History of Real Salt Lake facts for kids

Real Salt Lake (RSL) is a professional soccer team from Utah. This article shares the exciting story of the team, year by year, since it started in 2004. To learn more about the club, check out the main article.

2004: The Team Kicks Off!

Dave Checketts, the founder of Real Salt Lake

In July 2004, Major League Soccer (MLS) decided that Utah would get a new soccer team. Dave Checketts led the group that owned the team. Steve Pastorino became the general manager, and John Ellinger was hired as the head coach. In October, the team was officially named "Real Salt Lake." This name honored the famous Spanish team, Real Madrid. Some local fans weren't thrilled with the name, but most people were excited about the new team.

On November 17, RSL got its first player ever! They traded with the Dallas Burn to get star forward Jason Kreis. Over the next few months, the team added more players. These included experienced MLS players like Clint Mathis and Eddie Pope. The team also made plans to play home games at Rice-Eccles Stadium at the University of Utah. They hoped to build their own soccer stadium in the Salt Lake area later on.

2005: First Games and Big Moments

RSL played its first official game on April 2, 2005. It was a windy, rainy match against the New York MetroStars in New Jersey. The game ended in a 0–0 tie. The next week, Jason Kreis scored the first goal in RSL history! This happened in a 3–1 loss to LA Galaxy.

RSL came home to Utah for its first-ever home game on April 16. A huge crowd of 25,287 fans came to Rice-Eccles Stadium. Brian Dunseth scored a header in the 81st minute, giving RSL a 1–0 win over their rivals, the Colorado Rapids.

After this exciting start, the rest of the season was tough. RSL won two games in a row in May, but then their offense struggled. The team went 557 minutes without scoring a goal, which was an MLS record at the time! They lost 10 games in a row before getting a 2–2 tie. The season ended with a 5-22-5 record.

Even with the tough season, there were some cool moments. In June, Salt Lake hosted a World Cup qualifying game. Team USA played against Costa Rica. Over 40,000 fans came to watch! In August, Jason Kreis scored his 100th career goal. He was the first player in MLS history to do this!

2006: Ups and Downs on the Field

Real Salt Lake's second season started slowly. They lost five games and tied one in their first six matches. Overall, RSL had gone 18 games without a win. This was the longest winless streak in MLS history! But the team didn't give up.

On May 13, RSL beat LA Galaxy 3–0. Jeff Cunningham, a new player, scored two goals. This was RSL's first win away from home! They then had two wins and a tie in their next three home games. It looked like RSL might make the playoffs.

However, their luck changed again. They lost four games and tied two in the next six. But RSL bounced back once more! They won five games, tied one, and lost only one from mid-July to mid-August. The season had a low point with a big 6–0 loss to the New York Red Bulls. RSL finished with a 10-13-9 record and didn't make the playoffs.

Jeff Cunningham was a big star for RSL in 2006. He came to Salt Lake from Colorado. Cunningham won the MLS Golden Boot award for scoring the most goals in the league (16 goals). He also had 11 assists, which was one of the highest totals in MLS.

2006: A New Stadium Dream

Off the field, RSL had a huge win in 2006! After a lot of discussion, the team finally got approval to build a brand-new, soccer-only stadium. It would be built in Sandy, a city near Salt Lake City. The team broke ground for the stadium on August 12. Important people from the famous soccer club Real Madrid were there, including superstar David Beckham. That evening, RSL played against Real Madrid in front of a sold-out crowd of 45,511 fans. Real Madrid won the game 2–0.

In September 2006, RSL and Real Madrid signed a 10-year agreement. They planned to work together to help soccer grow in Utah and the United States. This included playing friendly games every two years in Salt Lake City. RSL would also train at Real Madrid's facilities in Spain each February. They even planned to build a $25 million youth academy in Salt Lake City. This academy would train young players from ages 12 to 18. However, most of these plans didn't happen. Only one friendly game was played, and RSL opened its own academy in Arizona in 2010.

