As I’ve mentioned before, it was the 2010 World Cup that really turned me onto the Beautiful Game. The excitement from that tournament led to my eventual interest in pro soccer on my home continent, North America. I’ve always supported professional sports in the Metroplex (Dallas/Fort Worth), so when I started following Major League Soccer, FC Dallas was always going to be my club. I watched my first match in April of 2012. It’s one I doubt many FC Dallas supporters will have forgotten, as Montreal converted from the spot in the 61st before a pair of late goals from Blas Perez and Brek Shea delivered an electric 2-1 win for the Hoops in Frisco. I was hooked. 
I’ve only missed a handful of matches since. I’ve watched a lot of MLS soccer, and while I’ve basked in some glorious moments, there have been some very dark times as well. Below is my list (numbered, but in no particular order) of the five finest and five worst moments during my time following FC Dallas.
TOP 5 MOMENTS:
Most fans of the game are familiar with FCD’s most celebrated moments in recent years. I could write about head coach Oscar Pareja, who came home in 2014 to save the ailing club he used to play and coach for. Of course, it’s his return that has made all the difference in Frisco, as a club that was floundering in 2013 is truly among the league’s elite just a few years later. I could mention the famous FCD Academy, and how it’s been producing some of the most promising youngsters in MLS (K. Acosta, V. Ulloa, J. Gonzalez and so on). I could also throw FCD’s 2015 Western Conference Semifinal win into my top 5, but that would be too easy, too obvious – besides, these are all such well-documented achievements. So with that being said, here are the top five moments for me as an FC Dallas supporter since 2012.
1) NATIONAL SOCCER HALL of FAME
In 2015, Frisco was announced as the new home of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Conceptual images of the National Soccer Hall of Fame being built in Frisco, Texas.
Frisco is a booming town and will likely have a plenty to offer its visitors in a few years. For now, though, it’s not exactly a destination that offers much beyond a quality MLS side. The US Soccer Hall of Fame could change that, as it offers one more great reason to attend an FC Dallas match. The only match I have ever attended at Toyota Stadium was on a beautiful July night when everything was perfect, including the 2-0 win for FC Dallas over New England. Beyond the match, the club, and Toyota Stadium, however, Frisco left me wanting more. The new Hall of Fame sounds like it will be pretty cool as it is being built into the south end of the stadium, and will coincide with a handful of nifty renovations to Toyota Stadium. It’s just one more reason for this fan to go watch the Hoops play in person. For everyone else, with the way soccer is growing in this county, the new Hall of Fame may serve as cause alone to go see a game in Frisco. One of the few things that isn’t going FCD’s way these days is their inability to draw fans at home, and maybe an exciting new national attraction can change that.
2) De Guzman’s Stunner v. Vancouver
9/15/2012, FCD 1 – 0 VWFC – It didn’t mean anything in the end, but at the time, this brilliant strike kept FC Dallas alive in the playoff race. Dallas absolutely had to take all three points in a late season home match against Vancouver. The game looked destined to end in a 0-0 draw, but a moment of magic at the death separated the two sides in the end. I remember this goal like it was yesterday, a truly magical moment.
3) May 1st, 2015, HOU 1 – 4 FCD
Houston looked bad, but we looked amazing. Watch these highlights, it was an absolute masterclass from playmaker Mauro Diaz. About as much fun as I’ve had watching FC Dallas over the course of the entire 90.
4) THE OFFSEASON
Admittedly this is a loose interpretation of the word “moment,” but the offseason has been such a fantastic time for the club in recent years. Let’s start with the MLS Super Draft, where FC Dallas has picked up quality contributors, a team captain and a goal scorer all in the last five drafts:
2012 – Matt Hedges, 11th Overall (UNC)
Schellas Hyndman knew he had a winner when this gem slipped out of the top 10. Matt Hedges was an instant contributor, starting 23 matches in his rookie season, and he’s missed very few matches for the club since. He is the now the undisputed team captain and among the finest center backs in MLS.
2013 – Walker Zimmerman, 7th Overall (Furman)
Schellas picked a winner again in 2013 when he drafted Walker Zimmerman, another big and talented center back. When on the pitch for FCD, Zimmerman has shown great defensive and aerial ability while also proving himself clutch performer. He’s also, over the last nine months, proven more durable than initially thought.
Nov 8, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; FC Dallas defender Walker Zimmerman (25) celebrates with teammates after kicking the game winning goal past Seattle Sounders FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei (not pictured) to defeat Seattle Sounders FC 4-2 during the penalty kicks in the MLS Playoffs at Toyota Stadium. FC Dallas. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
2013 – Ryan Hollingshead, 20th Overall (UCLA)
He didn’t have a rookie season until 2014 because he was off helping his brother build a church. He showed some ability in that season, but really proved himself a valuable MLS asset in 2015, appearing in 33 matches in various positions for the Hoops.
2014 – Tesho Akindele, 6th Overall (Colorado School of Mines)
A flat out goal-scorer, what every fan wants in the Super Draft but doesn’t always get. Pareja had just arrived in Dallas, having just spent two seasons as the head man for the Colorado Rapids. No doubt, it was that situation that led to Oscar scouting a little known striker playing just up the road in Golden, Colorado for the School of Mines. When Pareja returned to Frisco, he brought this little scouting tip with him.
That’s some amazing Super Draft work from Fernando Clavijo, Schellas/Oscar and company since 2012, but the front office and scouts have been equally impressive working the South American transfer market.
Fabian Castillo – Acquired from Colombian side Club Deportivo in March, 2011.
