FRISCO — FC Dallas defender Reto Ziegler is looking to make the MLS All-Star team for the first time in his career this season. The Swiss international has started in every match he’s appeared in this season and was named team captain as well.
Here are three reasons to vote for Ziegler.
Reliability
Ziegler has started and played in 14 matches this season that he’s been available for, and he’s played the entirety of every one of those matches. His minute total has now reached 1,260 minutes, and it is only going to increase with multiple players expected to be unavailable due to international call-ups. He’s also been tasked with playing multiple positions this season. Saturday afternoon saw him move from center back over to left back. His versatility will be key in the coming weeks for FC Dallas, and it goes to show how important he can be for a team.
Passing
It’s one thing to be a good defender that clears the ball when things get tense at the back, but it’s another to have a defender who can locate a teammate for a pass to get a counter attack started. Even after he was unavailable for two-straight matches due to injury, Ziegler is still the league-leader for successful passes in in a team’s own half (611). FCD Head Coach Luchi Gonzalez’s possessional style has resonated with the entire team, and passing has been a big component that’s improved in 2019.
Oh Captain, My Captain
The 2019 season has seen many changes within the FC Dallas organization — one of them being who gets to wear the captain’s armband. Ziegler has stepped up and become one of the vocal leaders on a young FC Dallas squad. Being a captain and veteran defender, Ziegler, along with Matt Hedges, anchors down the back line and makes sure everything runs smoothly in FCD’s formation.
