Robbie Keane isn’t the only one enjoying his time in Major League soccer.
The Ireland captain has thrived with the LA Galaxy, scoring more than 15 goals for the club in each of his four full seasons and firing them to MLS Cup glory in 2014.
This year’s efforts, with 20 goals from 24 appearances, have earned him a place in the MLS Best XI.
But two less heralded former Premier League footballers have joined him in the line-up.
MLS success prompted Norwich and then Middlesbrough to take a chance on Kei Kamara, and the Sierra Leone striker has really come into his own since returning to the United States.
His 22 goals for Columbus Crew in the regular season, followed by three in four playoff games, have helped the club reach MLS Cup for the first time since 2008.
Keane and Kamara have been joined by Benny Feilhaber, a man who won’t have the fondest memories of the Premier League.
The US international midfielder was part of the Derby County side relegated with a record low points tally in 2008, but this season has been his finest in MLS with 10 goals and 15 assists for Sporting Kansas City.
Others to make the Best XI include Toronto and Italy star Sebastian Giovinco and Kamara’s Columbus team-mate Ethan Finlay.
However no players from the Crew’s MLS Cup opponents Portland Timbers were included, while Didier Drogba’s late-season flurry of goals wasn’t enough to earn him a place in the line-up.
MLS Best XI: Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls); Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Kendall Waston (Vancouver Whitecaps); Ethan Finlay (Columbus Crew), Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City), Fabian Castillo (FC Dallas); Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC), Kei Kamara (Columbus Crew), Robbie Keane (Los Angeles Galaxy)
