2024 MLS Best XI presented by Continental Tire
Major League Soccer has unveiled the 2024 MLS Best XI presented by Continental Tire, recognizing the leagueās top players at each position.
2023 (Seattle): Yeimar earned his fourth consecutive Sounders FC Defender of the Year award in as many seasons with the club, starting 32 of 33 appearances for the Rave Green in 2023, leading the team in minutes played. A finalist for MLS Defender of the Year, Yeimar led MLS with 73 interceptions, 12 more than the next-closest player. The central defender helped anchor a backline that only allowed 32 goals during the regular season, tied for fewest in MLS, while winning 56.8 percent of his duels and 61.8 percent of his headed duels.
2022 (Seattle): Yeimar earned his third consecutive Sounders FC Defender of the Year award in as many seasons, starting 26 of 28 regular-season appearances and leading MLS with 75 interceptions, ranking 10th with 121 clearances and tied for 14th with 59 headed clearances. The Colombian international appeared on the bench for two of Columbiaās 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches in 2022.
2021 (Seattle): Yeimar appeared in all but one game in 2021, starting 29 and leading a defense that finished tied for first in MLS with just 33 goals allowed. The towering central defender led MLS with 86 interceptions (13 more than any other player) and finished tied for first with 55 tackles won. He also finished second league-wide with 147 clearances, tied for first with 80 headed clearances and eighth with 87 aerials won. Yeimar was rewarded with his first career international callup to Colombia for Novemberās FIFA World Cup qualifiers. This marks the second Sounders FC Defender of the Year award for Yeimar in as many seasons with the club. He was also voted a starter in the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, earned Best XI honors and was one of three finalists for MLS Defender of the Year.
2020 (Seattle): After joining Sounders FC from Argentine side Union de Sante Fe prior to the 2020 season, Yeimar was voted Team Defender of the Year after anchoring a Seattle backline that allowed just 23 goals in regular-season play, the lowest in the Western Conference and fourth lowest in MLS. The Colombian started all 19 of his regular season appearances, in addition to every minute of Seattleās four matches in the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, tallying two goals and one assist, including the game-winning strike vs. RSL (October 7). Yeimar led Sounders FC in interceptions (52, fourth in MLS), clearances (68), headed clearances (30) and aerials won (42), while also finishing in the top five in tackles won (17), duels won (93), recoveries (110) and possessions won (110).
2019-2020 (UniĆ³n de Sante Fe): In his final season with UniĆ³n, GĆ³mez Andrade started all 15 of his appearances in Argentina, scoring two goals, in addition to playing once in Copa Argentina before being transferred to Sounders FC.
2018-2019 (UniĆ³n de Sante Fe): GĆ³mez Andrade started all 24 of his appearances and scored two goals as UnĆon finished eighth during the 2018-2019 campaign with 36 points (9-7-9). He appeared twice in the Copa Argentina as UniĆ³n was eliminated in the Round of 64, in addition to his two games in Copa Sudamericana against Ecuadoran club Independiente del Valle.
2017-2018 (UniĆ³n de Sante Fe): In his first season with UniĆ³n de Sante Fe, GĆ³mez Andrade started all 25 of his appearances back in the Argentine first division, scoring one goal, as the club finished 10th in the table with 43 points (11-6-10). He also appeared twice in Copa Argentina.
2016-2017 (Independiente Rivadavia): After being transferred to Indepeniente Rivadavia, GĆ³mez Andrade started all 40 of his appearances in Nacional B, the Argentine second division. He scored two goals as his club finished fourth in the table with 67 points (16-9-19), in addition to making one appearance in Copa Argentina.
2016 (Arsenal de Sarandi): In his lone season with Arsenal de Sarandi, GĆ³mez Andrade made two appearances in the Argentine first division.
2015 (Rosario Central): In his final season with Rosario Central, GĆ³mez Andrade started 15 of 17 appearances in the Primera DivisiĆ³n as the club finished third in the table with 59 points (16-3-11). He also appeared twice in Copa Argentina, as Rosario Central finished second to Boca Juniors.
2014 (Rosario Central): GĆ³mez Andrade made four appearances for Rosario Central of the Argentine Primera DivisiĆ³n, in addition to a pair of matches in Copa Argentina.
2013-2014 (Tiro Federal): In his first professional season, GĆ³mez Andrade made 27 appearances on loan for Tiro Federal of Torneo Federal A, one of the Argentine third division leagues, scoring two goals.
Signed by Sounders FC using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) on February 5, 2020.