McCarty, Robles named to MLS Best XI
November 29, 2015 (Official Press Release)
New York Red Bulls midfielder and captain Dax McCarty, and goalkeeper Luis Robles, have been named to the MLS Best XI for 2015, Major League Soccer announced today. It is the first Best XI for two of New York's longest-tenured players.
Voting for the 2015 MLS Best XI was conducted through write-in votes from MLS players, club leadership, and media members, with all players who appeared in a 2015 MLS regular season match eligible for nomination. The highest vote-getters from submissions formed a 3-4-3 formation: one goalkeeper, three defenders, four midfielders and three forwards.
McCarty, also named an MLS All-Star for the first time in his career this season, had a career-year points wise in his 10th MLS season, and fifth with New York. The midfielder scored two goals in the regular season and recorded a career-best eight assists, including the only three multi-assist games of his career. McCarty made 32 appearances in his holding midfield role and lifted the Supporters' Shield for the second time in three seasons, and the first time as captain of the Red Bulls.
McCarty also finished the season tied for fourth on the franchise's games played list, with 142 regular season appearances for New York. He is second all-time for New York in league games started, with 137, and second in minutes played as well. McCarty is also eighth on the franchise list for career assists, and fourth with game-winning assists. McCarty scored his second-career playoff goal, and first as a Red Bull, at D.C. United in the first leg of a conference semifinal series.
Robles rewrote the franchise records books in 2015, and adds the Best XI nod to his list of accolades. Robles was named Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year last week. Robles backstopped the Red Bulls in all 34 MLS league games for the third consecutive season, extending his iron man streak in MLS play to 106 consecutive starts and full 90 minutes played, the second longest such streak in league history. Robles won a career-high 18 matches, leading all of MLS in 2015. He made 86 saves and recorded nine shutouts with a 1.26 goals against average while the Red Bulls allowed the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference.
The 31-year-old set new franchise highs for career regular season wins, currently at 50, and career shutouts, currently at 28. Robles is also the franchise's all-time leader in winning percentage (.594) and goals against average (1.29). He also tops the franchise charts with four postseason wins and three postseason shutouts.
All-Time NY players in MLS Best XI:
1996: Roberto Donadoni
2000: Clint Mathis
2001: Tim Howard
2002: Tim Howard
2003: Eddie Pope
2004: Eddie Gaven, Amado Guevara, Eddie Pope
2007: Juan Pablo Angel
2011: Thierry Henry
2012: Thierry Henry
2013: Tim Cahill
2014: Thierry Henry, Bradley Wright-Phillips
2015: Dax McCarty, Luis Robles
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