who made the Rapids Best XI with colorado ties?

Javier Arellano | July 2, 2020

During the month of June, the Colorado Rapids announced a list of players that played an important role with the club since it’s inaugural season in 1996. The All-Time Best XI as voted by fans, saw four players with Colorado ties beyond their Rapids tenure.

Robin Fraser

Robin Fraser, a Kingston, Jamaica native, spent most of his professional career playing in Colorado. In 1990, he signed with the Colorado Foxes via Miami Sharks to play in the American Professional Soccer League, where he spent six years here. Fraser would go on to be a household name, earning APSL All-Star status from 1992-95. In 2001, after a four-year stint with LA Galaxy and now competing in Major League Soccer, he returned to the Centennial State, this time to play with the Colorado Rapids. In two seasons (2001-02), Fraser played 54 matches with 53 starts, including seven postseason games. Fraser retired in 2005 after two seasons with Columbus Crew.

Since retiring, Fraser has gained valuable coaching experience at Real Salt Lake, New York Red Bulls & Toronto FC as an assistant coach, as well as his first head coaching job with Chivas USA in 2011. Most recently, if you’ve been to a Rapids game since September last year (which I’m sure you have), you’ll notice him on the home sideline leading the Rapids.

Terry Cooke

Terry Cooke, a product of the famed Manchester United Academy, arrived in Colorado in 2005. His technical ability and millimetric accuracy made him an assist specialist playing on the right flank, accumulating 34 assists in the Rapids uniform, second on club’s all-time list. Twelve of those assists came in the 2006 season, leading the league that year.

Overall, Cooke played 106 games for the Colorado Rapids between 2005-09, scoring four goals and contributing 34 assists. He continued to play for two more years, but hung up the boots in 2011.

Following his retirement from professional soccer, Cooke returned to Colorado where he currently serves as Director of Coaching at Denver Kickers Sport Club and is heavily involved in developing the next generation of Colorado players.

Conor Casey

A Dover, New Hampshire native, Casey moved to Colorado at the age of five and since then considers Denver his hometown. Growing up, Casey played his youth soccer for various clubs, including Denver Warriors, Lakewood Fury & Colorado Rush before heading off to college in 1999.

After two college seasons (1999 & 2000) at Portland, Casey signed oversees in Germany and played for Borussia Dortmund, Hannover 96, Karlsruher SC & Mainz 05, scoring 41 goals in 93 games. It wasn’t until 2007 when he would return to the United States and sign with Toronto FC. After two games with Toronto, Casey was traded to his hometown club, the Colorado Rapids.

With the Rapids, he reached the pinnacle of his career, being named MLS Best XI in 2009 and winning the MLS Cup in 2010. In six years with the Colorado Rapids, Casey became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer netting 50 goals and winning the 2010 MLS Cup MVP Award. He also earned two MLS All-Star nominations.

Casey was also a member of the US Men’s National Team, representing the Stripes and Stars at the U20, U23 & Senior levels. His two goals for the USMNT came on October 10, 2009 in a crucial World Cup Qualifier against Honduras in San Pedro Sula. Additionally, Casey was a member of the U.S. Olympic team that finished fourth at the summer games in Sydney 2000 and a 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup Champion.

Following his retirement in October 2016, Casey returned to Colorado and was named Assistant Coach for the Rapids heading into the 2017 season. He would continue his assistant role until August 1, 2019, and was then named Interim Head Coach following Anthony Hudson’s dismissal. Casey finished with a 7-7-4 record as interim head coach before Colorado Rapids hired Robin Fraser.

In 2017, Conor Casey was inducted into the Colorado Soccer Hall of Fame, honoring his accomplishments & contributions to the game of soccer in Colorado. You can watch part of his speech here.

Marcelo Balboa

Balboa is one of the Colorado Rapids’ most recognized & historic players ever. He was part of the inaugural 1996 team when the Rapids played their first game in Major League Soccer. Balboa was quite familiar to Colorado, as he had already played for the Colorado Foxes in 1992. By then, he had already played in Mexico for Club Leon (1994-1995) & had represented the US Men’s National Team in two World Cups (1990 & 1994). His performances with the Rapids would earn him a third World Cup participation in 1998, becoming one of three first USMNT players to play in three World Cups.

With the Colorado Rapids, Balboa established himself as one of the most dominant defenders in the league, scoring 24 goals and adding 23 assists from 1996-2001. He also led the Rapids to four playoff appearances, including a trip to the MLS Cup in 1997 & the 1999 US Open Cup Final. Throughout his time in the Rapids uniform, he played in 151 total games with 146 starts, fourth best in club’s all-time list. One of his most memorable moments came in April 2000, when he scored the MLS Goal of the Year with a spectacular bicycle kick. Balboa would then retire in 2002.

Following his retirement, Balboa continued to stay involved in soccer working in television, currently as color commentator for Altitude TV covering the Rapids. In 2008, Balboa was inducted into the Colorado Soccer Hall of Fame and has served on the Colorado Soccer Association Board of Directors.

Click here to see Colorado Rapids All-Time Best XI.