Benjamin Robert Olsen (born May 3, 1977) is an American sports executive,
soccer coach, and former professional player who was formerly the president of
Washington Spirit
The Washington Spirit is an American professional soccer club based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area that participates in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). It is a continuation of the D.C. United Women of the W-League and con ...
, a professional women's soccer club in the
National Women's Soccer League
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league at the top of the United States league system. It is owned by the teams and, until 2020, was under a management contract with the United States Soccer Federati ...
(NWSL). He is currently the head coach of
Houston Dynamo FC
Houston Dynamo FC (formerly officially, but still commonly, called the Houston Dynamo) is an American professional soccer club based in Houston. The Dynamo compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Establis ...
in
Major League Soccer. Olsen is best known for his long-term association with
D.C. United of the
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...
(MLS), first as a player then as a coach.
Born in
Middletown,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...
, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. He then played for
Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer
The Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer team represent the University of Virginia in all NCAA Division I men's soccer competitions. The Virginia Cavaliers are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Virginia has an extensive reputation as one ...
and was named
1997 Soccer America Player of the Year.
Olsen spent the vast majority of his professional career in the United States with D.C. United in
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...
, which he joined straight out of college. Over the course of 12 seasons with United, Olsen made 221 appearances, scoring 29 goals and making 49 assists. During that time he won two
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference ...
titles, two
MLS Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system. The Supporters' Shield has been annually awarded at the MLS Supporters' Summit since 19 ...
s and one
U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in men's Soccer in the United States, soccer in the United States of America. It is the oldest ongoing nati ...
winners medal. His individual honors include two-time
MLS All-Star, 1998
MLS Rookie of the Year The MLS Young Player of the Year Award (known as the Rookie of the Year Award from 1996 to 2019) is an annual award given to the top player in Major League Soccer under the age of 22.
The award was initially awarded to a rookie, or a player who no ...
,
MLS Cup '99 MVP and 2007
MLS Best XI The MLS Best XI is an annual acknowledgment of the best eleven players in Major League Soccer.
Winners
*Players in bold were awarded the Landon Donovan MVP Award
The Landon Donovan MVP Award is an annual award for MLS players. It is voted on by ...
.
Olsen also earned 37
caps
Caps are flat headgear.
Caps or CAPS may also refer to:
Science and technology Computing
* CESG Assisted Products Service, provided by the U.K. Government Communications Headquarters
* Composite Application Platform Suite, by Java Caps, a Ja ...
with the
United States men's national team, winning the
2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the eighth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF). It was contested in the United States in July 2005. The United States emerged victorious ...
and representing the United States at the
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Germany 2006, was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to host th ...
.
Olsen announced his retirement from professional competition on November 24, 2009.
Youth and college soccer
Olsen grew up in
Middletown, Pennsylvania.
He played his youth soccer for premier team FC Delco, where he was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame. Olsen attended Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary School and
Middletown Area High School
Middletown Area High School is a small, suburban, public high school in Middletown, Pennsylvania. It is the only high school operated by Middletown Area School District. Middletown Area High School serves: the boroughs of Middletown and Royalton ...
, where he was named ''
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of s ...
'' magazine's National High School Player of the Year in 1993.
Olsen was motivated to play
college soccer
College soccer is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. It is very prominent in United States, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and as well as in South Africa and Philippines, the Philippines. Th ...
at the
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with College admission ...
because the team had just won four
NCAA Division I Championships
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges and ...
and was coached by
Bruce Arena, who had previously coached Olsen when he was 14 to 15 years old. While at UVA the
Cavaliers won two
Final Fours and two
ACC Men's Soccer Tournaments with Olsen being honored as the ACC Tournament MVP in 1997. In that same year the Cavaliers advanced to the NCAA final after Olsen scored two goals to lift the Cavaliers 3–1 over the
St. Louis Billikens
The Saint Louis Billikens are the collegiate athletic teams that represent Saint Louis University, located in St. Louis, Missouri. The Billikens compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a member of the A ...
