The Greatest Sounders

The Best Sounders Players Ever all Played Together, Like Soccer, Look in the Top Corners.

In recent years, the goal scoring record for the Sounders was obtained by Raul Ruidiaz. After that Jordan Morris broke his record. However, the three most talented and effective players in Sounders history was not either of them. They are/were proficient scorers, and this is not a knock on them. The three best Sounders players all played at the same time, and only one on offense.

Chad Marshall won at every level. He won titles in High School, College, with Colorado and with the Sounders. He was consistent, intelligent, and physical when he had to be. As a central defender, that is often. He won high balls, scored goals off corner kicks, but most importantly he helped keep the defense working together as a unit while putting himself in the best position possible. He was never given credit for how remarkable he was.

Stefan Frei is hands down, the best keeper that MLS has had. He does have a signature moment, when the ball had passed him and was destined for the goal, he stretched, and reached, and clawed it out of the goal mouth, which led to a Sounder’s title. It was spectacular, but it was one of hundreds of saves as he continues to show his quality, even in the waning years of his career. The physical saves are one part of being a keeper, his command over the defense and his communication with his teammates is also a contributing factor to the Sounder’s dominance over the MLS during his career. Kasey Keller was a world class keeper as well, but was not as successful as Frei, if not for any other reason than he did not have as many opportunities for greatness.

The third player is Clint Dempsey. He may not have been the ideal role model, he was hot headed and at one time took the officials book and ripped it up (He was suspended for multiple games, but that was one of 4 red cards handed out to Sounders players that game). Seattle only had Dempsey at the end of his career. He played for the Revolution, then was a dominant force in Europe for Tottenham and Fulham before suiting up in the Rave Green. His skills with the ball rival any players that grew up in this country. He did have the benefit of playing with Obafemi Martins. The one touch combinations, even in practice, caused the then Sounders coach, Sigi Schmid to claim that there were practices when he would be mesmerized by the two and would forget to continue coaching. Their play emanated joy.

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