Richmond Kickers Feature
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Former Richmond Kickers midfielder Dwayne De Rosario, who was just named Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Player for the 2011 season, is one of the players who has shaped the league.
“In the MLS, I haven’t seen anybody better than Dwayne De Rosario. He is the face of this league”, says soccer legend Thierry Henry about the 33 year-old Canadian international.
Although he played for three different clubs in 2011, De Rosario managed to stay at the very top of his game, finishing with 13 goals and seven assists in 18 games as an attacking midfielder for D.C United. His 16 goals and 12 assists overall also earned him the Budweiser Golden Boot.
De Rosario actually started his pro career when he signed with the Richmond Kickers in 1999 at the age of 21. While in Richmond, he had his breakthrough season in 2000, when he contributed 16 goals and six assists, leading the Kickers to a 20-7-1 record.
After a standout performance with the Kickers, he was acquired by the San Jose Earthquakes the following season. Immediately showing his exceptional quality as a clutch performer, he scored the game-winning Golden Goal in the MLS Cup Final for the Earthquakes. During his time in San Jose, he scored 27 goals in 108 appearances.
From 2006 to 2008, De Rosario scored a total of 24 goals in 78 games for the Houston Dynamo, and he was able to top his record once again, scoring 27 goals in only 57 games for Toronto FC from 2009 to 2011.
RichmondKickers.com sat down with De Rosario as he reflected on his time in Richmond:
RichmondKickers.com: Was there a decisive moment that leveraged your career?
De Rosario: When I came over from Germany in 1999, I was hoping to be scouted by MLS, but got signed with the Kickers. It was a stepping stone for me to go to the next level.
RichmondKickers.com: How would you describe your time with the Richmond Kickers?
De Rosario: It was a great! We had two big seasons and I really enjoyed playing for the Kickers.
RichmondKickers.com: How did the Kickers support you during your time at the club?
De Rosario: The Kickers gave me a lot of support. Because of the great environment there, I was able to really enjoy playing soccer and to gain a lot of confidence as a player. During that time, I developed more and more desire to go to the next level.
RichmondKickers.com: What do you think are crucial skills and abilities that a young player needs to make it from youth to pro?
De Rosario: First of all: discipline. You need a strong work ethic and commitment to constantly improve in your play. Everyone tries to be the next Cristiano Ronaldo, but the main thing is really that you keep working on the simple things. It’s important that you have the freedom to develop and of course you should never lose fun in playing soccer. As a result, you will gain more confidence as a player, which is key.