in the semifinal round. In his three-year career he tallied 34 goals, 41 assists and 109 total points. During his junior year he was named the
1997 Soccer America Player of the Year.
Playing career
Professional
Olsen entered the league as a
Project-40
Generation Adidas is a joint venture between Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer aimed at raising the level of young professional soccer talent in the United States. The program, sponsored by Adidas, offers professional-ready players in the U.S ...
player, and was allocated to
D.C. United on December 27, 1997, shortly after finishing his junior season at UVA. In 1998 Olsen excelled as a right midfielder with United. During his inaugural season he earned a starting spot and scored 4 goals and made 8 assists. These accomplishments earned him the 1998
MLS Rookie of the Year Award The MLS Young Player of the Year Award (known as the Rookie of the Year Award from 1996 to 2019) is an annual award given to the top player in Major League Soccer under the age of 22.
The award was initially awarded to a rookie, or a player who n ...
and supported the team as it won the 1998
CONCACAF Champions Cup and 1998
InterAmerican Cup.
During Olsen's second season with United he scored 5 goals and made 11 assists over 26 games, which contributed to United earning the 1999
Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system. The Supporters' Shield has been annually awarded at the MLS Supporters' Summit since 19 ...
on the way to winning
MLS Cup '99. It was United's third
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference ...
victory in the first four years of the league. Olsen, the game's MVP, was especially happy to win the championship game after losing
MLS Cup '98 to the
Chicago Fire.
Olsen's third season began well, but a collision with
Chicago Fire goalkeeper
Zach Thornton caused an ankle injury that kept Ben out of much of the second half of the season, limiting him to 13 starts and only 1 goal and 3 assists on the year. After he recovered from the ankle injury in late 2000, Olsen was loaned by United to
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. Nottingham Forest was founded in 1865 and have been playing their home games at the City Ground, on the banks of the River Tren ...
of the English
First Division, where he immediately impressed and soon became a fan favorite. As a transfer became increasingly likely, Olsen severely fractured his ankle during a December game. During his 18-month absence Olsen required four surgeries and continuous rehabilitation. He finally returned in July 2002 and was able to finish the season with 7 starts and 10 games played.
In 2003 Olsen completed a full season with United for the first time in four years. He started 26 games for the team, while scoring 4 goals and making 7 assists. Although his speed was limited due to his injuries and surgeries, Olsen was able to adapt to a new position as a center midfielder. It was here that Olsen spent his time in 2004 as well, starting 25 games for United, scoring 3 goals and 4 assists. He scored 2 goals and 4 assists in 2005.
D.C. United needed Olsen back at wide midfielder for the
2007 season, and he responded well. He served as Captain when
Jaime Moreno was away on national team duty, scored his first career
hat trick
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mech ...
in a 4–2 win over
New York Red Bulls
The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer club based in the New York metropolitan area. The Red Bulls compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The club was established in October 1994 and be ...
on June 10, and enjoyed his best season in MLS.
He ended the year with seven goals and seven assists and was named to the MLS Best XI team. Olsen had surgery on both of his ankles in
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
on November 5, 2007.

Ankle problems again sidelined Olsen for the beginning of the 2008 MLS season, and there was speculation that his career was in jeopardy. Despite said problems, Ben Olsen was able to make one MLS appearance against the
Los Angeles Galaxy
LA Galaxy, also known as the Los Angeles Galaxy, are an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Galaxy competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), as a member of the Western Conference. The club began pla ...
on June 28, 2008. The crowd greeted him with the loudest ovation of the day and a tifo that read "Ben Olsen" and "Heart Of A Lion". After playing just 15 minutes Olsen responded to the media by stating, "It wasn't great; I was like a wounded animal out there." On July 7, 2008 Olsen underwent another ankle surgery.
Olsen was able to continue his career during the
2009 season in a defensive midfield role, scoring the tying goal in stoppage time of a 1–1 tie with the
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional soccer club based in the Greater Boston area that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), in the Eastern Conference of the league. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having compet ...
. On May 2, 2009 Olsen injured himself during a game against
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes as a member of the Western Conference in Major League Soccer (MLS). The franchise began play in 1996 as a charter club of the leag ...