2007: Big Changes and a New Coach

The 2007 season started with high hopes. RSL had strong attackers like Cunningham and Kreis. They also added Panamanian player Luis Tejada. Experienced players like Chris Klein, Carey Talley, and new goalkeeper Nick Rimando helped the team. Many people were excited about young midfield players. Mehdi Ballouchy was back after a good first year. RSL also got the highly talked-about player Freddy Adu in a trade. Adu was only 17 but had already played in MLS for three years. Many thought he would be a future American soccer star.

But the team's excitement quickly turned to disappointment. In the first game, RSL played well, but a late goal by Carlos Ruiz tied the game for FC Dallas. RSL was very upset. The team then lost their next three games, getting outscored 6–0. In a big surprise, Coach Ellinger was fired. Jason Kreis immediately stopped playing and became the new head coach. The general manager, Steve Pastorino, also left and was replaced by Garth Lagerwey.

The team began a huge rebuilding project. Cunningham, who had argued with Kreis, was traded. Tejada was released. Adu left to play in Portugal. By the end of the year, many other key players like Ballouchy and Klein were traded. Defender Eddie Pope also retired. The team finished with a 6-15-9 record and missed the playoffs again.

2008: Building a Stronger Team

Even though 2007 was tough, RSL added several players who would help the team succeed later. Kyle Beckerman, Robbie Findley, and Yura Movsisyan joined RSL through trades. Fabián Espíndola and Javier Morales came from Argentina to boost the offense. In early 2008, the team added defenders Nat Borchers and Jamison Olave to make the defense stronger. Nick Rimando remained the main goalkeeper.

As the team played together, they became very strong, especially at home. RSL lost only one home game during the regular season, winning eight and tying six. Their home advantage got even better in October when Rio Tinto Stadium opened. This was the new soccer-specific stadium in Sandy. However, playing away from home was still a challenge. RSL had a tough 2-9-4 record in games outside Utah.

But when they needed a win on the road in their last regular season game, the team delivered! Movsisyan scored a goal in the 90th minute to get a 1–1 tie in Colorado. This tie was enough to earn RSL its first-ever playoff spot! 2008 was the first time the club finished with a winning or even record (10-10-10). Movsisyan's late goal also meant the team scored more goals than they allowed (40 goals for, 39 against) for the first time.

RSL beat Chivas USA in the first round of the playoffs. They won 1–0 at home and tied 2–2 away. However, their season ended disappointingly. The New York Red Bulls beat RSL at home in the Western Conference Final. Despite this, everyone in the team was hopeful. Kyle Beckerman was a strong leader as team captain. Javier Morales became the main offensive player, setting a team record with 15 assists.

2009: MLS Cup Champions!

Fans hoped for a much better 2009 season. The team was almost unbeatable at home again, with a 9-1-5 record at Rio Tinto Stadium. They scored 23 more goals than they allowed at home! But RSL still struggled in games away from home. In the last few weeks, RSL was one of five teams fighting for the last two playoff spots. RSL had the fewest points of these five teams.

However, something amazing happened! RSL won 3–0 against Colorado in their final regular season game. And, thanks to some surprising results in other games around the league, RSL grabbed the 8th and final playoff spot! Even though they had a losing record overall (11-12-7), they made the playoffs because of a tie-breaker rule.

As a "reward" for making the playoffs, RSL faced the top-ranked Columbus Crew. The Crew were the defending MLS champions and had the best record in the league. RSL was the underdog, but they weren't scared. They used their strong home advantage to win the first game 1–0. In the second game, they fought hard, coming back from a 2–0 deficit to beat the Crew 3–2 in Columbus!

