Ferreira was the only Homegrown player named to the Best XI in 2022.
How about one final accolade for FC Dallas Homegrown forward Jesus Ferreira for the 2022 season?
After winning Major League Soccer’s 2022 Young Player of the Year, Ferreira was named to MLS’ 2022 Best XI.
“I’m excited. Obviously, these are goals that I wouldn’t be able to achieve without my teammates,” Jesús Ferreira said in a press release issued by FC Dallas. “But I’m excited that I can be named in the best XI of the league. That’s another award that I take with me for this season and hopefully next season, I can keep working hard to make that best XI again and keep achieving other things. I’m just excited to be able to be on that top XI.”
Ferreira is the first FC Dallas player to earn MLS Best XI honors since Mauro Díaz and Matt Hedges earned the honor in 2016. He was also the only Homegrown player on the list for the 2022 season. The only other HGPs named to an MLS Best XI were Seattle’s Jordan Morris, Philadephia’s Brendan Aaronson and Mark McKenzie in the 2020 season, and DC’s Bill Hamid back in 2014.
Ferreira is the fourth player since 2010 to be selected to the Best XI at 21 years or younger after tying the club’s single-season record with 18 goals, alongside former MLS Best XI members Kenny Cooper (18 in 2008) and Jason Kreis (18 in 1999). His 18 goals this season were the third most by a player prior to turning 22 years old, behind only Stern John (26 in 1998) and Mamadou Diallo (22 in 2000).
After becoming the first father-son duo to be Designated Players in MLS. Ferreira and his father David, the 2010 MLS Most Valuable Player with Dallas, become the first father-son duo to each be named to MLS Best XI teams.
2022 MLS Best XI Presented by Continental Tire
Goalkeeper: Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Defenders: Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union), Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
Midfielders: Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati), Sebastián Driussi (Austin FC), Dániel Gazdag (Philadelphia Union), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC)
Forwards: Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Brandon Vázquez (FC Cincinnati), Carlos Vela (LAFC)