Brought to Frisco for a reported $800K in 2011, the year before I began following the club. The Colombian International has improved every year with FC Dallas and is among the most dangerous and talented players in North America at the tender age of 23. With his combination of world class speed, stamina, technical ability, ingenuity and killer instinct, he’ll likely end up in Europe for a hefty transfer fee someday.
Mauro Diaz – Acquired from Argentine Powerhouse River Plate in July, 2013.
As I recall, River Plate let Diaz (below) go on a free transfer. He is now one of the most influential players in MLS, making FC Dallas a nearly unbeatable side when he is fit and in the lineup. His amazing tricks, flicks, passes and so on have led MLS Analyst Matthew Doyle to nickname him the Magic Little Unicorn. Diaz is among the most exciting additions to Major League Soccer since I have been following the game because he does stuff that you just can’t teach. He is that good, that dynamic, and will likely end up in Europe someday just like Castillo.
Michael Barrios – Signed in February, 2015 after four years with Colombian first division side Uniautonoma.
Barrios didn’t come to FC Dallas with the same fanfare as the two guys above, but he has proven equally valuable and productive. The lightning fast Colombian has really found his groove in Frisco after taking the first half of 2015 to acclimate to Frisco, the language, the culture, and of course, the style of play in MLS. Since then, Barrios has established himself as the wide threat FC Dallas has always wanted to pair with Castillo. Barrios is only a 25-year-old winger, but he shows the composure of a 30-year-old striker when he is through on goal.
Carlos Gruezo – Acquired from German side Stuttgart in January, 2016.
The young Ecuadorian has quite the resume at just 21 years of age – suffice it to say, his acquisition was a big coup for FC Dallas. He was named to Ecuador’s 2014 World Cup squad and has made 10 appearances for his home country. He made 18 appearances for his previous club, VfB Stuttgart, becoming the first Ecuadorian to score a goal in the Bundesliga when he scored in the fall of 2014. In only seven matches for FC Dallas, he has proven indispensable, playing the role of enforcer while bringing excessive speed and technical ability to an MLS pitch for a defensive mid.
5) BeatDown in NorCal
Number five is a tough one – it should be one of the aforementioned moments in the intro to this Top Five section. Instead, I’ll go with one of my favorite matches from the 2014 season, a 5-0 win at Buck Shaw Stadium. First of all, the Quakes have been an unlikable side ever since their “Goonie” run to the Shield in 2012. To see their home fans swallow a 5-0 loss at home was thoroughly satisfying. Secondly, I love it when Fabian does a defense dirty, as he did on this opening goal. Thirdly, Tesho Akindele, The School of Mines rookie, bagged a hat trick en route to taking 2014 Rookie of the Year honors. Five-nil wins on the road are inherently satisfying, but against San Jose, I found this to be a particularly memorable night. The match was just eight months into Pareja’s stint as head man for FC Dallas, and the convincing road win was a telling sign of the success to come for him and the club.
Tesho Akindele: 2014 MLS Rookie of the Year, Canadian International
WORST 5 MOMENTS:
There are the obvious ones, such as playoff losses to Seattle in 2014 and Portland in 2015, matches that FC Dallas coaches and players believe could’ve turned out differently. At the same time, FCD overachieved in those two seasons, so those losses also represent the endings to a pair of fantastic years for the club. I dug a little deeper and looked for the moments that really hurt, the ones that made my blood boil before sinking my heart. Again, numbered, but in no particular order:
1) MAY 6th, 2012, FCD 0 – 2 COL
It was early in the season, but this match was the beginning of the end for Dallas in 2012. The 2-0 home loss to Colorado was the first in a stretch of seven matches in which FCD collected one of 21 possible points. Mostly though, the match was infuriating because the Hoops needlessly picked up two red cards in a three minute span late in the first half (D. Hernandez 34’ & B. Perez, 36’). If I’m not mistaken, Jair Benetiz played at the top of the formation for the rest of the game.
2) 2014 USOC SEMIFINAL
FC Dallas could not have had a better draw to bring home the club’s second ever trophy. After drawing and defeating a lower division side in the quarters, FC Dallas drew the Philadelphia Union in Frisco in the semifinals. The winner of that match had also been awarded home field advantage for the USOC Final. The semifinal was frustrating because FC Dallas came out and played tight, they did not outplay Philadelphia as they had in MLS competition over the last few matches. FCD clawed their way back to 1-1 scoreline to force extra time and then PKs, but were beaten badly in the shootout. While Seattle, who went on to win the cup in Philly, would have been a tough out for FC Dallas, it bugs me to think what could have been knowing that final would have been played in Frisco.
3) 2012 USOC HUMILIATION
I know MLS sides can lose to NASL and USL clubs in this competition. There are a handful of explanations that more than justify the occurrence of these upsets on an annual basis. Having said that, this one still pissed me off pretty good. In late May, FC Dallas lost 2-0 in Frisco to the Charlotte Eagles.
4) MAY 15th, 2015, FCD 0 – 0 NYRB
The match ended in a draw, and rightly so, but given the way the season ended, it’s a result that stings deeps. Neither club did much to separate themselves on that Friday night in Frisco, but FCD looked to have the break through from Michael Barrios before Felipe’s goal line clearance saved the day. With both clubs tying atop the Shield standings with 60 points after the regular season, but NYRB taking the title thanks to their stronger goal differential… this result, that clearance from Felipe, it still hurts.
5) George John Injury
I remember George John as one of the standout performers and finest defenders in MLS when he was healthy for FC Dallas. I don’t quite know what happened, but he had some knee problems, some knee surgeries, and has never been right since. The whole thing was a bit mysterious and very sad because he had the talent to be a great player.
Injuries derailed a promising career for former FCD defender George John
Soccer Therapy 