As a follow up to our 25th season celebration series naming the top 5 players by position in FCD franchise history, I started a Top 5 FCD Players by Number series.
We are now on to the number 5. Which is right out.
Around these parts, we think numbers are important, and I had the idea that – if the season didn’t restart – it might be fun to spin the Top 5s a bit and do a Top 5 Players by Number series. Of course, the season did restart so the idea went on the back burner… until now.
Disclaimer: The 25th Season Top 5 Player lists were voted on by a committee. These Top 5 Player by Number lists are just mine. So come at me, bro!
Top 5 FCD Number 5s
5 is traditionally a number for center backs or holding mids.
| Rank | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jair Benitez | The top choice at 5 was easy, he’s the #1 left back in club history even though that’s not a great position for the 5 jersey. 153 games, 140 starts, 2 goals, and 12 assists. Benitez still ranks in the club’s top 10 for games, starts, minutes, and fouls suffered. A no-brainer, given the rest of the list. |
| 2 | Tenywa Bonseu | A player with a career bouncing between the USL and MLS, Bonseu was a physical, hard-working defender for two seasons in Dallas who got caught in the Southlake debacle and rebuild. 47 games, 47 starts. |
| 3 | Steve Jolley | 2 years in Dallas toward the end of his solid 11-year MLS career, he came to the Burn in a trade for the player right above him on this list. Started falling out of favor in late 2005 partially due to the emergence of Drew Moor. 41 regular-season games with 40 starts for Jolley. |
| 4 | Marcelo Saragosa | 4 seasons in Dallas as a utility player for Schellas Hyndman who loved Saragosa’s work rate and soccer brain. He only really had one season as a full-time starter in 2008. |
| 5 | Thiago Santos | Santos isn’t on this list due to any recency bias but rather because of the sparsity of quality 5s in FCD history. Kind of crazy that a dude with just 20 games under his FCD belt makes the list but he did lead MLS in duels in 2020 with 190 (19 ahead of 2nd place). |
What’s your list look like?
#5 – All-Time FCD Roster
| Thiago Santos | 2020 to Current |
| Moises Hernandez | 2018 to 2019 |
| Carlos Cermeno | 2017 |
| Norberto Paparatto | 2016 |
| Ezequiel Cirigliano | 2015 |
| Jair Benitez | 2009 to 2014 |
| Marcelo Saragosa | July 2006 to 2009 |
| Marcos Charras | April to June 2006 |
| Steve Jolley | 2004 to 2005 |
| Tenywa Bonseu | 2002 to 2003 |
| Lubos Kubik | 2001 |
| Esmundo Rodriguez | End 2000 |
| Kirk Wilson | 1999 mid 2000 |
| Jorge Flores | 1996-1998 |
Up next?
The number 6.
“Six, six, six for my sorrow.”