Goncalves Named to Best XI

Photo credit: Kari Heistad/capturedimages.biz

There’s no doubt the Revolution got the most out of their loan deal with Jose Goncalves, and Tuesday brought another reminder of that.

A week after he was named Defender of the Year, the Revolution skipper was named to the MLS Best XI list.

Goncalves, who was acquired via loan from Swiss club FC Sion in January, guided the Revolution to a franchise-best 14 clean sheets in 2013. He was named club captain in May, and played every minute during the regular season as well as the Revolution’s postseason campaign.

Last month, the Revolution exercised the purchase option in the loan that brought Goncalves to Foxboro, ensuring that the 28-year-old center back will be back for a second season.

The MLS Best XI team is determined through league-wide voting of players, media and executive staff. Goncalves is the team’s first Best XI selection since 2009, when former skipper Shalrie Joseph made the list.

The rest of the 2013 Best XI includes goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts (Portland Timbers); defenders Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City) and Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy); midfielders Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls), Will Johnson (Portland Timbers), Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City); and forwards Marco Di Vaio (Montreal Impact), Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy) and Mike Magee (Chicago Fire).