Best XI Recognizes League’s Top Players at Each Position
RENTON, WASH. – Seattle Sounders FC goalkeeper Kasey Keller has been named to the 2011 MLS Best XI, it was announced today by Commissioner Don Garber. The Best XI recognizes the League’s top 11 players at each position on the field – one goalkeeper, three defenders, five midfielders and two forwards.
Garber disclosed the Best XI during his annual State of the League address. Keller, along with five others, earned his first Best XI selection while the LA Galaxy lead all teams with four players selected.
Keller, the former U.S. international playing his final professional season, anchored one of the league’s top defenses. Keller led all goalkeepers with 18 wins and made a career-high 110 saves, the most of any keeper on a playoff team. His 1.09 goals against average tied for fifth and his nine shutouts tied for third-most. One of only three keepers to play every minute this season, Keller started a league-high 95 consecutive (and 99 of 100 overall) MLS regular season and playoff matches, dating back to April 25, 2009.
Keller was named to the 2011 First XI All-Star team, his third All-Star selection. He was named MLS Player of the Week for his performance against the San Jose Earthquakes in the regular season home finale and he earned MLS Save of the Week a league-high six times.
Keller is also a finalist for the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award, to be announced on Tuesday, November 15, and several of his highlight saves are up for Save of the Year, to be announced on November 16. Keller was a finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year in 2009 and he won Save of the Year in 2010 for his stop against Kansas City.
The only other Sounders FC player to earn MLS Best XI honors was midfielder Freddie Ljungberg in 2009.
The Best XI members received the most votes from the media, MLS players and MLS coaches and general managers.
Below is a breakdown of the MLS Best XI by position and in alphabetical order:
2011 MLS Best XI
GOALKEEPER (1): Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC)
DEFENDERS (3): Todd Dunivant (LA Galaxy), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Jamison Olave (Real Salt Lake)
MIDFIELDERS (5): David Beckham (LA Galaxy), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Brek Shea (FC Dallas)
FORWARDS (2): Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
