Last week, I wrote a bit about Rafa Marquez's meltdown in New York, and I raised the possibility of Marquez as the biggest DP flop since Major League Soccer implemented the rule back in 2007.
Marquez's fall from grace has been well-documented in MLS circles, and many believe that his post-game antics following the Red Bulls' final 2011 playoff game would be the last we'd see of the Mexican legend in the league. In fact, he has openly talked about moving back to his first professional club, Atlas, despite being under contract with New York for 2012, so it's a decent bet that he's as good as gone.
Following my post about Marquez, an interesting debate broke out in the comments section and on Twitter. Many were debating about who was the worst DP (and I presented some candidates within the post), but also wondering who has been the best.
With the Designated Player Rule now having been in place for five full seasons, I think it's fair to discuss both the worst and the best that the DP Rule has brought to MLS.
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My top five Designated Players, in no particular order:
Juan Pablo Angel (NYRB: 2007-2010, LAG/Chivas: 2011-present)
Despite his obvious decline over the past year-and-a-half, Juan Pablo Angel has been nothing short of prolific in his five-year tenure in MLS. The Colombian striker tallied 58 regular season goals for New York in just 102 matches, which works out to a slightly better than goal every two games average over an astonishing four year period.
He joined LA prior to this season and his numbers never held up to his own high standards (just three goals in 22 league matches), but a move across the hall to Chivas USA gave the 36-year-old a bit of a rejuvenation as he struck 7 times in 9 matches for the Goats.
Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy: 2010-Present)
Technically only a DP since the beginning of the 2010 season, Landon Donovan has been earning Designated Player money for much longer than that.
The face of American soccer for a decade, the 29-year-old is one of the most successful MLS players ever, looking on pace to catch the league's career scoring record before his current contract is up at the end of 2012.
He overcame a well-publicized rift with fellow Galaxy star David Beckham to help form the nucleus of one of the best MLS teams ever assembled. If LA can win MLS Cup this season, Donovan becomes -- for me -- the best DP and greatest player in league history.
David Beckham (LA Galaxy: 2007-Present)
Speaking of Beckham, he's perhaps the most controversial player on this list.
The superstar came to North America to be an ambassador for the sport here, and -- on the field, at least -- he was an unmitigated disaster for the first two-and-a-half seasons in the league. Frequent injuries, ill-advised loan spells, and even a bit of petulant behaviour made the Beckham Experiment look like a total flop from '07 until halfway through '09, as the Galaxy were amongst the league cellar-dwellars for much of that time.
But a renewed commitment to his team and league, along with a run of good health and extraordinary form have helped Beckham climb back atop the heap that he himself created.
It doesn't hurt that, even during the dark years of the Beckham Experiment, the league and the Galaxy were making money and headlines hand over fist. Without Beckham, there likely isn't a Thierry Henry or Robbie Keane to follow.
Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Chicago Fire: 2007-2009)
The Mexican idol was the only person to come close to Beckham's impact on attendance throughout the league. The "Blanco Effect" was a slightly smaller version on Goldenballs' road attendance, as hundreds of thousands of Mexican-Americans flocked to MLS stadiums to see their hero play live and in the flesh.
Blanco wasn't just a big name, though. The man could still play, despite his sloth-like lack of speed and athleticism. His play earned him back-to-back shouts as a finalist in the MLS MVP voting, and he also claimed the
Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew: 2008-2010)
The lowest profile player on the list, yet the only one to have won an MLS Cup during his tenure as a DP (although this is disputed, as some sources say he did not become a Designated Player until 2009.)
Schelotto was similar to Blanco in that he relied on his soccer brain to dominate much more than his athleticism, yet he also seemed much more of a leader to his Columbus teammates. The Argentine took on the role as mentor and on-field coach, as well as the key offensive catalyst, for a Crew side that was top-to-bottom among the best teams in the league during his stay.
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Rudi Schuller contributes Toronto FC, MLS, and Canadian national team content to the 24th Minute. He is MLSsoccer.com's beat writer for all things concerning Canada's men's national teams, and he has spent time as soccer editor for Reuters' online publications. He has also contributed to Goal.com and other soccer media. Follow Rudi on Twitter, @RudiSchuller.