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Who Are the Best D.C. United Soccer Players of All Time?

D.C. United is a soccer team that first started playing in the MLS in 1994. The team has been very successful in its 28 seasons as it has won four MLS Cups, four Supporter’s Shields, three US Open Cups, and one CONCACAF Champions Cup. Alongside all of this history are great players. Who are some of the greatest players in the history of D.C. United? Keep reading to find out.

Who Are the Best D.C. United Soccer Players of All Time?

Jaime Moreno
Marco Etcheverry
Eddie Pope
Christian Gomez
Bill Hamid
Jeff Agoos
John Harkes
Raul Díaz Arce
Ben Olsen
Luciano Emílio

1. Jaime Moreno

Most goals in D.C. United history
Most assists in D.C. United history
Four-time MLS champion

Jaime Moreno joined D.C. United after playing one season with Middlesbrough in the Premier League. Moreno played in 14 seasons with the club and has the most games played, goals, and assists in team history. The center forward helped the team win the MLS Cup in three of his first four seasons with D.C. United. His hardware case included one other MLS Cup, four Supporters’ Shields, one CONCACAF Champions Cup, and three US Open Cups.

Moreno led the MLS with 16 goals in 1997. The Bolivian had the same number of goals in the following season and had eight assists to go along with it. Moreno had 11 seasons with double-digit goal contributions while with the club. His final season with D.C. United came in 2010. Moreno played in 386 games across all competitions with the club. The forward scored 152 goals and 80 assists over that span. Moreno leads D.C. United in games, goals, and assists all time.

2. Marco Etcheverry

1998 MLS MVP
Three-time MLS champion
Second in assists in D.C. United history

Marco Etcheverry joined D.C. United for the 1996 season after playing previously in Spain. Etcheverry won an MVP and three championships with the club. The attacking midfielder won his first title with D.C. United during his first season and claimed three championships in his first four seasons with the club. He also won two Supporters’ Shields, one US Open Cup, and one CONCACAF Champions League.

Etcheverry led the MLS with 16 assists in 1996 on his way to 20 goal contributions. The Bolivian won the 1998 MLS MVP, as he scored 10 goals and had 13 assists. Etcheverry followed that up with 17 and 11 goal contributions in the following two seasons, respectively. The midfielder last played for the club in 2003, and he had six goals and four assists that year. Etcheverry finished his career with D.C. United played in 218 games across all competitions, scoring 37 goals and having 75 assists. He is second all-time for assists in the club’s history.

3. Eddie Pope

Three-time MLS champion
Two-time Supporters’ Shield winner
1996 US Open Cup winner

Eddie Pope was the second overall pick in the 1996 MLS Draft by D.C. United. Pope was the club’s best defender for multiple trophy-winning seasons. The center-back won the MLS Cup in three of his first four seasons in the league. Pope scored the winning goal to secure D.C. United’s first championship. He also helped the club win two Supporters’ Shields and the 1996 US Open Cup.

The defender was named the 1997 MLS Defender of the Year as well. In terms of offense, Pope’s best season came in 1997, when he had three goals and two assists. He last played for the club in 2002 before joining the MetroStars. In his seven seasons with D.C. United, the center-back played 171 games across all competitions. Pope scored 10 goals and three assists during his tenure.

4. Christian Gomez

2006 MLS MVP
2004 MLS champion
Second in goals in D.C. United history

Christian Gomez first played for D.C. United during the 2004 season after playing in Argentina. Gomez has an MLS MVP under his belt and helped the club win an MLS Championship in 2004. The attacking midfielder had four goals in nine games after joining D.C. United and helped the club win the 2004 MLS Cup. He also won the Supporters’ Shield with D.C. United in 2005 and 2006.

Gomez broke out statistically in 2005 as he scored eleven goals and had six assists. The midfielder set career-highs across the board in the following season as he had 14 goals, eight assists, and 22 total goal contributions. That earned Gomez the 2006 MLS MVP. The Arnegentinian had 17 goal contributions in 2007 before leaving the team for one year to join the Colorado Rapids. In his final season with D.C. United, Gomez scored six goals and had five assists. In 150 games for the club, the midfielder had 56 goals and 30 assists. He has the second most goals in D.C. United’s history.

5. Bill Hamid

2013 US Open Cup winner
Most games by a goalie in D.C. United history
Most clean sheets in D.C. United history

Bill Hamid first played for D.C United in 2010 after being a member of the club’s academy. Hamid has the most games and clean sheets for any goalie in team history. The goalkeeper played in just eight games in his first season with D.C. United before becoming the starter in 2011. Hamid’s first double-digit win season came in 2012 as he had 12 victories. He had a career-best 14 wins in 2014 while also having ten clean sheets in a season for the first time in his career. The goaltender had five seasons with ten or more wins for the club.

