KANSAS CITY, MO - Major League Soccer announced the Radio Shack "All-Time Best XI" today at the MLS Cup media luncheon in Frisco, Texas. Included on the All-Time "Best XI" list were Wizards midfielder Preki and former goalkeeper Tony Meola. The winners were selected by a combination of voting that included online voting on the League's official website, www.MLSnet.com (50 percent), media votes (25 percent), and current MLS coaches and general managers (25 percent).
Preki, 42, announced his retirement from professional soccer last month, ending his 26-year professional career that included 10 seasons in MLS as arguably the best player in League history. He spent nine of his ten seasons in MLS with the Wizards, having scored 79 career goals (6th all-time) and adding 112 assists, two shy of the MLS record of 114 held by Carlos Valderrama. He also ranks as the all-time leader in shots (772) and became Major League Soccer's all-time leading scorer during the 2002 season and held that honor until the end of 2004.
Preki twice led the League in scoring, first in 1997 when he scored 12 goals and added 17 assists, and again in 2003 with 12 goals and 17 assists once again. In both season's he was named MLS Most Valuable Player. His 2003 MVP honor came at the age of 40, making him the first player over 40 in any professional sports league in the country to earn MVP honors.
The crafty midfielder was named to the MLS All-Star team each of his first eight seasons in MLS (1996-2003) and was named to the MLS "Best XI" four times - 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2003. He suffered a devastating injury during the 2004 preseason that forced him to miss all but two games during the year, but battled back to return to the Wizards lineup in 2005.
Meola spent six seasons in Kansas City, wearing the Wizards blue from 1999 to 2004. He has been a giant among goalkeepers in MLS, playing the most games (230) and registering the most shutouts (57) in League history. In 2000, Meola came back from injury to not only help Kansas City win the MLS Cup, but he also filled his trophy case by capturing the Comeback Player of the Year, MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, MLS Cup Most Valuable Player, and the League's Most Valuable Player awards.
The 2005 Major League Soccer season will wrap up this weekend with MLS Cup 2005 taking place at the new Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, TX. on Sunday, November 13 and features the New England Revolution and the Los Angeles Galaxy (3:30 p.m. ET live on ABC Sports).
