MONTREAL – Major League Soccer announced on Sunday that Montreal Impact defender Laurent Ciman has been named to the MLS Best XI.
After being named the MLS Defender of the Year and the Impact Defensive Player of the Year, Ciman becomes the second player in Impact history to be selected to the MLS Best XI after striker Marco Di Vaio in 2013.
In his first season in the league, Ciman quickly imposed himself on the team’s backline, helping the club to its best showing in its young MLS history with 44 goals allowed this season, five less than 2013 and 14 less than last season.
The Belgian international also tallied two goals and two assists, finishing second on the team with 2,405 minutes and third with 27 starts. He also started all three games for the Impact in the MLS Cup Playoffs, registering one assist and 300 minutes.
He was selected to the 2015 MLS All-Star Game, wearing the captain’s armband during the second half against English club Tottenham Hotspur F.C. He was also named three times to the MLSSoccer.com Team of the Week and six times as the Videotron mobile Player of the Game.
The Best XI members received the most votes from the media, MLS players and MLS coaches and general managers.
2015 MLS BEST XI
Goalkeeper – Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
Defender – Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact)
Defender – Kendall Waston (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
Defender – Matt Hedges (FC Dallas)
Midfielder – Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City)
Midfielder – Fabian Castillo (FC Dallas)
Midfielder – Dax McCarty (New York Red Bulls)
Midfielder – Ethan Finlay (Columbus Crew SC)
Forward – Sebastian Giovinco (Toronto FC)
Forward – Kei Kamara (Columbus Crew SC)
Forward – Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy)
