The fifth annual edition of the New England Soccer Journal Best XI highlights the penchant for New England products to find their way onto common ground.
Pick any measure and the common threads start to emerge. Certain clubs identify and land New England products. Certain national teams lean on players with extensive links to the region to fuel their ambitions. Certain countries tend to welcome players who pass through New England and thrust them into prominent roles.
All of those clusters formed and thrived as 2017 unfolded. It proved a banner year for familiar faces and new performers alike. This group includes domestic standouts, international stalwarts and the top scorer in a foreign league. It is — once again — a picture of the eclectic fabric of our region.