After this win, Real faced the Chicago Fire. The Fire had Mexican star Cuauhtemoc Blanco and were tough to beat. The game was played in Chicago, where RSL had never won before. The teams tied 0–0. RSL won the shootout 5–4, thanks to three huge saves by goalkeeper Nick Rimando! It seemed unbelievable, but RSL won the Eastern Conference championship and moved on to play the LA Galaxy in the MLS Cup final.

Over 46,000 fans filled Seattle's Qwest Field for one of the most exciting MLS finals ever. The two teams were very different. The Galaxy was a well-known team from Los Angeles with many championships. Their roster included David Beckham, one of the most famous athletes in the world, and American star Landon Donovan. Real Salt Lake, on the other hand, was a smaller team with little history and no huge star players. They were the underdogs again, and they loved that role.

LA Galaxy scored first in the match. But Robbie Findley scored a goal for RSL in the 64th minute. The teams tied 1–1 at the end of regular time, and neither team scored in overtime. Both goalkeepers made amazing saves during the shootout. The teams were still tied after five rounds of penalty kicks. After Rimando blocked a shot by Edson Buddle, Robbie Russell scored his shot. This gave Real Salt Lake a 5–4 victory in the shootout and the 2009 MLS Cup championship! Rimando was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his amazing performance.

RSL's championship win is one of the biggest upsets in American soccer history. It's the only time in major US professional sports that a team won the league championship after having a losing record in the regular season. President Barack Obama honored Real Salt Lake at the White House on June 4, 2010.

2010: Home Field Dominance

On September 4, 2010, Real Salt Lake tied an MLS record! They went 22 games in a row without losing at home, matching the Columbus Crew's record. RSL had not lost a league game at home since May 2009.

On October 16, 2010, RSL extended their home unbeaten streak to 25 games by beating FC Dallas 2–0. This made Real Salt Lake the team with the most consecutive home games without a loss in MLS history! This amazing streak finally ended at 29 games on May 28, 2011, when they lost to the Seattle Sounders FC.

RSL also tied the record for a Single Season Home Unbeaten Streak. They had zero losses at Rio Tinto Stadium in the 2010 regular season. This tied the record held by the San Jose Earthquakes from 2005.

After a great first season with the club, Álvaro Saborío became Salt Lake's first-ever Designated Player. This means he signed a special, higher-paying contract with the team on December 1, 2010.

2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League: A Historic Run

As MLS Cup champions, Real Salt Lake played in the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League. They were in Group A with Cruz Azul from Mexico, Toronto FC from Canada, and Arabe Unido from Panama. RSL started the tournament on August 18 at Rio Tinto Stadium, beating Árabe Unido 2–1 with two goals from Alvaro Saborio.

Next, RSL went to Mexico City to play Cruz Azul on August 25. No American team had ever won in Mexico City before! RSL had a big 3–1 lead late in the game. But Cruz Azul scored four goals in just 12 minutes to win 5–4.

On September 15, 2010, Real Salt Lake played Toronto FC at home. Toronto scored early, but Kyle Beckerman scored in the 21st minute. RSL went on to win 4–1, putting them in second place in Group A. Later that month, on September 22, RSL beat Árabe Unido 3–2 in Panama. RSL was now in first place in Group A with 9 points.

On September 28, Real Salt Lake played Toronto FC again in Canada. RSL needed at least a tie to move on to the next round. The game ended in a 1–1 tie, which was enough for RSL to clinch their spot!

The final group game was on October 19, when Cruz Azul came to Rio Tinto Stadium. Both teams had 10 points, and the winner would finish first in the group. RSL, playing mostly with backup players, beat Cruz Azul 3–1 in front of a record crowd of 20,463 fans. Rookie Paulo Araujo Jr. scored two goals. This win made Real Salt Lake the first MLS club ever to win its group in the CONCACAF Champions League!

After a 0–0 tie against the Columbus Crew in Columbus, Real Salt Lake beat the Crew 4–1 at home on March 1, 2011. This win moved them to the semifinals. RSL became the first American team to get past the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League.

