Toros' Talk Top 5 FC Dallas Players at 30

No, this isn't an original idea. FC Dallas' Garrett Melcer published his quintet last week on the official team site. Go read it, he makes good cases for everyone he's chosen. There's some crossover from his list to mine, but reading his ideas got my own thought process working.

And would you look at that, I have a website that needs content. So let's fill it up baby.

First, the criteria

When selecting these players, know the following: They will not be in any specific order. This is not me trying to determine the greatest player or even rank the five in a specific order. This is about picking the (in my opinion) five most important FC Dallas players since their inception.

Notice that word: Important. That's a crucial qualifier because it's not just about on paper stats. When it comes to lists like this, Hall of Fames, etc I ask: "Can you tell the story of this sport/team/etc without said player" and do it justice. That'll be a driving force on this list, albeit it with one caveat.

Five is an arbitrary number for a club with a history like Dallas'. There's a lot of players, some who hardly wore the kit, that made an impact on this club's legacy. There's plenty of people who forged Burn history that don't make this article. It happens, and it's not personal.

Ultimately also: it's my list, I'm making it out of my opinions. If you think I'm wrong, that's cool! Write your own list with your own opinions. I'm not going to complain about more soccer writing out in the universe.

Now onto your feature presentation.

Jason Kreis

Thist list would be both incomplete and incorrect without Kreis's name on it. One of Dallas' first ever players, he scored the club's first goal, he co-holds the single season goal record, all the accolades you associate with one of the top scorers in Dallas/MLS 1.0 history.

With that though he is Dallas' first ever superstar, a huge name associated with the club throughout time. There's something to being the first, and Kreis' legacy of being THE guy through the club's infancy is just as important as what he accomplished on the pitch. The credibility his performances added to the club both now and then can't be undersold.

It's hard to imagine a time, even fifty plus years into the future, where we as a soccer collective will write these lists and Kreis won't feature on them. That's as big a testament to his impact as anything else.

Mark Dodd

Dodd's spot on this list is similar to Kreis'. While his tenure wasn't as long it was certainly as impactful. The first ever MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, an MLS Best Eleven recipient, and fifteen caps with the US Men's National Team that included seven shutouts give him a resume that's hard to match.

That's before you add on the US Open Cup Final MVP in 1997, leading MLS in saves his first two seasons, and helping Duke win their first ever national title in any sport back in 1986. Dodd's impact on both FC Dallas and American soccer as a whole deserves recognition.

For a club with multiple good keepers in their lineage, including current #1 Maarten Paes, Dodd was the first and arguable still best of the bunch. His knowledge of the game is still sharp, as he's shown re-joining the club's radio broadcasts over the last couple of seasons. A true first of his kind, his dominance and significance earn him a place on my top five list.

Bonus content: Check out Dodd's appearance on the FC Dallas Agenda podcast from March. It's a great listen.

Kenny Cooper

You can cite Kenny's on field career with FC Dallas as reason enough that he's a legend. He shares the single season scoring title with Kreis and Jesus Ferreira, making 121 appearances for the club across five seasons. His overall MLS journey has him as a legend of the league as a whole. One of Dallas' most prolific finishers even to this day, Kenny would dominate in any era.

Yet that's only half the reason he's on my list. It's not just about the on-field production, it's about what Kenny continues to do post playing career. His title is club ambassador, but it's much more than that. He's ever-present at first team and academy trainings, lending his knowledge and sweat in service of the club's growth. Whenever there's a friendly face needed for a charity event or club program, Kenny is always there answering the call. I daresay there's no one who works harder to further the FC Dallas brand in a positive way than him.

In a time where the soccer business is more cut throat than ever, dedication to a single club is a dying art. Kenny breaks the mold in that regard, and as a result earns a place on this list. His impact reaches far beyond the first team pitch, touching every corner of FC Dallas' operation, all with a radiant attitude of friendliness.

Ricardo Pepi

Remember that "hardly wore the kit" comment from above? That wasn't by accident. Pepi only appeared in 57 games with the Burn, making 30 starts with 15 goals. 13 of those came in 2021, his final season with the club at age 18. There's no real telling what Pepi could have done long term in MLS had he not gone to Europe.

Yet his move to Europe is a big reason why he's on this list. Post 2021, his $20+ million dollar move to Germany's FC Augsburg was record setting for both club and league. While that move itself didn't work out Pepi's future moves to Gronigen and PSV Eindhoven have, launching Pepi firmly into the US Men's National Team picture while letting him feature in Champions League matches.

His importance to the club is twofold related to these happenings. Pepi's journey across Europe and international soccer has been a shining billboard for Dallas' soccer operations. Whenever Pepi's name comes up, his history in Frisco isn't far behind. Outside of maybe Chris Richards, there's no one who has been better for spreading the globa FC Dallas gospel than El Tren.

Domestically that record transfer proved a huge boon for the Toros. That money was invested back into the club in the form of Alan Velasco, Paul Arriola, Maarten Paes, and others. While the New Era itself was complicated, as I wrote about this offseason, it wasn't possible without Pepi's transfer fee hitting the books. The knock on effect of those deals can still be felt today. Velasco's sale this winter led to Osaze Urhoghide and Lucho Acosta, which has half been great and half...well... Regardless the club is better off today than it was in 2021, with that being in large part because of Pepi's transfer.

While it's unconventional, all this combined earns Pepi a place on my list.

Oscar Pareja

Rounding out the top five is the only midfielder and coach on the list, but Papi's impact on the club is impossible to ignore. 109 matches with the club as a player, followed up by 207 as manager gives Pareja one of the longest tenures combined with the Burn.

It's not just quantity. Pareja made MLS Best Eleven as a player, won Supporters Shield and US Open Cup in 2016 as the coach, while finishing runner up for the Shield in 2015. All that combined with 97 total wins on the touchline means Papi is the greatest coach in FC Dallas history.

All that combines with another aspect: the academy. Before he was the first team manager he was a huge part of the club's youth setup post retirement. One could argue his impact on the club is greatest in cultivating the premier youth soccer setup in America. While there's a chance it happens without his involvement, it didn't.

There's no part of FC Dallas Pareja didn't make better with his presence. For that, he earns the final spot on this Top 5.