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Benjamin Robert Olsen (born May 3, 1977) is an American sports executive,
soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
coach, and former professional player who was formerly the president of
Washington Spirit The Washington Spirit are an American professional Association football, soccer team based in Washington, D.C. that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). It is a continuation of the D.C. United Women of the USL W-League (1995� ...
, a professional women's soccer club in the
National Women's Soccer League The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a women's professional Association football, soccer league and the highest level of the United States soccer league system#Women's leagues, United States soccer league system (alongside the USL Supe ...
(NWSL). He is currently the head coach of
Houston Dynamo FC Houston Dynamo Football Club is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in Houston. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. Established on Decembe ...
in
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...
. Olsen is best known for his long-term association with D.C. United of
Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...
(MLS), first as a player then as a coach. Born in Middletown,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
. 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 College soccer in the United States, soccer competitions. The Virginia Cavaliers are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Virginia ...
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 professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...
, 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 MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Playoffs. The game is held in November or December and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Confere ...
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 199 ...
s and one U.S. Open Cup winners medal. His individual honors include two-time
MLS All-Star The Major League Soccer All-Star Game is an annual Association football, soccer game held by Major League Soccer featuring selected players from the league against an international club or selected players from another league. MLS initially ado ...
, 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 ...
, 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. The selection is determined by a collection of media, players, and MLS club technical staffs. Winners Appearances by player The following players ...
. 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 Java ...
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 soccer 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 i ...
and representing the United States at the
2006 FIFA World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international Association football, football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to FIFA World Cup hosts ...
. 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, 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 some variety ...
'' magazine's National High School Player of the Year in 1993. Olsen was motivated to play college soccer at the
University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...
because the team had just won four NCAA Division I Championships and was coached by Bruce Arena, who had previously coached Olsen when he was 14 to 15 years old. While at UVA the
Cavaliers The term ''Cavalier'' () was first used by Roundheads as a term of abuse for the wealthier royalist supporters of Charles I of England and his son Charles II of England, Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum (England), Int ...
achieved two
Final Four In sports, the final four is the last four teams remaining in a playoffs, playoff tournament. Usually the final four compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final (penultimate) round. Of these teams, the two who win in ...
s and won two ACC Men's Soccer Tournament titles 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 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.


Professional career

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 ...
and supported the team as it won the 1998
CONCACAF Champions Cup The CONCACAF Champions Cup, formerly known as CONCACAF Champions League (2008–2023), is an international association football competition organized by CONCACAF as its top continental tournament for clubs from North America, Central America, a ...
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 199 ...
on the way to winning MLS Cup '99. It was United's third
MLS Cup MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Playoffs. The game is held in November or December and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Confere ...
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 a professional association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founde ...
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 mechan ...
in a 4–2 win over
New York Red Bulls The New York Red Bulls are an American professional association football, 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 (MLS), Eastern Conferenc ...
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 is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
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 The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The Gal ...
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 are an American professional association football, soccer club based in the Greater Boston area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference (MLS), Eastern Conference. It is on ...
. On May 2, 2009, Olsen injured himself during a game against
FC Dallas FC Dallas is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The franchise be ...
, 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 Association football, soccer club based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The club competed in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conf ...
at the Home Depot Center 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 are an American professional association football, soccer club based in the Greater Boston area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference (MLS), Eastern Conference. It is on ...
scheduled for September 15.


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'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
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 Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...
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, also known colloquially 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 Atlan ...
, which reflected Olsen's jersey number for United.


International career

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 Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, 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 western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
on February 21, 1999. As the youngest player on the team. He received a cross from
Brian McBride Brian Robert McBride (born June 19, 1972) is an American former association football, soccer player who played as a forward (association football), forward for Columbus Crew, Fulham F.C., Fulham and Chicago Fire SC, Chicago Fire. He is the sixt ...
during the 58th minute. He then hit a side volley past goalie Marcelo Ramirez 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, officially branded as Sydney 2000, and also known as the Games of the New Millennium, were an international multi-sport event held from 15 September to 1 October ...
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. 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 was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international Association football, football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which had won the right to FIFA World Cup hosts ...
roster, having scored goals in the U.S. team's early 2006 win over
Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
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, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...
in a 2–1 loss, replacing an injured
Claudio Reyna Claudio Alejandro Reyna (born July 20, 1973) is an American former professional soccer player and former executive. He most recently served as sporting director of Austin FC. A former midfielder, he spent most of his professional career in Eur ...
.


Coaching career

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 Lucien Favre (; born 2 November 1957) is a Swiss professional Association football, football manager and former player who most recently managed club OGC Nice, Nice. Favre was a playmaker for various Swiss and French clubs, the longest for Serve ...
, 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 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 against
Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake (RSL) is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. Fou ...
. The team won on a first half stoppage time goal by Lewis Neal. In 2014, Ben Olsen was named
MLS Coach of the Year The Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year Award is given by Major League Soccer to the best coach in any given season. The award has been given since the league's inception in 1996 and is determined by a vote from players, club personnel, and members of ...
, 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 Houston Dynamo Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in Houston. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Established on December 15, 2005, the club was founded after their fo ...
.


