Bleacher Report recently named five Seattle Sounders to its year-end list of the top 50 MLS players of 2016.
Defender Joevin Jones (No. 49), forward Clint Dempsey (No. 44), midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro (No. 17), forward Jordan Morris (No. 14) and midfielder Osvaldo Alonso (No. 10) each earned recognition.
The list notes that performances were taken into account for a player's complete body of work in the regular season with postseason performances considered, if applicable.
Jones started 29 games for the Sounders, scoring twice and adding three more assists. He also recorded three more assists in the postseason and scored a crucial penalty kick in the MLS Cup Final shootout.
Dempsey scored eight goals and added two assists in 17 games this season. He recorded five of his eight goals in his final three games before missing the remainder of the season while recovering from an irregular heartbeat.
MLS named Lodeiro the 2016 Newcomer of the Year after scoring four goals and recording eight assists in 13 regular-season matches after his arrival as a Designated Player from Argentine side Boca Juniors in late July. He added another four tallies in six playoff games and became the Sounders' postseason franchise leader in goals. He converted a must-make penalty kick in the fifth round of Seattle's MLS Cup Final shootout to send it to sudden death.
The 2016 Rookie of the Year, Morris had one of the most productive first-year campaigns in league history. His 12 goals were second all-time for a rookie, and he added for assists as well. The Homegrown Player started all six postseason games, scoring twice and adding an assist. His away goal at the Colorado Rapids in the second leg of the Western Conference Championship all but sent the Sounders through to their first MLS Cup Final.
Alonso started 32 games at defensive midfield, recording four assists and matching a career high with three goals, all while being a menace defensively and distributing incredibly effectively. MLSSoccer.com's Armchair Analyst Matt Doyle said after captain Alonso lifted his MLS Cup trophy that he solidified his place as the league's best defensive midfielder ever.
