D.C. United

One of the founding clubs of the MLS in 1996, D.C. United is the most traditional team in the North American league, with four MLS Cup titles conquered in the early years of the competition.

History

D.C. United was one of ten founding clubs of Major League Soccer, debuting in the inaugural 1996 season. Based in Washington, D.C., the club quickly became the most successful team in the league during its first decade of existence. Under the command of players such as Bolivian Marco Etcheverry and American defender Eddie Pope, United won the MLS Cup in 1996, 1997 and 1999, plus the 2004 title, totaling four trophies, a mark that for many years kept it as the competition's most successful champion. The club also won the Interamerican Cup in 1998, defeating Vasco da Gama. For much of its history, D.C. United played its home games at RFK Stadium, a multipurpose stadium in the nation's capital. In 2018, the club moved to Audi Field, an arena built specifically for soccer in the Buzzard Point neighborhood. In 2018, United also gained international attention by signing English striker Wayne Rooney, former Manchester United and England national team, reinforcing the historical prestige of the club within North American soccer.