Personal life

Olsen is a licensed minister and presided over the nuptials of his then-teammate, Nick Rimando, in 2005. He is married to Megan Schoen, a teacher at Takoma Park Middle School. The two wed in
Negril Negril is a small, widely dispersed beach resort and town located in Westmoreland and Hanover parishes at the far western part of Jamaica, southwest from Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. Westmoreland is the westernmost paris ...
,
Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
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, in which Olsen enjoys an impromptu soccer skills exhibition with fellow MLS players Brian Ching, Duilio Davino 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 Sir David Robert Joseph Beckham ( ; born 2 May 1975) is an English former professional footballer, the president and co-owner of Inter Miami CF and co-owner of Salford City. Primarily a right winger and known for his range of passing, cross ...
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''.


Career statistics


Club


International

:''Scores and results list the United States' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Olsen goal.''


Managerial statistics


Honors


Player

D.C. United *
CONCACAF Champions' Cup The CONCACAF Champions Cup, formerly known as CONCACAF Champions League (2008–2023), is an international association football competition organized by CONCACAF as its top continental tournament for clubs from North America, Central America, a ...
:
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 Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
*
Copa Interamericana The Copa Interamericana () was an international association football, football competition endorsed by CONCACAF (North, Central America and Caribbean) and CONMEBOL (South America). Established in 1969, it was discontinued in 1998 after CONCACAF ...
:
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 Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
*
MLS Cup MLS Cup is the annual championship game of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the culmination of the MLS Playoffs. The game is held in November or December and pits the winner of the Eastern Conference Final against the winner of the Western Confere ...
:
1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
,
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 199 ...
:
1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
,
2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...
,
2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...
* U.S. Open Cup:
2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
*
MLS Eastern Conference The Eastern Conference () is one of Major League Soccer's two conferences, along with the Western Conference. The division of the conferences broadly follows the path of the Mississippi River from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, with c ...
:
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 Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
,
1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
,
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 () is an association football competition organized by CONCACAF as its top continental tournament for men's senior national teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The tournament is held every two ...
:
2005 2005 was designated as the International Year for Sport and Physical Education and the International Year of Microcredit. The beginning of 2005 also marked the end of the International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Internationa ...
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 ...
: 1998 *
MLS All-Star The Major League Soccer All-Star Game is an annual Association football, soccer game held by Major League Soccer featuring selected players from the league against an international club or selected players from another league. MLS initially ado ...
,
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 Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
,
1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
* MLS Cup MVP: 1999 *
MLS Humanitarian of the Year Award The MLS Humanitarian of the Year Award, also known as the MLS W.O.R.K.S Humanitarian of the Year Award, is given to a Major League Soccer player who exemplifies both skill on the field and service within the community. This finalists of the award ...
:
2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...
*
MLS Best XI The MLS Best XI is an annual acknowledgment of the best eleven players in Major League Soccer. The selection is determined by a collection of media, players, and MLS club technical staffs. Winners Appearances by player The following players ...
: 2007


Manager

D.C. United * U.S. Open Cup:
2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
Houston Dynamo *U.S. Open Cup:
2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...
Individual *
MLS Coach of the Year The Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year Award is given by Major League Soccer to the best coach in any given season. The award has been given since the league's inception in 1996 and is determined by a vote from players, club personnel, and members of ...
:
2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...


See also

*
List of Major League Soccer coaches The following is a list of Major League Soccer head coaches — including lists of current head coaches and head coaches with most wins. Major League Soccer is a United States soccer pyramid, Division 1 professional association football, soccer l ...
* All-time D.C. United roster


References


External links


D.C. United player profile

D.C. United coaching profile
*
USSF player profile


while on loan to
Nottingham Forest F.C. Nottingham Forest Football Club is a professional association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. Founded in 1865, Nottingham Forest h ...

The Blog Show
featuring the "Heart of a Lion"
tifo ''Tifo'' () is the phenomenon whereby ''tifosi'' of a sports team make a visual display of any choreographed flag, sign or banner in the stands of a stadium, mostly as part of an association football match. ''Tifo'' are most commonly seen in ...
displayed on June 28, 2008
Behind the Column: Ben Olsen
A video interview with Olsen at his home in May 2008

before the 2008 season
Ben's Breakdown
on October 16, 2007, discussing winning the 2007 Supporters' Shield {{DEFAULTSORT:Olsen, Ben 1977 births Living people American expatriate men's soccer players American expatriate sportspeople in England American men's soccer players American soccer coaches D.C. United head 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 for 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 men's 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 Men's association football midfielders All-American college men's soccer players People from Middletown, Pennsylvania Houston Dynamo FC head coaches CONCACAF Champions Cup–winning players 20th-century American sportsmen