As the 2015 MLS campaign comes to a close, it's time to hand out the end-of-season awards.

There are 15 different categories from Best Player to Biggest Disappointment. Some awards had several candidates, so each one is accompanied by an honorable mention.

Here are the MLS end-of-season awards for the 2015 campaign.

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Sunday marked the culmination of a nine-month quest to become champion of Major League Soccer. 

During that period, we saw clubs attempt to claim the throne as the favorite to win MLS Cup, but many of them faded before the meaningful matches began. 

When the postseason started, the clubs dubbed as the ones to beat failed to live up to the title. When the final whistle blew on MLS Cup at Mapfre Stadium on Sunday, the team that progressively picked up momentum near the end of the regular season and made a postseason drive in which it defeated three of the four best teams in the league came out on top. 

The Portland Timbers didn't start the season strong like the New York Red Bulls or Vancouver Whitecaps. Nor did they peak at midseason like the LA Galaxy. They didn't even strike up a serious discussion about their MLS Cup credentials like rival Seattle, the Red Bulls or MLS Cup runner-up Columbus did at the conclusion of the regular season. 

But one thing the Timbers excelled at over the nine-month journey to MLS Cup was adjusting and correcting their wrongs. 

It took some time for the back four of Alvas Powell, Nat Borchers, Liam Ridgewell and Jorge Villafana to jell as a unit due to the addition of Borchers during the offseason. The Timbers recorded five clean sheets over the first three months of the season, but their results were also inconsistent as they let in 15 goals in the same span. 

But once the back four began to click as a unit, Portland started to put together a nice string of results. The Timbers' best run of form during the regular season from May 27 to July 5, which saw the defense earn four clean sheets in seven matches while the club picked up 18 points. 

The defensive unit may have experienced some struggles from July on, but the presence of the four in the starting lineup rarely changed. All four players featured in at least 37 matches on the road to the championship. They began to make noise in the Western Conference semifinal as they silenced the dangerous players in the Vancouver attack and they took over the spotlight following a strong performance at home in the first leg of the Western Conference Final. 

Borchers, who was the club's prized offseason acquisition from Real Salt Lake, made the biggest stop of the season late in the second half of the second leg against FC Dallas. The sliding block from the bearded center back helped the Timbers secure a spot in MLS Cup. In the final, Villafana stepped into the role of top defender as he shut down Columbus' star winger Ethan Finlay. The entire back line held the dangerous Columbus attack to one shot on goal, which came off a goalkeeping error by Adam Kwarasey. 

The midfield also experienced plenty of changes and adaptation periods throughout the season, as Diego Valeri had to assimilate back into the squad after suffering an ACL injury at the back end of the 2014 season. Without their midfield ace in the lineup, the Timbers had to rely more on Darlington Nagbe, who drove the attack to success despite not putting up tremendous statistics. 

Valeri and Nagbe were also a part of a key formation change late in the regular season as Porter opted for a 4-3-3 formation instead of a 4-2-3-1. With the pair of playmakers given more range to roam in the attacking half, Portland benefited and won four of its last five regular-season contests to clinch the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. 

One other small change in approach helped Portland gain an early advantage on Sunday as Valeri, who isn't known for his skills as a defender, put pressure on Columbus goalkeeper Steve Clark and scored the fastest goal in MLS Cup history. Six minutes later, Nagbe started the move that led to Rodney Wallace's eventual game-winner. 

“We knew that they take risks to play. That’s their way,” Valeri said, per MLSsoccer.com's Nicholas Rosano. “We knew that the aggressiveness in the first 20 minutes from us had to be there. We tried to press them, because most of the situations that they create come from their backline." 

Porter's tactical masterstroke in late September forced Diego Chara into a lone defensive midfield role, where he thrived thanks to his physical play and technical ability. On Sunday, the Colombian gave Federico Higuain fits as the Argentine pressed for space due to the lack of production from the Crew wingers. 

Even the much-maligned Lucas Melano, who joined the Timbers during the summer transfer window, made a few key contributions in the postseason to reward Porter for his faith in the player despite his struggles in the final third. Like many pricey attackers who enter MLS in the middle of a season, Melano is expected to be more consistent in first full season for the Timbers in 2016. 

Speaking of attackers thriving in their first full year in MLS, Fanendo Adi found the back of the net on 18 occasions in the regular season and playoffs to help the Timbers earn their first title in franchise history. It was Adi's two goals at Mapfre Stadium on September 26 that propelled Portland to its late-season surge that included a 5-2 statement win over the Galaxy at StubHub Center on October 18.

