A glimpse at the Galaxy’s best starting XI for the past 10 years…
As another decade comes and goes, the LA Galaxy are set to enter 2021 with a lot of offseason changes and team decisions that will shortly be announced.
In the meantime, we have decided to reflect back on the last ten years and look at some of the players who have made some of the greatest impacts on the team and create the Galaxy’s best starting XI from 2010-2020.
After building what some may consider one of the strongest MLS team dynasties to date, the early years proceeding 2010 were fairly good to the LA Galaxy. The team saw a lot of success with a roster filled with a host of talent and vibrant players, along with a strong coaching staff that led the team to three MLS Cup championship titles (2011, 2012, 2014).
Let us now take a look at the decade’s best.
2010-2020 Los Angeles Galaxy Best Starting XI
Photo: Efe Deportes/Diario de Navarra(4-4-2)
Head Coach // Bruce Arena
It would not be the best without having Bruce on the bench. He was able to lead the team to consistent success, and the results were evident.
He knew what it meant to coach in the MLS and was able to acquire big players, use them to their full potential, and was a good decision-maker to use the team’s finances. An overall well-rounded coach.
Goalkeeper // Jaime Penedo
This was not too difficult of a choice. The level of goalkeeping that Penedo brought to LA was dynamic, to say the least, considering that the Galaxy have not had the best luck with goalkeepers in recent years.
His heroics in the box no doubt helped the Galaxy win. A runner-up for this position would be Donovan Ricketts.
Defenders // AJ DeLaGarza, Omar Gonzalez, Jelle Van Damme, Ashley Cole
Talent, skill, and heart. These players exhibited some of the strongest defense I have seen in the history of the Galaxy, and they all had contributed to the team’s success. A lot of this can be said of the level of experience that these players had, which included time in some of the world’s biggest leagues.
The speed and will of DeLaGarza, the leadership of Ashley Cole, the fierceness of Van Damme, and the heart of Gonzalez are only a few of many characteristics that could be attributed to these defenders.
Midfielders // David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Romain Alessandrini, Cristian Pavon
MLS would not be what it is now if it were not for David Beckham. The signing was monumental, and the Englishman brought his talent to the pitch. Alessandrini was a playmaker who could score goals but not only so, and he knew what it meant to wear the Galaxy crest and was loved by the fans.
Landon Donovan is arguably the best soccer player the United States has produced, and the echoes of his time here with the team will never fade. Although we only had Cristian Pavon for one full season, he gave the team his best effort and demonstrated his world-class skill time and time again and will be missed.
Forwards // Robbie Keane, Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Robbie was a player who could always punish you in the final third, and his aptitude for goals were met by his performances. He, along with Donovan and Beckham, helped lead the Galaxy to three titles in four years. He was a leader on the field. These were the glory days of the team.
Last but certainly not least, the enigmatic Swede. No other footballer can score like this man or have the confidence and attitude and yet produce on the field. He left his mark on MLS with his performances (namely against LAFC) and set a franchise-high scoring record of 30 goals in a single season, surpassing Guatemalan Carlos Ruiz, who previously held the record at 22 goals. At 39 years of age, he is still playing in Italy’s Serie A and is one of the league’s highest goal scorers. The man is simply unstoppable.
Featured Image: Efe Deportes/Diario de Navarra
