As part of our “Celebrating 10 Years in MLS” campaign, SoundersFC.com has launched a Best XI campaign where fans have the opportunity to vote for the club’s all-time MLS starting lineup. The voting is weighted with four sets of voting contingents: Fans (25 percent), Media (25 percent), Club Stakeholders (25 percent) and Alliance Council (25 percent), with the final Best XI to be revealed on Wednesday, July 10.
The fourth and final voting group to determine our Best XI: Forwards (June 6 - June 12).
Candidates
| Seyi Adekoya | 2017 - 2018 |
| Oalex Anderson | 2016 |
| Chad Barrett | 2014 - 2015 |
| Will Bates | 2013 |
| Tristan Bowen | 2014 |
| Will Bruin | 2017 - Present |
| Felix Chenkam | 2018 |
| Kenny Cooper | 2014 - 2015 |
| Andy Craven | 2016 |
| Clint Dempsey | 2013 - 2018 |
| David Estrada | 2010 - 2014 |
| Kevin Forrest | 2009 |
| Mike Fucito | 2009 - 2011 |
| Herculez Gomez | 2016 |
| Nate Jaqua | 2009 - 2011 |
| Eddie Johnson | 2012 - 2013 |
| Darwin Jones | 2015 - 2016 |
| Sébastien Le Toux | 2009 |
| Roger Levesque | 2009 - 2012 |
| Victor Mansaray | 2015 - 2017 |
| Obafemi Martins | 2013 - 2015 |
| Fredy Montero | 2009 - 2012 |
| Jordan Morris | 2016 - Present |
| Lamar Neagle | 2009, 2011, 2014 - 2015, 2017 - 2018 |
| Blaise Nkufo | 2010 - 2011 |
| Pat Noonan | 2010 - 2011 |
| Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez | 2019 - Present |
| Sammy Ochoa | 2011 - 2013 |
| Sean Okoli | 2014 |
| Kevin Parsemain | 2014 - 2015 |
| Raúl Ruidíaz | 2018 - Present |
| Jarrod Smith | 2009 |
| Babayele Sodade | 2012 |
| Nelson Valdez | 2015 - 2016 |
| Cam Weaver | 2014 |
| O'Brian White | 2011 - 2012 |
Highlights
Arguably the greatest talent ever produced by the United States, Clint Dempsey retired in 2018 tied for the Sounders’ lead in MLS regular-season goals scored with 47 and third in assists with 28. Deuce became one of the faces of the franchise after his arrival from Tottenham in 2013 and won the 2014 U.S. Open Cup, 2014 Supporters’ Shield and 2016 MLS Cup. After being sidelined for an irregular heartbeat that shut down his 2016 season, he stormed back in 2017 to lead the Sounders to back-to-back Western Conference titles and win 2017 MLS Comeback Player of the Year.
Tied with Dempsey atop the Sounders’ goalscoring charts with 47, Fredy Montero solidified himself as one of the best forwards in Major League Soccer when he arrived from Colombia for Seattle’s inaugural MLS season in 2009. All he did was score 60 goals in all competitions, finish second all-time in club history in assists with 34 and win three consecutive U.S. Open Cup titles from 2009-11.
Perhaps the most electrifying player in club history, Obafemi Martins was must-see TV. Despite only playing in 72 matches across three seasons, Martins finished his time in Seattle second in club history in goals with 40 and added 23 assists. The former Nigeria international was a two-time MLS All-Star and led the Sounders to the 2014 U.S. Open Cup and 2014 Supporters’ Shield.
Lamar Neagle had four separate stints with the Sounders from 2009-18 and racked up 28 goals in 130 appearances. The Federal Way, Wash., native won the 2009 U.S. Open Cup, the 2011 U.S. Open Cup, the 2014 U.S. Open Cup and the 2014 Supporters’ Shield.
One of the most hyped Homegrown signings in MLS history, Jordan Morris has scored 19 goals in 69 appearances for the Sounders including 12 in his rookie campaign en route to winning 2016 MLS Rookie of the Year and 2016 MLS Cup. Morris missed the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL, but has come back with a vengeance in 2019, scoring four goals and adding an assist in 12 matches.
Since his arrival in summer 2018, Raúl Ruidíaz has been a revelation for Seattle. He helped lead the Sounders to an MLS-record nine straight wins last season and finished with 10 goals in 13 starts. He has 15 career regular-season goals in just 20 starts and added three more goals in two postseason matches last season. He’s averaging a blistering 0.84 Goals Per Game with the Sounders in all competitions.
