
Boswell won the 2006 MLS Defender of the Year award only a year after entering the league in 2005 as an un-drafted player. Boswell had a strong year individually, as he was selected to start the MLS All-Star game and he started and played every minute in 30 games helping D.C. United concede less than three goals in all but three matches. Boswell helped lead United to the best record in MLS for which they were awarded the Supporters' Shield Trophy.
DEFENDER - JOSE BURCIAGA JR. (Kansas City Wizards)
DOB - Nov. 16, 1981
Nationality - United States
A finalist for MLS defender of the year, Burciaga Jr. led all defenders in Major League Soccer with eight goals and eight assists. He started 29 of the 30 games he played in this season. Burciaga's assist total was a Wizards team-high while his goal total was second-best on the squad. In the 30 matches that he appeared, he netted a team-high four game-winning goals and was recognized as the Wizards' Most Valuable Player. Burciaga also was selected to his first All-Star game.
DEFENDER - JIMMY CONRAD (Kansas City Wizards)
DOB - Feb. 12, 1977
Nationality - United States
For the third year in a row, Conrad's defensive prowess has brought him a spot on the MLS Best XI. A finalist for the 2006 Defender of the Year award and the winner of the 2005 Defender of the Year award, he has increasingly stood out for his defensive efforts. He was selected for the third time in his career as a MLS All-Star.
MIDFIELDER - RICARDO CLARK (Houston Dynamo)
DOB - Feb. 10, 1983
Nationality - United States
One of the best holding midfielders in the league, Clark's tremendous work rate garnered him a spot on the RadioShack Best XI squad. Clark started and played 31 games for the Dynamo while scoring two goals and notching three assists. Clark made his debut as an MLS All-Star this season.
MIDFIELDER - CLINT DEMPSEY (New England Revolution)
DOB - March 9, 1983
Nationality - United States
The winner of the 2006 Honda U.S. Player of the Year Award, Dempsey received his second consecutive RadioShack Best XI honor in his third season in MLS. He ranked second in goals scored for the Revolution (8) in only 21 games played this season. Dempsey was the only player on the U.S. National Team to score a goal in the 2006 World Cup. He was selected as the MLS Player of the Week for week 14.
MIDFIELDER - DWAYNE DE ROSARIO (Houston Dynamo)
DOB - May 15, 1978
Nationality - Canada
A finalist for MLS Most Valuable Player, De Rosario played in 30 games, starting 29 of them. He helped guide the Dynamo to an 11-8-13 regular season record, while sharing the team lead in goals scored (11). A two-time winner of the MLS Goal of the Year Award, De Rosario is currently in contention for a third-straight award with a 55-yard shot that beat Chicago Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton back on August 30. He won MLS Player of the Week for week 6.
MIDFIELDER - CHRISTIAN GOMEZ (D.C. United0
DOB - Nov. 7, 1974
Nationality - Argentina
Gomez, winner of the 2006 Honda Most Valuable Player, excelled in his second full season with D.C. United, leading the team in both goals (14) and assists (11) - both MLS career highs. Gomez appeared in 30 games, starting 28, and represented D.C. in the 2006 MLS All-Star game. In games in which Gomez scored, D.C. United was 6-3-3, while the team was 7-1-3 in games that he notched an assist. Gomez also led the United in game-winning assists (four). He won Player of the Week honors for week 23 and week 26.
MIDFIELDER - JUSTIN MAPP (Chicago Fire)
DOB - Oct. 18, 1984
Nationality - United States
Mapp entered the league at 17 years of age. Now 22 years old, and in his fifth MLS season, he's becoming a star. He played in 26 games this season, starting 22, and scored two goals and tallied eight assists. The speedy left-footed player helped lead the Chicago Fire to the playoffs as the third seed in the Western Conference. On Sept. 23 he became the youngest player in MLS history to play in 100 games.
FORWARD - JEFF CUNNINGHAM (Real Salt Lake)
DOB - Aug. 21, 1976
Nationality - United States
Winner of the Budweiser Golden Boot award and a finalist for the Honda Most Valuable Player award, Cunningham scored 16 goals and recorded 11 assists in 31 games during his ninth MLS season and now has 90 career goals. His 2006 goal total equaled that of his 2002 campaign as a member of the Columbus Crew. During his stellar goal scoring run this season, Cunningham passed Preki (79 goals), Raul Diaz Arce (82 goals) and Roy Lassiter (88 goals) on the MLS all-time goal scoring charts and now has the fourth highest goal total behind only Jason Kreis (108), Jaime Moreno (105) and Ante Razov (98). Cunningham earned MLS Player of the Week honors four times during the 2006 season and was Player of the Month in August.
FORWARD - JAIME MORENO (D.C. United)
DOB - January 19, 1974
Nationality - Bolivia
Moreno put together another outstanding season for D.C. United, as he played in each of United's 32 games, starting 31. As the catalyst for the League's best offense, Moreno notched 11 goals, including a team-high five game-winners, and 10 assists. This season proved to be a landmark year for Moreno, as he scored his 100th career goal. For the season, he was a perfect three-for-three from the penalty spot, increasing his League record to 29. In addition to making his sixth MLS All-Star team, Moreno also grabbed Player of the Week honors twice this season
The RadioShack Best XI team was determined by voting from the MLS players, MLS coaches and general managers, and media.
