HOUSTON—The Houston Dynamo’s Geoff Cameron and Stuart Holden have both been honored with a spot on Major League Soccer’s Best XI for the 2009 season, MLS officials announced Monday. The Dynamo are the only team with two players named to the Best XI.
The MLS Best XI recognizes the league’s top 11 players at each position on the field – one goalkeeper, three defenders, five midfielders and two forwards. The Best XI members received the most votes from the media, MLS players and MLS coaches and general managers.
Cameron, 24, was a finalist for MLS Defender of the Year after starting all 29 games for which he was eligible during the regular season. A natural midfielder, the second-year professional made 24 starts as a defender in 2009, often pairing with Bobby Boswell in central defense as the Dynamo tied for the best mark in the league with 29 goals allowed. Cameron was also named to the MLS All-Star First XI and played against English club Everton in late July. Offensively, Cameron contributed two goals and six assists in MLS play. He was named Dynamo Defender of the Year and was honored with the Dynamo’s Defensive Play of the Year for his goal-saving bicycle kick on October 18, a play currently a finalist for MLS Save of the Year.
Holden, 24, stepped into a starting central midfield role and led the Dynamo into a tie for first place in the Western Conference. Of his six goals, five were game-winners, and Holden added four assists. The Houston product also broke out at the national-team level, earning CONCACAF Gold Cup all-tournament honors and a spot on the U.S. roster for World Cup qualifiers. He was also named to the MLS All-Star First XI and played against English club Everton in late July. Holden was named Dynamo Humanitarian of the Year for the second consecutive season and was given the Dynamo Fans’ Choice Award for the player voted team MVP by the fans. Holden is currently a finalist for the Jefferson Award for Public Service. More information is available at HoustonDynamo.com/Holden.
Other members of the Best XI included GK Zach Thornton (Chivas USA), DF Wilman Conde (Chicago Fire), DF Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), MF Dwayne De Rosario (Toronto FC), MF Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), MF Shalrie Joseph (New England Revolution), MF Freddie Ljungberg (Seattle Sounders), FW Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas), FW Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids).
