Summary

What makes an MLS legend?

Tom Brady, with 17 NFL seasons under his belt, cemented his legendary status in his sport with a fifth Super Bowl title back in February. Sidney Crosby, who has been around for over a decade, is continuing to make his case in the NHL. And LeBron James is still in the process of sculpting his NBA legend.

Similarly, the “MLS legend” designation should be narrowly-tailored to solely include those whose achievements denote “all-time” status. And for me, the MLS legend moniker hinges in large part on longevity.

There’s a reason Derek Jeter, whose number was recently retired, is among Major League Baseball’s all-time greats. Above all else, he did his thing with the New York Yankees for two decades – a distinguishing aspect of his career given his ability to maintain greatness with remarkable consistency.

And now that Major League Soccer has been around longer than Jeter’s playing career (1995-2014), it’s old enough to have its own legends, but I'd argue that group is limited to nine individuals. And keep in mind club legends – players woven into the fabric of their local cities – don't automatically transcend to become league legends, whose achievements earn them league-wide exclusivity.

I use four traits in designating legendary status: (1) longevity, (2) league titles, (3) individual honors and (4) individual statistics. Those criteria help remove feelings from the conversation and dwindle the pool to the following nine players/coaches whose careers were simply a cut above:

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