RENTON, WASH. – Major League Soccer today announced the 2024 MLS Best XI presented by Continental Tire, with Sounders FC defender Yeimar Gómez Andrade named to the annual list. Every year, the MLS Best XI recognizes the league’s top players at each position as determined by members of the media, MLS players and MLS club technical staffs. This is Yeimar’s second time receiving the honor, having also been named in 2021. He joins Chad Marshall (2014 and 2018) and Raúl Ruidíaz (2020 and 2021) as the only Seattle players with multiple Best XI selections.
Yeimar is part of a trio of defenders on this year’s list, joining Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba and the Columbus Crew’s Steven Moreira. The central defender started 28 of 30 appearances for the Rave Green in 2024 MLS regular-season action, helping anchor a backline that only allowed 35 goals – the fewest in MLS – while also leading the league with 13 shutouts, 11 of which came with Yeimar on the field. The Colombian international was third in MLS with 82 clearances and ranked second for Seattle with 93 challenges, all while winning 70-percent of his aerial duels, the highest on the team. He added one goal in league play in a 1-1 draw with archrival Portland on Decision Day (October 19). The 32-year-old is the second Sounders FC defender to be recognized during the 2024 MLS Year-End Awards process, as fellow centerback Jackson Ragen was named a finalist for 2024 MLS Defender of the Year, finishing third in the voting behind Moreira and Alba. Yeimar was also voted Sounder FC’s 2024 Defender of the Year by his teammates for the fifth consecutive season.
Sounders FC saw its 2024 campaign come to an end on Saturday evening with a 1-0 loss to the LA Galaxy in the Western Conference Final at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Rave Green finished the 2024 season with a record of 22-13-12 across all competitions, advancing to the seventh Western Conference Final in club history. The Galaxy are set to host the New York Red Bulls in the 2024 MLS Cup Final on Saturday, December 7 (1:00 p.m. PT / Apple TV, FOX, FOX Deportes).
2024 MLS BEST XI
GOALKEEPER: Kristijan Kahlina (Charlotte FC)
DEFENDERS: Jordi Alba (Inter Miami CF), Yeimar Gómez Andrade (Seattle Sounders FC), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew)
MIDFIELDERS: Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati), Evander (Portland Timbers), Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy)
FORWARDS: Christian Benteke (D.C. United), Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Cucho Hernández (Columbus Crew), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)
SOUNDERS FC ALL-TIME MLS BEST XI SELECTIONS
2024: Yeimar Gómez Andrade
2021: João Paulo, Raúl Ruidíaz, Yeimar Gómez Andrade
2020: Nicolás Lodeiro, Jordan Morris, Raúl Ruidíaz
2018: Chad Marshall
2014: Chad Marshall, Obafemi Martins
2012: Osvaldo Alonso
2011: Kasey Keller
2009: Freddie Ljungberg
