Every MLS Team's Greatest Player

Part V, and the conclusion, of a series. This one is tougher, since soccer is a much more transient sport than the traditional North American "Big Four." Especially when you consider "loan spells."

What a player did elsewhere, including for his national team, even if it was the U.S. team, is irrelevant here. It's what he did playing for his Major League Soccer team that matters.

There are 4 MLS teams that were named for teams in the North American Soccer League, all on the Pacific Coast: The Portland Timbers, the San Jose Earthquakes, the Seattle Sounders and the Vancouver Whitecaps. Carryovers are not permitted. Nor will great players from NASL teams in a team's city be counted: New York can't count Pele, Los Angeles and Washington can't count Johan Cruyff, and Boston and Toronto can't count Eusebio.

Atlanta United, 2017-2019: Josef Martinez. The Venezuelan has made this choice very easy.

Chicago Fire, 1998-2019: Piotr Nowak. A good Polish player would certainly find a home in Chicago, and he sure did.

FC Cincinnati, 2019: Kendall Watson. The Costa Rican was trusted to be team Captain.

Colorado Rapids, 1996-2019: Marcelo Balboa. Good player, but how did a defender become a team's most popular player ever? Probably the long flowing hair.

Columbus Crew, 1996-2019: Brian McBride. He is a big figure in the histories of both club and country. Or, to use Crew fans' favorite adjective, "Massive."

FC Dallas, 1996-2019: Jason Kreis. Elsewhere, he's probably better known as a manager, but, in North Texas, he's their all-time leading scorer.

D.C. United, 1996-2019: Jaime Moreno. John Harkes, Jeff Agoos and Eddie Pope did more for the national team, but, as I said, that doesn't matter for this list, so it's Moreno. A close 2nd is his fellow Bolivian, Marco Etcheverry.

Houston Dynamo, 2006-2019: Brian Ching. Most goals, most assists, and 8 seasons without going blind looking at his teammates' hyper-orange jerseys.

Inter Miami, 2020: Can't say yet, as they just started.

LA Galaxy, 1996-2019: Landon Donovan. For all their international legends -- David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Steven Gerrard -- and American legends Cobi Jones and Edson Buddle, it's Donovan who tops their list. And, again, the national team and what he's done for them isn't counted toward it.

Los Angeles FC, 2018-2019: Carlos Vela. He wasn't good enough for England's Premier League, but he found his level at Exposition Park.

Minnesota United, 2017-2019: Ethan Finlay. Hard to choose a player from a team so new, unless someone makes it obvious, as Josef Martinez did for Atlanta.

Montreal Impact, 2012-2019: Evan Bush. Unique among MLS teams, their best ever is a goalkeeper.

Nashville SC, 2020: Can't say yet, as they just started.

New England Revolution, 1996-2019: Taylor Twellman. Studio analysis doesn't enter into it.

New York City FC, 2015-2019: David Villa. Not Andrea Pirlo: He was washed up by the time he got to Yankee Stadium II.

New York Red Bulls, 1996-2019: Thierry Henry. I know, I said what a player did elsewhere doesn't matter. But, while Bradley Wright-Phillips scored more goals for the former MetroStars, he wasn't better.

Orlando City, 2015-2019: Dom Dwyer. Better known as Mr. Sydney Leroux.

Philadelphia Union, 2010-2019: Sebastien Le Toux. Holds more team offensive records.

Portland Timbers, 2011-2019: Diego Valeri. The Argentine is 1st in goals, 1st in assists, and 2nd in appearances, including the 2015 MLS Cup win.

Real Salt Lake, 2005-2019: Javier Morales. Far and away their all-time leading scorer.

San Jose Earthquakes, 1996-2019: Chris Wondolowski. Wondo gets a bum rap for his insufficient performances for the national team. But he has scored 155 goals for the Quakes. Next-best is Ronald Cerritos, with 61.

Seattle Sounders, 2009-2019: Clint Dempsey. Like I said, his USMNT achievements have nothing to do with this.

Sporting Kansas City, 1996-2019: Tony Meola. The goalkeeper from Kearny, New Jersey found a home far from PATH, on the Plains.

Toronto FC, 2007-2019: Sebastian Giovinco. Not good enough for Juventus in his homeland, but for the Ontario Reds, he was more than good enough.

Vancouver Whitecaps, 2011-2019: Russell Teibert. The fact that the midfielder is from Canada (albeit Niagara Falls, far across the country) shouldn't matter, but his longevity and performance do.