Los Angeles Galaxy's Robbie Keane named MLS MVP

Robbie Keane (Photo by: LA Galaxy/Hana Asano)

After a stellar season leading the Los Angeles Galaxy to the MLS Cup and another potential title, Galaxy forward Robbie Keane was named the 2014 MLS Most Valuable Player, Major League Soccer announced today.  Keane, a Designated Player who also earned MLS Best XI honors, earns his first MVP award since joining the club in 2011 and becomes the third LA Galaxy player in history to be named MVP.

Keane beat out finalists Lee Nguyen of the New England Revolution and Obafemi Martins of the Seattle Sounders FC for the award.

Keane recorded career highs in both goals and assists during the 2014 MLS Regular Season. Keane finished with the third-most goals in MLS this season with 19, and was tied for second in assists with 14, giving him the highest combination of goals and assists from any player this season and the most of any player during a single season in club history.

In addition to his five game-winning goals, he also led MLS with six game-winning assists. In his 29 appearances for the Galaxy this season, the Galaxy lost only five total matches, going 15-5-9.

More importantly, Keane produced when it mattered most, scoring a goal and adding three assists in the Galaxy’s four playoff matches. His three assists against Salt Lake in the Western Conference Semifinal match made him just the fourth player in Galaxy history to record three assists in a playoff game.

Since joining the Galaxy in 2011, the Irish international has scored 53 goals and added 35 assists in 84 MLS appearances, with 15 game-winning goals and assists apiece. In postseason matches, he has scored eight times and added six assists in just 16 appearances while leading the Galaxy to MLS Cup titles in 2011 and 2012. He has been named to the MLS Best XI three consecutive times and an MLS All-Star for two straight seasons.

Keane joins Carlos Ruiz (2002) and Landon Donovan (2009) as the only players in LA Galaxy history to be named MLS MVP.

All-Time MLS Most Valuable Players:

2014: Robbie Keane – LA Galaxy
2013: Mike Magee – Chicago Fire
2012: Chris Wondolowski – San Jose Earthquakes
2011: Dwayne De Rosario – D.C. United
2010: David Ferreira – FC Dallas
2009: Landon Donovan – LA Galaxy
2008: Guillermo Barros Schelotto – Columbus Crew
2007: Luciano Emilio – D.C. United
2006: Christian Gómez – D.C. United
2005: Taylor Twellman – New England Revolution
2004: Amado Guevara – MetroStars
2003: Preki – Kansas City Wizards
2002: Carlos Ruiz – LA Galaxy
2001: Alex Pineda Chacón – Miami Fusion
2000: Tony Meola – Kansas City Wizards
1999: Jason Kreis – Dallas Burn
1998: Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United
1997: Preki – Kansas City Wizards
1996: Carlos Valderrama – Tampa Bay Mutiny

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services