The best player in Major League Soccer and now the best player in Canada.
Indeed, it was a banner year for Dwayne De Rosario.
De Rosario, a 33-year-old attacking midfielder from Scarborough, Ont., capped off an amazing 2011 Wednesday when he was named Canada’s male soccer player of the year, the fourth time he has won the award (2005-2007).
Other finalists for the honour handed out by the Canadian Soccer Association included Simeon Jackson of Premiership club Norwich City and Josh Simpson, who plays in Turkey for Manisaspor.
Calling it a “huge honour,” De Rosario gave credit to his teammates both at club level and with the Canadian national team for helping him achieve great individual success this past year.
The award is also a testament to his character after he was traded twice during the course of the Major League Soccer season and left Toronto FC following a public falling out with club management over his contract.
Despite many off-field distractions and twice having his family uprooted from their home, De Rosario had one of the best individual years by a Canadian player in recent memory.
“When I cross that line, that’s where I get the most joy… I just try to play with passion and desire, and that will to always improve. That has helped me out tremendously,” De Rosario told reporters during a Wednesday conference call.
“I’m quite aware that things off the field, somethings you can control (and) somethings you can’t. But what I can control is the effort and energy I put on the field on that day. That’s how I try to approach every game and every situation.”
De Rosario embarked on a whirlwind tour of MLS in 2011, starting the season with Toronto FC in March before being traded to the New York Red Bulls the following month, and dealt again (to D.C. United) in June.
Despite bouncing around between three clubs, De Rosario finished the regular season with 12 assists (fourth-best in MLS) and 16 goals to win the Golden Boot as the league’s top scorer.
It was the first of many league awards De Rosario would claim, as he was named to the MLS first all-star team for a record sixth time, and won the league’s most valuable player award.
In doing so, De Rosario not only became the first Canadian to win MVP honours in MLS’ 16-year history, but the first MVP in North American pro sports history to play for three different teams in one season.
The Canadian also became the first MLS player to be named league MVP in a season when his team did not reach the playoffs.
De Rosario was also a polarizing figure, praised for this contributions to club and country by some, vilified by others for his much-publicized contract dispute with TFC.
Still, there’s not much doubt he was the best Canadian player in 2011 by a wide margin.
“Dwayne De Rosario has many supporters and a few critics. But no matter what you think of him, he’s automatic as Canadian player of the year. … There was no other choice,” Sportsnet soccer commentator Gerry Dobson said.
De Rosario admitted he felt winning this award served as a bit of vindication after the criticism he received from some fans and members of the media after parting ways with TFC.
“People are going to say what they have to say, but at the end of the day you can’t question one’s effort that they continue to show every game and that’s what I try to do – let my play do the talking,” De Rosario stated.
Canadian national coach Stephen Hart was impressed with De Rosario professionalism this past year.
“You must admire anyone who faces such an uncertain start of the season only to excel as he did in 2011,” Hart said in a news release. “Through the right mentality, he never allowed his on‐field performance to suffer. He deserves to be recognised for the year he put together.”
ONE OF THE BEST EVER IN MLS
De Rosario has won just about all there is to win in MLS.
He won the MLS Cup in 2001 and 2003 with San Jose and in 2006 and 2007 with Houston, earning MLS Cup MVP honours in 2001 and 2007. He also claimed goals of the year honours in 2004 and 2005.
But after being a finalist for the league MVP in 2005 and 2006, he finally broke through in 2011 to claim the league’s top individual award to his already impressive trophy case.
De Rosario made history for the Canadian national team, too.
In November, he tied Dale Mitchell as Canada’s all-time leading scorer with 19 goals, converting a penalty kick in a 4-0 World Cup qualifying win over St. Kitts and Nevis in Toronto.
“Dale has contributed a lot to Canadian soccer. … To be up there along the same lines is a huge accomplishment,” De Rosario said.
The lone accomplishment missing from his CV is playing on the sport’s biggest stage. The Canadian team’s only previous World Cup appearance came in 1986 in Mexico, but De Rosario believes Canada can qualify for the 2014 tournament in Brazil.
“You have to overcome a lot of obstacles. Thankfully, I think we have a team that is capable of doing so. Again, it’s easier said than done but I think we have the talent and the guys who are playing at a very high level on a consistent basis that we can accomplish that goal,” De Rosario recently told Sportsnet 590 The FAN.
The CSA will reveal the female player of the year award on Thursday. Christine Sinclair is expected to win.
Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Bryce Alderson and Ashley Lawrence were named under-17 players of the year on Monday, while Toronto FC defender Ashtone Morgan and Amelia Pietrangelo took home the under-20 player honours on Tuesday.