Revolution’s Lee Nguyen On MLS Best XI Team After MVP-Caliber Season

The first week in December is just three days old, but it’s already bearing fruit for Lee Nguyen.

Major League Soccer named Nguyen to its “Best XI” team Tuesday, recognizing the New England Revolution star’s outstanding 2014 campaign with all-league honors. Nguyen scored a career-high 18 goals and registered five assists in 32 games, leading New England to a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference in the regular season before taking his team all the way to the MLS Cup in the playoffs.

Nguyen, 28, becomes the first Revolution player to earn Best XI honors since Shalrie Joseph in 2009.

Nguyen was MLS’ highest-scoring American player in 2014 and scored more goals in a season than any midfield player in league history.

Nguyen was named an MLS All-Star in July and was the league’s player of the month for October. Last month, Nguyen was called up to the U.S. national team and played for his country for the first time since 2007.

Nguyen also is a finalist for the 2014 MVP Award, which MLS will announce Wednesday.

The Revolution will face the L.A. Galaxy in the MLS Cup at 3 p.m. Sunday at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.