“We’re all a part of it,” Porter said, per MLSSoccer.com's Dan Itel. “Without good players there’s never a good coach. Without a good coach there’s probably not good players either. So you’ve got to get both going. I don’t deserve the credit, we all deserve the credit, everybody." 

The little tweaks made by Porter and the performances by the stars in the lineup helped Portland turn itself into a formidable MLS Cup contender as the postseason began. Sure, the Timbers benefited from some luck, especially in the penalty shootout against Sporting Kansas City in the knockout round. But when it came down to execution of the game plan, Portland thrived more than any other team who entered the postseason. 

That was apparent in the first minute on Valeri's opening strike, and in the late stages of the contest as the Timbers dictated possession and pushed for a third to finish off the game. Portland was never the sexy pick to win MLS Cup or one the most-talked about teams in North America, but the Timbers were the club that adjusted best to its surroundings at the perfect time. 

Thanks to the formation changes and the excellent play of everyone in the starting 11, the Portland Timbers were able to hoist their first MLS Cup on Sunday night. Based off what we saw in the back end of 2015, the Timbers have all the quality to challenge for the title in 2016, but let's allow them to enjoy a well-deserved championship for a few days before we start setting expectations for the next season, which only begins in three short months. 

Joe Tansey covers MLS for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

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The Portland Timbers captured their first MLS Cup with a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew at Mapfre Stadium on Sunday.

Portland got off to a fast start as Diego Valeri and Rodney Wallace each found the back of the net within the first seven minutes of the contest.

Columbus pulled one back in the 18th minute after Kei Kamara took advantage of a goalkeeping blunder, but that would be the only time the Crew would celebrate a goal in front of the home fans.

The victory marked the end of a successful postseason run for the Timbers that saw the team earn positive results on the road on three occasions.

Here's a look at our winners and losers from Portland's MLS Cup triumph.

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The Portland Timbers beat the Columbus Crew in the MLS Cup Final, claiming a 2-1 victory at Mapfre Stadium in Ohio on Sunday.

Goals from Diego Hernan Valeri and Rodney Wallace crowned the Timbers as league champions, while Kei Kamara gave the Crew a vital lifeline in the match. 

Columbus was overpowered throughout the game, despite fighting hard to get itself an equalizer during rare spells of dominance, but the Timbers were clearly the superior team on the night.

The Crew made the most catastrophic start possible, as goalkeeper Steve Clark took too long with his clearance and smashed his kick against the onrushing Valeri. The ball deflected over the line for the first goal of the game, with Columbus conceding after only 30 seconds of the match. 

Clark held his head in his hands upon realizing his huge mistake, as Portland celebrated wildly in front of the Columbus fans.

The Timbers celebrated the historic goal on Twitter:

Fox Sports host Rob Stone could not believe what he saw from Clark:

Unsavory scenes were captured as Columbus fans littered the pitch with bottles while the Portland players celebrated, via Timbers blog Stumptown Footy:

The Crew endured further disaster six minutes later, as Rodney Wallace made it 2-0.

Once again, the hosts were caught napping and cheaply conceded possession of the ball after thinking play would stop for a throw-in. However, the referee waved for play to continue, and the Timbers quickly broke up the field. 

It was left to Lucas Melano to whip the ball into the box, finding Wallace scooting across the area, who clinically headed his goal with brilliant precision. 

Sports agent Ron Waxman was unhappy with the assistant referee's role in the second goal after not giving a throw-in:

To their credit, Columbus rallied after their poor start and began to pressure the visitors in search of a way back into the tie.

Columbus' wish was answered during the 18th minute through a scrappy effort by Kamara, who swung his foot at the ball to grab a goal back for the Crew.

The ball ricocheted around the box, but the 31-year-old striker was able to control his effort and find the target. 

MLS shared the moment on its official Twitter account:

Oregonian reporter Jamie Goldberg commented on the lack of skill on display as the teams battled at a frantic pace:

Patrick Murphy of Massive Report debated whether fans would see a record score on Sunday after the rapid goalscoring start:

The teams caught their breath as the referee ended a first half filled with drama and its fair share of tough tackling.

Columbus had dominated the ball at feet after finding a way into the match, while Portland sat and waited for the counter.

ESPN's Paul Carr made note of the key win-loss scenarios:

The Crew were back on the front foot immediately in the second half, as the Timbers looked to consolidate their lead.

Portland almost put the game to bed on the hour mark, hacking at the ball in the six-yard area as it rebounded against several players. The ball was cleared off the line twice and hit the woodwork as many times in the blink of an eye, but the Crew kept their interests alive.

