MLS Legend out for Season but Will he Return?

Amidst the discussion about the repercussions of New England’s 2-1 win over Sounders FC at the weekend, there was perhaps a moment of even greater importance in the long term scheme of things MLS.

MLS Legend Steve Ralston suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the 19th minute of the game, and will miss the remainder of the 2009 season. Surgery to repair the injury will be scheduled for a later date and more will be known about recovery time at a later date. Recently San Jose’s Darren Huckerby decided that the level of commitment and likely resulting ability after a hip injury meant that he could no longer deliver his best next year and announced his retirement.

Ralston, 35, has appeared in 20 MLS games this season, and has scored seven goals and seven assists. But it his figures for his lengthy MLS career that make this player’s recuperation a matter of aspiration for all true MLS fans. Steve is Major League Soccer’s career leader in just about every statistic you can imagine. He has played 378 MLS games of which he has started 372. In that time, he has clocked up an incredible 33,143 minutes of MLS playing time, scoring 76 goals, and has been fouled an incredible 452 times. He has only been the referee’s villain a mere 273.

He made his MLS debut for Tampa Bay after being drafted in the second round of the 1996 MLS College Draft. In that inaugural season of the fledgling league, he scored Tampa Bay’s only goal in their 2-1 loss to DC United in the Eastern Conference Championship. In 2002, he joined New England Revs after being taken sixth overall in the MLS Allocation.

He is a a seven-time MLS All-Star and three-time Best XI selection and was named the 2008 Revolution Team MVP, marking his second MVP selection. His seven goals so far this year is only one less than his season high of eight achieved in 2008. He has earned 36 caps and scored four goals for the USA as of January 1, 2009. Now it seems that this storied career of an American soccer legend hangs in the balance.

All will wish him well and hope to see him back next season.

Also see:
Steve Ralston – A Modern American Pioneer

Not an MLS Legend but a Legend in MLS Retires

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