MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer. Beginning with the 2008 MLS Cup winner, subsequent teams will receive the redesigned MLS Cup trophy, named the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy [1] [2], for his long-standing commitment to MLS. The previous trophy was named the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy, after the founding chairman of MLS.
MLS Cups
| Eastern (1996-Present) |
Western (1996-Present) |
Central (2000-2001) |
| Year |
Date |
Winning Team |
Score |
Losing Team |
Venue |
City |
Attendance |
| 1996 |
October 20 |
D.C. United |
3–2† |
Los Angeles Galaxy |
Foxboro Stadium |
Foxboro, MA |
34,643 |
| 1997 |
October 26 |
D.C. United (2) |
2–1 |
Colorado Rapids |
RFK Stadium |
Washington, D.C. |
57,431 |
| 1998 |
October 25 |
Chicago Fire |
2–0 |
D.C. United |
Rose Bowl |
Pasadena, CA |
51,350 |
| 1999 |
November 21 |
D.C. United (3) |
2–0 |
Los Angeles Galaxy |
Foxboro Stadium (2) |
Foxboro, MA (2) |
44,910 |
| 2000 |
October 15 |
Kansas City Wizards |
1–0 |
Chicago Fire |
RFK Stadium (2) |
Washington, D.C. (2) |
39,159 |
| 2001 |
October 21 |
San Jose Earthquakes |
2–1† |
Los Angeles Galaxy |
Columbus Crew Stadium |
Columbus, OH |
21,626 |
| 2002 |
October 20 |
Los Angeles Galaxy |
1–0† |
New England Revolution |
Gillette Stadium |
Foxboro, MA (3) |
61,316 |
| 2003 |
November 23 |
San Jose Earthquakes (2) |
4–2 |
Chicago Fire |
Home Depot Center |
Carson, CA |
27,000 |
| 2004 |
November 14 |
D.C. United (4) |
3–2 |
Kansas City Wizards |
Home Depot Center (2) |
Carson, CA (2) |
25,797 |
| 2005 |
November 13 |
Los Angeles Galaxy (2) |
1–0† |
New England Revolution |
Pizza Hut Park |
Frisco, TX |
21,193 |
| 2006 |
November 12 |
Houston Dynamo |
1–1
4–3‡ |
New England Revolution |
Pizza Hut Park (2) |
Frisco, TX (2) |
22,427 |
| 2007 |
November 18 |
Houston Dynamo (2) |
2–1 |
New England Revolution |
RFK Stadium (3) |
Washington, D.C. (3) |
39,859 |
| 2008 |
November 23 |
Columbus Crew |
3–1 |
New York Red Bulls |
Home Depot Center (3) |
Carson, CA (3) |
27,000 |
† - Extra Time
‡ - Shootout
Bold - MLS Supporters' Shield Winner
Italics - Sellout Crowd
MLS Cup successes by club
The second version of the Alan I. Rothenberg MLS Cup trophy
Most Valuable Player Award recipients
Dwayne De Rosario is the only person to be named the MLS Cup MVP more than once.
MLS Scudetto
At the start of the 2006 season, MLS created their version of the scudetto (Italian: "small shield"), a symbol worn on the jersey by the team who won the previous season's Serie A (the top Italian league).
The MLS scudetto was originally a curved, triangular badge featuring a backdrop of the American flag behind a replica of the Alan I. Rothenberg MLS Cup trophy. It was redesigned for the 2008 season after the change to the MLS Cup trophy. It is now an oval shaped black badge with the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy in the middle. The MLS scudetto is worn by the winning team the season following the victory. It is only during the subsequent season (two years after winning the championship), that the team adds a star — a common soccer signifier of titles won — above the team logo. The team can display the star on other items beside their jersey in the year after winning the Cup, but only if the scudetto is not shown.
- The 2005 MLS Cup champion, the Los Angeles Galaxy, was the first team to wear the scudetto and now has a second star above the team shield on the jersey during the 2007 season[1].
- The Houston Dynamo was the first team to win subsequent championships after the scudetto was unveiled. In such case, the team will wear the scudetto for another season; however, the sanctioned star will be added to the team logo.
- The Columbus Crew will be the first team to wear the redesigned scudetto.
Halftime shows
Trivia
- The most successful team in MLS Cup playoffs: D.C. United, winning the title four times (1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004).
- D.C. United qualified for four successive MLS Cup finals between 1996 to 1999, a standing record as of 2007.
- Teams with most appearances (5) in MLS Cup finals:
DC United: 4 Wins (1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004); 1 Loss (1998).
Los Angeles Galaxy: 2 Wins (2002 and 2005); 3 Losses (1996, 1999 and 2001).
- Only 2 teams won MLS Cup after winning every game in the playoffs:
D.C. United (won all 5 postseason games in 1997).
Chicago Fire (won all 5 postseason games in 1998).
- The runner-up who lost the most playoff games was Chicago Fire in 2000, with 3 losses (all in regulation).
- The MLS Cup winner with the worst regular-season record was Los Angeles Galaxy in 2005; they finished 4th in the Western Conference and 9th of 12 overall, with a 0.500 record (13-13-6) and negative (-1) goal difference (44-45).
- The MLS Cup winner with the 2nd-worst regular-season record was D.C. United in 1996, who finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference, with a 0.500 record (16-16). They qualify as the second worst regular season record by virtue of more regular season wins the 2005 LA Galaxy.
- The 3rd-worst regular-season record was that of D.C. United in 2004; they had a record of 11-10-9 for a winning percentage of .517.
- The MLS Cup runner-up with the worst regular-season record was Colorado Rapids in 1997, finishing 4th in the Western Conference, with a 0.438 record (14-18 and a negative goal difference (50-59).
- The 2nd-worst regular-season record for an MLS Cup runner-up was that of the New England Revolution in 2002 - they finished 1st in the Eastern Conference but only 5th out of 10 teams overall, with a 0.464 record (12-14-2) and a zero goal difference (49-49).
- All but three MLS Cup finals (2001, 2006 and 2007) involved at least a team that finished in the top two overall during the regular season. Some finals even featured both the Shield winners and runners-up (1999, 2000 and 2003).
- Up to 2005, Los Angeles Galaxy had been the only team to have qualified for playoffs every season. However, this proud record has come to an end in 2006, as they were knocked out of the playoffs for the first time in their 11-year history.[4]
- Houston Dynamo (2006 and 2007) and San Jose Earthquakes (2001 and 2003) have been the only champions winning every final they contested. It is worth noting that the San Jose Earthquakes were moved to Houston minus their history, meaning that the same core of players are undefeated in contested finals.
- In 2006, Houston Dynamo became the first club to win in a penalty shootout, beating the New England Revolution 4-3. Both teams scored in the second extra time session, resulting in a 1-1 draw, to extend the match to a shootout.
- New England Revolution was the only team to lose consecutive finals (2005, 2006 and 2007). In fact, they have lost all four MLS Cups that they have been involved in due to the fact that they also lost in 2002.
- Only two Eastern Conference teams have ever won the MLS Cup: D. C. United and the Columbus Crew. All other cup winners have come from the Western Conference. Chicago and Kansas City both won the MLS Cup while in the Western Conference even though they are now in the Eastern Conference.
- In only two seasons have both teams been competing in their first ever MLS Cup: the inagural 1996 season and 2008.
Notes and references
External Links
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MLS Cup 2008
Marco Etcheverry
Peter Nowak
Dwayne De Rosario
Carlos Ruiz
Guillermo Barros Schelotto