The Timbers' advantage on the scoreboard started to work in their favor as the Crew began to tire and run out of steam. The Timbers looked to add a third goal ahead of their rivals, who were slowly slipping from contention. 

Fanendo Adi watched as his header clipped the post for Portland, but Clark scrambled to keep the ball out of the net. 

Columbus had few answers in the final moments, as Portland maintained control and superiority in front of the jubilant Timbers army of fans.

Portland claimed the championship in what was a largely disappointing performance from Columbus. The early goals sealed the game for the victors, and the Crew didn't have the fortitude to overturn the two-goal lead.

It was party time for the Timbers, who won their first-ever championship on Sunday evening. The Timbers showed the team accepting the MLS Cup:

The celebrations went from the pitch to the locker room, as Major League Soccer and the Timbers showed:

Third-year head coach Caleb Porter credited his team's ideologies following the victory, per the Oregonian's Molly Blue:

But Porter also noted the defensive effort helped, via 750 AM's Fletcher Johnson. The back line preserved the win after seeing their lead halved in the first half. 

While the enormity of the win might not have hit Porter yet, per ESPN's Jeff Carlisle, he will have plenty of time to revel in his championship:

It's quite a feat from Porter to lead a team to a championship just three years into his first professional coaching gig. With a hard-nosed team that continually finds ways to win, Portland has delivered a major men's championship to the city for the first time since the Trail Blazers won the 1977 NBA championship. 

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Columbus Crew's MLS Cup final got off to the worst possible start on Sunday, when a moment of indecision from goalkeeper Steve Clark gifted Portland Timbers the lead after just 30 seconds.

A howler from Clark and Valeri gives portland the lead in the first minute! https://t.co/g2SFsiW3NX

And things got worse just six minutes later, as Rodney Wallace stooped to head the Timbers two up within the first ten minutes.

Milano to Wallace for the 2-0 #Timbers lead over #Crew in this exciting #MLSCup final! https://t.co/Ur8y6294wc

But Columbus responded positively, leading goalscorer Kei Kamara turning home to half the deficit:

Kwarasey gives Columbus a life line. Kamara pulls one back. 2-1 Timbers. https://t.co/DGzfkcRQtK

Harrison Afful provided the other significant talking point of the first half, earning a yellow card for a heavy-handed foul on Liam Ridgewell.

Columbus pushed for an equaliser in the second half, but Portland held on to claim their first ever MLS Cup win.

It sparked scenes of jubilation for the Timbers:

Euphoria at full-time from @timbersarmy! #RCTID #MLSCup pic.twitter.com/wvqEM0LoOo

But was a devastating loss for Columbus—and particularly Kamara—to take:

That lonely yellow spot on the field is Kei Kamara, the last Crew player on the field, taking the loss very hard. pic.twitter.com/ku70WCTwFA

[Twitter]  

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MLS Cup—Mapfre Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

Columbus Crew 1-2 Portland Timbers 

Goals: Diego Valeri (POR) 1'; Rodney Wallace (POR) 7'; Kei Kamara (CLB) 18' 

Columbus Crew: Clark, Afful, Parkhurst, Sauro, Francis, Trapp, Tchani (McInerney 72'), Finlay (Mabwati 63'), Higuain, Meram (Saeid 79'), Kamara

Portland Timbers: Kwarasey, Powell, Borchers, Ridgewell, Villafana, Chara, Nagbe, Valeri, Melano (Asprilla 59'), Adi, Wallace 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

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The Columbus Crew will host the Portland Timbers in the 2015 MLS Cup on Sunday, as the visitors seek their first MLS Cup win and the hosts will try to win the trophy for the first time since 2008.

Kickoff is at 4 p.m. ET, and ESPN will carry full TV coverage of the event, with live streams available via the WatchESPN app.

Columbus have the experience and raw firepower to blow the Timbers out of the water, but the visitors have momentum on their side after a dominant showing against FC Dallas. Here's everything you need to know about Sunday's final.

Date: Sunday, December 6

Time: 4 p.m. ET/ 9 p.m. GMT

Venue: Mapfre Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

Tickets: Check with ScoreBig.com

TV, Live Stream Info: ESPN, WatchESPN

Columbus and Portland were both underdogs entering the play-offs, but after strong showings in the conference finals, few neutral fans will be upset to see the two sides clash in the MLS Cup. The Crew have been among the top attacking teams all season long, while Portland's balance and crisp passing game should make for an exciting matchup.

The Timbers managed to get past FC Dallas without the services of star defender Liam Ridgewell in the return leg, but the captain believes he'll be ready in time for the MLS Cup, as he told Fox Sports' Kyle McCarthy:

I’m feeling very well. I’m fit, ready to be selected and ready to go, to be honest. It’s been a bit of a rough 10 days missing out on the game last week. I’ve just been trying to concentrate on getting my calf right and trying to make sure I’m fit. It’s been a bit of a struggle, but, hopefully, it’ll be there.

