Toronto FC is the best team in MLS history and it's not even close

No team in Major League Soccer has accomplished as much in one season as Toronto FC managed to in 2017. On Saturday, the Reds captured the MLS Cup to complete the first treble in league history. For a club once called "the worst team in the world" by its own former star man Danny Koevermans, Toronto FC now legitimately makes a case for being regarded as MLS' best side ever.

But who else could even challenge for that label? Here's how Toronto FC compares to some of the league's other great teams:

Dominant D.C. United of yesteryear

Toronto's 2017 feats are certainly worthy of praise but an argument could be made that the "best team in MLS history" should prove itself over many years, as D.C. United did from 1996-99. They won the MLS Cup three times in four straight finals under Bruce Arena and Thomas Rongen, also clinching the 1997 and 1999 Supporters' Shield and the 1998 CONCACAF Champions' Cup.

But it would be difficult to directly compare these two teams since the level of quality two decades ago was nowhere near MLS' standard of play today. The odds of this D.C. United team replicating its glories in today's MLS are unlikely. Then there's the issue of how those successes were calculated in the first place, a point of contention that works against the 1998 LA Galaxy, too.

Record setters of shoot-out era

The Reds set a new points record this year, but there are a few benchmarks from the past still to reach. In 1998, both the LA Galaxy and D.C. United recorded 24 wins, while Toronto had 20 wins in 2017. The 1998 season also saw the Galaxy set the MLS record for most points (68), which stood for 17 years before Toronto's 69-point haul this season.

Ironically, Greg Vanney broke his own record this year, as he and assistants Robin Fraser and Dan Calichman all played for that 1998 LA side. But, putting their collective 24 wins into context is important, as they came in an era when draws at the 90-minute mark were settled with an unorthodox shoot-out.

If you convert those shoot-out results to draws, the LA Galaxy finish 1998 with 20 wins, while D.C. United has just 14, ending any talk of their superior campaigns.

The San Jose, Houston days

The San Jose Earthquakes emerged as the league's top team at the turn of the century. Spearheaded by coach Frank Yallop, this team boasted the likes of Landon Donovan and Dwayne De Rosario and won two MLS Cup titles in three years (2001, 2003). Dominic Kinnear took over in 2004 and went on to clinch the Supporters' Shield in 2005 as Donovan departed to play in Germany.

The Earthquakes then moved to Houston and became the Houston Dynamo, but the move didn't affect the team's title-winning ability. De Rosario led the new franchise to MLS Cup victories in 2006 and 2007. Trophy wins make the case for these teams, but the off-field instability works against them.

Toronto FC isn't just the best team in MLS because of its on-field performances, but also due to those off-field factors. No ownership group has invested more in making their MLS franchise successful, and while Toronto FC was the butt of many jokes in the first nine years of its history, the current front-office staff has proven to be both adept and exemplary in their actions and ambitions.

The modern LA Galaxy

There's really only one team that can compete with Toronto for the "best ever" label - the LA Galaxy of 2011-14. Led by Arena and David Beckham, Robbie Keane, and Donovan, this team captured three MLS Cup titles in four seasons while boasting the sort of front-office staff and infrastructure to fuel further success. The team also gets credit for earning their successes against a similar quality of play to today's MLS, and could very likely play the kind of soccer that would be good enough to defeat Toronto over 90 minutes.

Toronto FC still has a bit of work to do to eclipse the Galaxy's trophy haul, but tactically and stylistically, Vanney's side plays prettier and more brutally effective soccer. For all of the LA Galaxy's triumphs, it's Toronto FC who set the MLS record for points in a single season and won the league's first treble. Toronto's 74 goals this season compare favorably to the LA Galaxy's best goal tally of 69 in that four-year period.

Add to this, the fact the Galaxy only topped the Western Conference once in that four year period and you have the story of a strong post-season team, but one that didn't come close to replicating Toronto's efforts over the entirety of 2017.

If you value quality over quantity, Toronto FC has the LA Galaxy beat. With a bit of time, it's possible TFC adds a few more stars to its crest, too.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)