Star-Ledger file photos

Who's No. 1?

The New York Red Bulls were founded in 1995 as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars -- one of the original franchises of Major League Soccer. By 2006, the club switched its name to the New York Red Bulls when the franchise was bought by Red Bull GmbH. A new era began in 2010 when the club left Giants Stadium and moved into its own facility, Red Bull Arena in Harrison. With the club's past in mind, we've decided to rank the top 10 players in franchise history, taking into account statistics, individual talent, and the mark each left on the organization.

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Saed Hindash | The Star-Ledger

10. Seth Stammler

The Ohio-born midfielder joined the MetroStars in 2004 out of the University of Maryland. His versatility and consistency established him as a solid player in the MetroStars and Red Bulls midfield for the six years that he was on New York. Stammler made 142 appearances for New York and even scored six goals for the club before retiring from soccer in 2010.

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Aristide Economopolous | The Star Ledger

9. Youri Djorkaeff

The Frenchman joined the MetroStars in 2005 following a tremendously successful career in which he won a World Cup and a European championship for France. Although he only spent two seasons with the team, Djorkaeff used his professionalism and abilities on the ball to influence his teammates and create most of the important goals for his team in his first season with the club. He left New York in 2006 after scoring 13 goals in 49 appearances in two seasons with the team.

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George McNish | The Star-ledger

8. Tim Howard

The goalkeeper from North Brunswick joined the MetroStars as a young player still learning his craft in 1998. In his five and a half seasons with the team, Howard made 97 appearances. His time with the MetroStars eventually led to Manchester United of the English Premier League signing him, kick starting a prolific career in international soccer.

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John Munson | The Star-Ledger

7. Tony Meola

The Kearny native was signed by the MetroStars for the franchise's inaugural season in 1996. He was the MetroStars’ starting goalkeeper for three years before being traded to Kansas City. He returned to New York when the team became the Red Bulls but left again in 2007. He made 140 total caps for the organization, and his performances in goal established him as both a club and United States soccer legend in goal.

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David Jolkovski | The Jersey Journal

6. Mike Petke

The defender from Bohemia, New York set the franchise record for number of appearances and minutes played for the MetroStars/Red Bulls after joining the club in 1998. Petke established himself as an iconic player during his time with the team with his 169 appearances and five goals scored, and he eventually returned to the club to be the head coach of the Red Bulls in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

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Major League Soccer

5. Clint Mathis

The American midfielder joined the MetroStars in 2000 and had 45 goals in 110 appearances with the club. He left the MetroStars in 2003, but returned for the Red Bulls for one season in 2007. His skills on the ball in the midfield and his goal-scoring prowess made him a club legend, as well as an all-time great in American soccer.

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metrofanatic YouTube video

4. Amado Guevara

The Honduran midfielder signed with the MetroStars in 2003 and quickly established himself as the team's primary playmaker. His lethal goal-scoring ability only added to his game, as he slotted 32 goals in 103 games for the MetroStars/Red Bulls. Guevara's time with the club was also marked by personal accolades, including three MLS All-Star appearances (including an All-Star MVP), MLS Scoring Champion and MLS MVP.

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Photo by Ed Curry

3. Roberto Donadoni

Known as one of the greatest Italian soccer players in history, the midfielder joined the MetroStars for their inaugural season in 1996. He played 55 games for the MetroStars, scoring six goals in that time. Still at the top of his game, Donadoni is not only one of the greatest talents the organization has had, but also a pioneer for Major League Soccer in establishing international respect for the league.

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metrofanatic YouTube video

2. Juan Pablo Angel

The Colombian striker joined the Red Bulls in 2007, making 102 appearances for the club. His time with the Red Bulls was marked by an endless supply of goals. He captained the Red Bulls and led them to theirs first and only MLS Cup appearance in 2008. He currently holds the club record for most goals scored in all competitions with 62 goals.

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FarisAdriano YouTube video

1. Thierry Henry

The iconic French striker joined the Red Bulls in 2010 and immediately made an impact, using his remarkable skill and eye for the goal. In 2013, he led the Red Bulls to a Supporters' Shield trophy as the league's top regular season team. He is the Red Bulls’ all-time assists leader with 37 and scored a total of 51 goals in 122 appearances for the club. Overall, Henry is probably the most talented player the Red Bulls, and perhaps even Major League Soccer, has ever had.