Los Angeles – Almost a week has passed since the final whistle of the 2024 MLS season that crowned the LA Galaxy as MLS Cup champions was blown.
The moment, which was actually lived twice due to the Los Angeles Galaxy’s bench thinking an offside call had made them winners, was cathartic for 27,000 Angelenos who witnessed their team’s first trophy in ten years being lifted. The 2-1 win over the New York Red Bulls confirmed that LA’s original team is back.
Surprise starter Gaston Brugman got the Galaxy going in the eighth minute with a lovely through ball to Joseph Painstil, who dispatched it coolly to put the Galaxy ahead 1-0. Five minutes later, Mark Delgado played Dejan Joveljić in stride for him to carry the ball 25 yards and get his shot off while falling for the Galaxy’s second goal of the day.
It would be all the LA Galaxy needed to recapture the prize that had eluded them for a decade.
Grown Men cried. Strangers hugged each other as if they’d been separated for years. And more than one player, like Champions League finalist Marco Reus, banished some demons by winning their first club title in their glittering careers.
Now, the confetti has been cleared from the field, the champagne mopped up in the LA Galaxy dressing room, and the celebrations have largely subsided. All the emotions of an 11-month-long season have been spent, culminating in a raucous and joyful celebration turned concert (Paintsil puts on a show on the field and on stage) in Legends Plaza at Dignity Health Sports Park the day after the Galaxy’s win.
It is good that time affords the opportunity to reflect on big moments like the Galaxy recently accomplished dispassionately and without rose-colored glasses, or in this case, ones with blue, white, and gold lenses.
The days after LA’s win have allowed time to put things into perspective regarding this team, and the same conclusion keeps being reached. In this case, it’s not hyperbole, or getting caught up in the moment.
The facts and stats don’t lie.
The 2024 LA Galaxy might be one of the best MLS teams of all time.
The 2024 LA Galaxy, Among the Best MLS Teams of All Time
At The End of the Day, Only Trophies Matter
This debate can be settled simply by virtue of what matters most, trophies.
With their recent win over New York, the LA Galaxy have won their record-extending, league-leading sixth MLS title. It makes LA the most storied franchise and tied for most decorated with 13 major honors.
2024’s title win also completes one of the biggest turnarounds in MLS history by Greg Vanney’s team, by going from 13th to second place in the Western Conference table.
In the playoffs, they were even better.
The LA Galaxy went 5-0-0 in the MLS Cup Playoffs en route to their sixth cup. Their performance matches the 2011 team, who also went “all wins” along the way to the title. The only other time the LA Galaxy won five games during the playoffs was in 2002 when they went 5-1-0.
Read More: Why LA Galaxy Fans Should Be Thankful
A Fortress at Home
One of the reasons the 2024 Galaxy found so much success is the home comforts they were able to enjoy. Because they won the second seed in the West, LA only had to leave Dignity Health Sports Park once during the postseason.
They blitzed opponents by scoring 58 goals at home, part of the 85 goals they scored along the way to the third-best offensive record in MLS.
A loss by higher-seeded LAFC to Seattle in the Western Conference Semi-finals assured the Galaxy of home-field advantage throughout the rest of the playoffs. And it was a good thing too.
In 21 matches played across all competitions at home during the 2024 campaign, the Galaxy held an unbeaten record of 17-0-4. Their 17 home wins equal the MLS record for the most wins in a single venue within a season. They became only the second team in league history to go unbeaten at their home venue and win MLS Cup in the same season – something they did previously in 2011.
Only two other teams have won as many matches at home in MLS history, and no Galaxy team has won more points at home in a single season (42).
Blessings Dressed as Disasters
It could’ve been so different for the record-setting Galaxy. A decision-day loss away to Houston was seen as a disaster at the time, but it woke LA up heading into the playoffs so that they could avoid the same first-round elimination fate as Inter Miami or Columbus.
The Galaxy were looking for a massive statement in the opening game against Colorado, and they got one by limiting the Rapids to one shot and none on target while earning a shutout for the first time in seven games. It marked the first time in 78 all-time MLS Cup Playoff matches that the Galaxy have held their opponent to zero shots on target. It also marked just the 11th time in 1,001 combined all-time MLS matches (Regular Season & Postseason) that the Galaxy have held their opponent to zero shots on target.
Talisman Riqui Puig was irrepressible during the best-of-three series. He scored four goals in the opening two matches to eliminate the Rapids and enter the record books. Puig is now one of two players in MLS Cup Playoffs history, with Kevin Molina being the other, to record a brace in consecutive games to begin the postseason.
After eliminating the Rapids, the Galaxy followed up that demolition with another mauling. This time, against one of the supposed best defenses in the league in Minnesota United.
On this occasion, it was the other parts of the potent Galaxy attack that carried the day, with the Killer P’s setting more scoring records.
Gabriel Pec, Paintsil, and Joveljić each scored a brace on the way to a 6-2 home win. With each scoring two goals in the win over the Loons in the Western Conference Semi-finals, it marked the first time in MLS postseason history that three teammates have scored two goals in the same match. Additionally, the Galaxy’s six goals scored during the elimination win tied an MLS record for the most goals scored in a playoff match, only achieved twice before.
The Galactic Attack was Inevitable
Although the subsequent rounds were much closer, the LA Galaxy attack earned its money in the postseason just like they had in the regular season. After posting a league-leading 57.5 non-penalty XG during the 2024 campaign based on FBref.com’s data, the Galaxy’s offensive form in the playoffs was even more deadly.
The Killer P’s and company broke the record for most goals in a postseason with 18 goals scored during the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. In five matches played during the postseason, LA outscored their opponents 18-4, which is the largest goal differential (+14) in a single playoff campaign in MLS history.
During those five matches, Joveljić notched a league-high six goals and two assists.
Thanks to his game-winning goal in MLS Cup, the Galactic trio of Gabriel Pec (35), Riqui Puig (35), and Joveljić (29) combined for 99 goal contributions across the regular season and postseason. This tied the previous MLS record by an MLS trio, set by the 1998 LA Galaxy teammates, Mauricio Cienfuegos (35), Cobi Jones (33), and Welton (31).
When you include Painstsil, who was also the fastest player in MLS this season with a max speed of 37.60 km/h, the Galaxy’s front foursome scored 124 goals. This beats Cienfuegos, Jones, Welton, and Martin Machon, for the most goal contributions by a quartet in a regular season and playoffs history by two more goals.
The foursome is also the first set of teammates in MLS Cup Playoffs history to have four players with at least three or more goals scored in a single campaign (Riqui Puig – 4 goals, 3 assists; Dejan Joveljić – 6 goals, 2 assists; Gabriel Pec – 3 goals, 2 assists; Joseph Paintsil – 4 goals, 1 assist).
The Galaxy’s offense was a big reason LA won the title and improved Vanney’s winning percentage to .708, tied for the best in MLS Cup Playoffs history. A playoff campaign spent at home is another the Galaxy etched their name into the record books for a sixth time.
But whatever the reason is, it’s safe to say that this MLS Cup-winning LA Galaxy team is among the best in league history.