, which led him to be substituted out during the second half. After skipping two matches he played against
Chivas USA
Chivas USA (pronounced ''CHEE-vahs'') was an American professional soccer team based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California. The club played from 2005 to 2014 in Major League Soccer (MLS) and was a subsidiary of Mexican club C.D. Gua ...
at the
Home Depot Center
Dignity Health Sports Park is a multi-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. The complex consists of the 27,000-seat Dignity Health Sports Park soccer stadium, the Dignit ...
on May 16, 2009. Six minutes into that match he aggravated his hamstring.
On July 17, 2012 United announced that Olsen would be inducted into the
D.C. United Hall of Tradition before a match against the
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional soccer club based in the Greater Boston area that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), in the Eastern Conference of the league. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having compet ...
scheduled for September 15.
International

Olsen at one time seemed like the right midfielder of the future for the
U.S. national team, as he received his first cap soon after his Rookie of the Year season, on November 6, 1998 against
Australia, and he was a significant player for the team in the 1999 season. He scored his first international goal during his first international start, which was against
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...
on February 21, 1999. As the youngest player on the team. He received a cross from
Brian McBride during the 58th minute. He then hit a side volley past goalie
Marcelo Ramirez
Marcelo is a given name, the Spanish and Portuguese form of Marcellus. The Italian version of the name is Marcello, differing in having an additional "l". Marcelo may refer to:
*Marcelo Costa de Andrade (born 1967), Brazilian serial killer, rapis ...
into the left corner of the goal. In 1999, he earned the U.S. Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year award. However, the injuries that kept him out of club play also seriously damaged his aspirations for the national team.
Despite those injuries he was able to compete in the
2000 Summer Olympics
The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 ( Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from ...
for the United States, which placed fourth overall in the competition. Olsen's third career international goal earned the United States a tie with Tunisia during an international friendly in preparation for
World Cup qualifying
The FIFA World Cup qualification is a competitive match that a national association football team takes in order to qualify for one of the available berths at the final tournament of the (men's) FIFA World Cup.
Qualifying tournaments are h ...
. He scored in injury time when
John O'Brien passed him the ball after a corner kick.
After moving to a controlling midfield position, Olsen was one of the selections on
Bruce Arena's
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Germany 2006, was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to host th ...
roster, having scored goals in the U.S. team's early 2006 win over
Guatemala and in an April tie with Jamaica. Olsen earned 35 caps in all, scoring 6 goals for the United States. Olsen made his lone World Cup appearance against
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in Ghana–Ivory Coast border, the west, Burkina ...
in a 2–1 loss, replacing an injured
Claudio Reyna
Claudio Reyna (born July 20, 1973) is an American former professional soccer player and current executive. He most recently served as sporting director of Austin FC.
A former midfielder, he spent most of his professional career in Europe, play ...
.
Club statistics
International goals
Retirement
United announced Olsen's retirement from professional competition on October 24, 2009. Only three days earlier Olsen stated in an online chat hosted by
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
that he was committed to playing another year.
At the time of his retirement Olsen ranked second in games played, minutes played, game-winning goals, third in assists and shots on goal for United.
His retirement prompted numerous expressions of appreciation. On the same day he announced his retirement the
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...
saluted Olsen at the end of the third quarter. In his honor the Wizards announced $14 tickets to a game against the
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Ea ...
, which reflected Olsen's jersey number for United.
Coaching

On January 5, 2010 United announced that Olsen would continue to work for United as an assistant coach under head coach
Curt Onalfo. On August 5, following a league-worst 3–12–3 start to the season, head coach Curt Onlafo was fired. Subsequently, Olsen was named interim head coach and completed the season with a 3–8–1 record. Although United officials interviewed at least seven candidates, including
Hertha Berlin manager
Lucien Favre, the club appointed Olsen to the head coaching position. United made a public announcement on November 29, 2010 and held a press conference in the same room Olsen had announced his retirement one year and one month earlier. Olsen signed a three-year guaranteed contract that made him United's seventh head coach in club history and youngest full-time head coach in the league's 15-year history. This occurred despite the fact that United President and CEO
Kevin Payne Kevin Payne may refer to:
* Kevin Payne (American football) (born 1983), American football player
* Kevin Payne (soccer) (1953–2022), American soccer executive
* Kevin Payne (politician), American politician, member of the Arizona House of Repres ...
had continuously ruled him out during the months leading up to the decision.