Hamid led the MLS with 14 clean sheets in 2019. Hamid played in 297 games across all competitions in his 13 seasons with D.C. United. He leads all goalies in appearances as well as clean sheets with 89. Hamid also lifted the 2013 US Open Cup with the club.

6. Jeff Agoos

Three-time MLS champion
Two-time Supporters’ Shield winner
1996 US Open Cup winner

Jeff Agoos first played for D.C. United during the 1996 season. Agoos was an integral part of the club’s dynasty, and he helped the club win many titles including the MLS Cup three times. D.C. United won the championship in three of the first four seasons Agoos was on the roster. The left-back also won two Supporters’ Shields and one US Open Cup with the club.

He was a mainstay on the field for the club, as he was sixth in the MLS in minutes played during the 1996 championship season. Agoos played for five seasons with D.C. United. The defender had seven goals and eleven assists in 163 competitions during his tenure at D.C. United. The Swiss player joined San Jose for the 2001 campaign and won two more MLS Championships.

7. John Harkes

Two-time MLS champion
1997 Supporters’ Shield winner
1996 US Open Cup winner

John Harkes joined D.C. United for the 1996 season after previously playing for two different teams in the Premier League. Harkes was a focal midfielder for the club when they won four trophies. D.C. United finished in the top three of the MLS in each of the three seasons that the New Jersey native played for the club. The right midfielder helped the team win the MLS Cup and the US Open Cup in 1996. D.C. United repeated as MLS champions in 1997, and Harkes also helped the club win its first Supporters’ Shield that season as well.

The midfielder had double-digit goal contributions in each of his seasons with D.C. United. Harkes played in 104 games across all competitions and had 14 goals and 23 assists for the club. He later played in England for the 1998-99 campaign before returning to the MLS to play for the New England Revolution and the Columbus Crew.

8. Raul Díaz Arce

1996 MLS Playoff top goal scorer
Two-time MLS champion
Third in goals in D.C. United history

Raul Díaz Arce joined D.C. United for the 1996 season after previously playing in Argentina. Díaz Acre helped the club win four trophies during his tenure and was also the top goal scorer during the 1996 MLS playoffs. The forward scored 23 goals in his first season with D.C. United. He scored more goals than any other player during the MLS playoffs that season and helped the club win the MLS Cup and the US Open Cup that year.

D.C. United repeated as MLS champions in 1997 and also claimed the Supporters’ Shield with Díaz Acre on the roster. The forward scored 15 goals in his second season with the club. Díaz Acre bounced around the MLS after 1997 before rejoining D.C. United for two more seasons in 2000 and 2001. He had eight goal contributions over those two seasons. The forward scored 54 goals during his 82 games across all competitions with the club. Díaz Acre has the third most goals in D.C. United’s history.

9. Ben Olsen

Two-time MLS champion
1998 MLS Rookie of the Year
Third in assists in D.C. United history

Ben Olsen joined D.C. United prior to the 1998 MLS season. Olsen helped the club win seven trophies during his eleven seasons with the team. The right midfielder made an immediate impact on the club, as he earned the 1998 MLS Rookie of the Year while having nine goal contributions in 1998. D.C. United won the CONCACAF Champions Cup as well that year. Olsen helped the club towards many awards during his career, including two MLS Cups, three Supporters’ Shields, and one US Open Cup.

In 1999, the midfielder had his best offensive season, as he had five goals and eleven assists. His other double-digit goal contribution season came in 2007 when he had eleven. Olsen played in 253 games across all competitions during his eleven seasons with D.C. United. His 31 goals are the ninth most for the club, and his 40 assists are the third most in the team’s history.

10. Luciano Emílio

2007 MLS MVP
2007 MLS top goal scorer
Fourth in goals in D.C. United history

Luciano Emílio joined D.C. United for the 2007 season after playing professionally in a few different countries. Emílio was an MLS MVP and top goal scorer while with the club. In his first season with D.C. United, the center forward led the MLS with 20 goals scored and was given the 2007 MLS MVP Award. Emílio also helped the club win the Supporters’ Shield that season. D.C. United took home the US Open Cup in the following year as well.

The Brazilian scored 11 and ten goals in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Emílio played only four games for the club in 2010. In 111 games across all competitions, the forward scored 49 goals and had ten assists. His goal total for the club is the fourth-highest in D.C. United’s history.