On March 15, 2011, Real Salt Lake beat Saprissa 2–0 in the first game of the Champions League Semifinals. They lost 2–1 in Costa Rica on April 5, 2011. But RSL still won 3–2 overall, moving on to the CONCACAF Champions League Final! RSL was the first MLS team ever to reach this final.

Because of their great performance, RSL became the first American club to be ranked in the Top 25 World Rankings in April 2011.

On April 20, 2011, Real Salt Lake played the first game of the CONCACAF Champions League Final against CF Monterrey. RSL's Javier Morales scored a tying goal in the 89th minute, making the game a 2–2 draw. The second game was on April 27, 2011, at Rio Tinto Stadium. Monterrey's Humberto Suazo scored the only goal, giving Monterrey a 3–2 win overall.

2011: Playoffs Again

In their 2011 MLS season, RSL's amazing 29-game home unbeaten streak ended on May 28, 2011, with a loss to the Seattle Sounders FC. Real finished the regular season with a 15–11–8 record, placing third in the Western Conference. They made it to the MLS Playoffs again. RSL beat Seattle Sounders 3–2 over two games, moving on to face the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Conference Finals. In that game, RSL lost 3–1 to LA and was eliminated from the playoffs. RSL still qualified for the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League because LA had won both the MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield.

2012: Another Playoff Run

In 2012, Real had a good year, finishing second in the Western Conference during the regular season. In the playoffs, RSL faced Seattle again in the semi-finals. Their first game was a 0–0 tie. Seattle then beat Real 1–0 in the second game, eliminating RSL from the playoffs. In the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League, RSL was in Group 2 with Herediano and Tauro. Real couldn't get past the group stage and was eliminated from that tournament.

2013–present: New Owners and Continued Success

In 2013, Dave Checketts sold his part of Real Salt Lake to Dell Loy Hansen. Before the season, the club also traded important players like Jámison Olave, Fabián Espíndola, and Will Johnson. RSL finished the season in second place in the Western Conference with a 16–10–8 record. They reached both the Open Cup and MLS Cup finals, but lost both to D.C. United and Sporting Kansas City.

After the season, head coach Jason Kreis left Real Salt Lake to become the first coach of the new team, New York City FC. Long-time assistant coach Jeff Cassar took over as head coach. Even with this change, the club finished the 2014 season in third place in the Western Conference, with a record of 15–8–11. They also qualified for the 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League. In the MLS Cup Playoffs, RSL was eliminated by the LA Galaxy with a 5–0 score over two games.

The 2015 season started with five games without a loss, but the team began to struggle. They also lost to Sporting Kansas City in the semi-finals of the 2015 Open Cup. RSL also traded away key players like Nat Borchers (before the season) and their all-time leading scorer Álvaro Saborío (mid-season). Even though new players Luis Silva and Juan Manuel Martinez played well, the team did not make the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

The 2016 season began with the Quarterfinals of the 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League. RSL was eliminated by Tigres UANL from Mexico with a 3–1 score over two games. In the 2016 MLS season, Real Salt Lake returned to the playoffs. However, they were eliminated again by the LA Galaxy, losing 3–1 in a single playoff game. After the season, long-time legends Javier Morales and Jamison Olave left the club.

On March 20, 2017, the club announced that head coach Jeff Cassar had been let go after only three games into the season. Daryl Shore was the temporary head coach for two games. On March 29, it was announced that Mike Petke would take over as head coach. Despite a strong finish to the season, the team missed the playoffs by just one point.

The 2018 season was exciting with the opening of the new $78 million Training Center and Zion's Bank Real Academy in Herriman, Utah. This facility was praised for offering world-class training all year round for Real Salt Lake and the organization's other teams. These include the NWSL's Utah Royals FC (a women's team) and the men's second division team Real Monarchs. The facility also houses the team's youth academy, which moved from Arizona. This means all young talent can be trained and developed in one place.

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