In a promotion for the upcoming
2011 season, United gave away free
half-smokes in conjunction with
Ben's Chili Bowl, which was renamed "Ben Olsen's Chili Bowl" for one hour on March 17, 2011 .
In a largely disappointing
2013 season where United was last in the Eastern Division, Olsen led the team to the
2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final
The 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final was the 100th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the oldest ongoing competition in American soccer. The match featured Major League Soccer (MLS) teams D.C. United and Real Salt Lake. It was played ...
against
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake, often shortened to RSL, is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes as a member club of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western Conference. RSL began play in ...
. The team won on a first half stoppage time goal by
Lewis Neal
Lewis Ryan Neal (born 14 July 1981) is an English former professional footballer.
Career
Neal started his career at Stoke City, making his debut in the Football League Trophy on 6 December 2000 against Scarborough. He went on loan to Icelandic ...
.
In 2014, Ben Olsen was named
MLS Coach of the Year, helping D.C. United win the MLS Eastern Conference regular season title after finishing in last in 2013.
In 2019, Olsen became the youngest head coach in MLS to reach 100 wins as a manager, achieving the title at 41 years old.
On October 8, 2020, D.C. United announced that Ben Olsen departed from his role of head coach.
On November 8, 2022, Olsen was named head coach of
Houston Dynamo.
Coaching statistics
Personal
Olsen is a licensed minister and presided over the nuptials of his then-teammate,
Nick Rimando
Nicholas Paul Rimando (born June 17, 1979) is an American retired soccer player who last played as a goalkeeper for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer and the United States national team. He holds the Major League Soccer records for career ...
, in 2005. He is married to Megan Schoen, a teacher at
Takoma Park Middle School
Takoma Park is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a suburb of Washington, and part of the Washington metropolitan area. Founded in 1883 and incorporated in 1890, Takoma Park, informally called "Azalea City", is a Tree C ...
. The two wed in
Negril
Negril is a small (pop. 6,900) but widely dispersed beach resort and town located in Westmoreland and Hanover parishes at the far western tip of Jamaica, southwest from Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.
Westmoreland is the we ...
,
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispan ...
in December 2006. Their wedding was featured in Brides Magazine. Megan gave birth to their daughter, Ruby, on September 30, 2008.
The couple later featured in a popular TV commercial for
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. (stylized as "DICK'S Sporting Goods") is an American sporting goods retail company, based in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. The company was established by Richard "Dick" Stack in 1948, and has approximately 854 stores ...
, in which Olsen enjoys an impromptu soccer skills exhibition with fellow MLS players
Brian Ching,
Duilio Davino
Duilio César Jean Pierre Davino Rodríguez (born 21 March 1976) is a Mexican former professional footballer and executive who last served as Sporting Chairman of Liga MX club Monterrey.
Playing career
Davino was called up to play in the 1995 ...
and
Christian Gómez, before he and Megan chase their screen son, "Dawson", out of the store when he has the temerity to ask for a
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham (; born 2 May 1975) is an English former professional footballer, the current president and co-owner of Inter Miami CF and co-owner of Salford City. Known for his range of passing, crossing ability and bending f ...
jersey.
Olsen has rented out the apartment below his
Northwest, Washington, D.C. town house to numerous teammates, including to
D.C. United goalkeeper
Zach Wells during the 2008 season.
He was featured on the North American cover of
FIFA 2001.
Honors
Player
D.C. United
*
CONCACAF Champions' Cup
The CONCACAF Champions League, known officially as the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League for sponsorship reasons, is an annual continental club football competition organized by CONCACAF. The tournament is contested by clubs from North Ameri ...
