Montreal Impact’s Greatest-ever MLS Player - Di Vaio Romps Home in Group F

Sweet memories clearly remain in Montreal of former striker Marco Di Vaio. The club’s first great goalscorer in the MLS-era, out-stripped the opposition in the supporters’ poll for Group F in the process to determine the club’s greatest-ever MLS player.

Di Vaio polled a record 74% of the vote beating the previous best set by Patrice Bernier in winning Group C by 7 percentage points.

Back in the club’s formative MLS years, the former Juventus and Italy striker hit 40 goals in 88 matches (all comps). That’s clearly not been forgotten by an admiring public.

And it wasn’t as though Di Vaio was in a pool with any lightweight opposition. Blerim Dzemaili claimed second-spot with only 12% of the vote, the lowest so far of all the qualifiers for the round if 16. But that has more to do with the Italian winner’s popularity than being a reflection of Dzemaili’s undoubted top class ability.

Another Italian hero, Alessandro Nesta, troubled with knee injuries throughout much of his time in Montreal polled 9%, while ‘Freaky Fast’ Dom Oduro, another popular player and equal 4th top scorer attracted 5% of your votes.

Di Vaio will now go head to head with Justin Mapp in the last 16, while Dzemaili meets Patrice Bernier.

Voting in Group G is currently underway, closing at 2200 hrs this evening. And already Di Vaio’s newly set record mark look under huge threat with, Ignacio Piatti turning the Group G contest into a procession. Davy Arnaud, the club’s first MLS captain and goalscorer is clinging on to second place in the hope of advancement to the round of 16.

If you haven’t voted, please go ahead and place your tick against one of the four.

Photo by Mario Carlini / Iguana Press/Getty Images