:
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
*
Copa Interamericana
The Copa Interamericana ( en, Interamerican Cup) was an annual club football competition contested between a representative from North America (CONCACAF) and South America ( CONMEBOL). Established in 1969, it was discontinued in 1998 after CONCA ...
:
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
*
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The game is held in November and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Conference ...
:
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school s ...
,
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
*
MLS Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system. The Supporters' Shield has been annually awarded at the MLS Supporters' Summit since 19 ...
:
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school s ...
,
2006,
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ...
*
U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, commonly known as the U.S. Open Cup (USOC), is a Single-elimination tournament, knockout cup competition in men's Soccer in the United States, soccer in the United States of America. It is the oldest ongoing nati ...
:
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing ...
*
MLS Eastern Conference
The Eastern Conference is one of Major League Soccer's two conferences, along with the Western Conference.
As of 2023, the Eastern Conference contains fifteen teams. The conference has produced sixteen Supporters' Shield champions and ten ...
:
1998
1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''.
Events January
* January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
,
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school s ...
,
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
United States
*
CONCACAF Gold Cup
The CONCACAF Gold Cup ( es, Copa de Oro de la CONCACAF, french: Coupe D'or CONCACAF) is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the continental champion of North Amer ...
:
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris (dwarf planet), Er ...
Individual
*
MLS Rookie of the Year The MLS Young Player of the Year Award (known as the Rookie of the Year Award from 1996 to 2019) is an annual award given to the top player in Major League Soccer under the age of 22.
The award was initially awarded to a rookie, or a player who no ...
: 1998
* MLS Cup MVP: 1999
*
MLS Best XI The MLS Best XI is an annual acknowledgment of the best eleven players in Major League Soccer.
Winners
*Players in bold were awarded the Landon Donovan MVP Award
The Landon Donovan MVP Award is an annual award for MLS players. It is voted on by ...
: 2007
Manager
D.C. United
* U.S. Open Cup:
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment ...
Individual
*
MLS Coach of the Year:
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
See also
*
List of Major League Soccer coaches
The following is a list of Major League Soccer coaches — including lists of current coaches and coaches with most wins. Major League Soccer is a Division 1 professional soccer league, with 27 teams — 24 in the United States and 3 in Canada.
...
*
All-time D.C. United roster
This list comprises all players who have participated in at least one league match for D.C. United since the team's first Major League Soccer season in 1996. Players who were on the roster but never played in an Major League Soccer, MLS game are no ...
References
External links
D.C. United player profileD.C. United coaching profile*
USSF player profilewhile on loan to
Nottingham Forest F.C.
D.C. Style Mag InterviewThe Blog Showfeaturing the "Heart of a Lion"
tifo
Tifo () is the phenomenon whereby tifosi of a sports team makes a visual display of any choreographed flag, sign or banner in the stands of a stadium, mostly as part of an association football match.
Tifos are most commonly seen in important ...
displayed on June 28, 2008
Behind the Column: Ben OlsenA video interview with Olsen at his home in May 2008
before the 2008 season
Ben's Breakdownon October 16, 2007 discussing winning the
2007 Supporters' Shield
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olsen, Ben
1977 births
Living people
American expatriate soccer players
American expatriate sportspeople in the United Kingdom
American soccer players
American soccer coaches
D.C. United coaches
D.C. United players
Footballers at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Nottingham Forest F.C. players
American people of Danish descent
Sportspeople from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Soccer players from Pennsylvania
Major League Soccer players
English Football League players
Olympic soccer players of the United States
United States men's international soccer players
Virginia Cavaliers men's soccer players
CONCACAF Gold Cup-winning players
1999 FIFA Confederations Cup players
2000 CONCACAF Gold Cup players
2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup players
2006 FIFA World Cup players
2007 Copa América players
Expatriate footballers in England
Major League Soccer All-Stars
United States men's under-20 international soccer players
United States men's under-23 international soccer players
D.C. United non-playing staff
Association football midfielders
All-American men's college soccer players
People from Middletown, Pennsylvania