His return would be a huge boost for the visitors, who will need every bit of help they can get to stop star forward Kei Kamara. The Sierra Leonean would have been the strong favourite to win the MVP award if Sebastian Giovinco hadn't joined Toronto FC from Juventus, thanks to his 25 goals in 36 appearances so far.

Kamara is a mobile, physical striker who isn't afraid to shoot at the first sight of goal but always keeps his eyes up and tries to pick out team-mates. And with midfielders such as Ethan Finlay crashing the box, he usually has plenty of passing outlets to work with.

As shared by the MLS' official Twitter account, the Columbus players credit their great teamwork as one of the reasons for their success:

Finlay and Wil Trapp hand Columbus the edge in midfield, but Portland undoubtedly have the better defence, led by Ridgewell and backed by Adam Kwarasey, who has been spectacular all year.

Per MLS' official Twitter account, the Ghanaian rightly won this year's Save of the Year award for this incredible stop:

Portland were happy to hand the ball to Dallas in the return leg of the conference finals and sit deep and aim for the counterattack, but that might not be such a great tactic against Columbus. Kamara has been in such dominant form that it's probably best to keep him and the ball as far away from goal as possible.

Instead, expect both teams to focus on the battle in midfield, as Trapp and Finlay go head-to-head with Diego Chara and Diego Valeri. If the visitors can neutralise Trapp's distribution, they'll have a great chance of shocking the hosts and winning their first MLS Cup.

Prediction: Columbus Crew 2-2 Portland Timbers, Timbers win in extra time/penalties.

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Major League Soccer's 20th season concludes on Sunday with the MLS Cup at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. 

The Columbus Crew, who entered the playoffs as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, will host the Portland Timbers, who advanced to the final as the third seed from the Western Conference. 

Although it isn't the matchup many predicted for the championship match at the start of the year—or even at the beginning of the postseason—Sunday's showdown in Columbus should produce a thrilling 90 minutes or more of soccer. 

Below is all the information you need to know heading into the 2015 MLS Cup Final.

Date: Sunday, December 6

Time: 4 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Recent Form and MLS Cup History

Columbus enters the final contest of the MLS season off two hard-fought series victories over the Montreal Impact and New York Red Bulls.

The Crew downed the Didier Drogba-led Impact 4-3 on aggregate, and they defeated the Supporters' Shield winners 2-1 on aggregate in the Eastern Conference Final.

During the regular season, Columbus posted a 9-4-4 record at home. 

Sunday marks the second time Columbus will appear in the MLS Cup. The Crew won the title in 2008 over the New York Red Bulls 3-1. Alejandro Moreno, Chad Marshall and Frankie Hejduk scored at the then-Home Depot Center in Carson, California. 

Portland makes its first venture into the MLS Cup on Sunday after wins over Sporting Kansas City, Vancouver and FC Dallas in the postseason. The Timbers almost didn't make it out of the knockout round, but they ended up winning 7-6 on penalties over Sporting KC. 

The Timbers used their stellar road form to get past Vancouver in the second leg of the Western Conference semifinal before they outlasted No. 1 seed FC Dallas 5-3 on aggregate in the final. Portland was one of the best road teams in the regular season with a 7-8-2 record on its travels. 

Team News

The biggest bit of team news to come out of both camps this week is the health of Portland center back Liam Ridgewell. 

The former Premier League defender missed out on the second leg of the Western Conference Final due to a right calf injury. However, the center back told reporters upon Portland's arrival in Ohio on Thursday that he should be good to go for Sunday. 

Per Kyle McCarthy of Fox Sports, Ridgewell said:

I’m feeling very well. I’m fit, ready to be selected and ready to go, to be honest.

It’s been a bit of a rough 10 days missing out on the game last week. I’ve just been trying to concentrate on getting my calf right and trying to make sure I’m fit.

It’s been a bit of a struggle, but, hopefully, it’ll be there.

With Ridgewell fit, Portland should trot out a full-strength squad in Columbus on Sunday.

Adam Kwarasey will start in net with Nat Borchers, Jorge Villafana and Alvas Powell filling out the back four. Diego Chara, Diego Valeri and Darlington Nagbe will play in a three-man midfield with Rodney Wallace, Fanendo Adi and Dairon Asprilla up front in Caleb Porter's 4-3-3 formation. 

Columbus should also bring its first-team starting 11 to the field on Sunday. Steve Clark will start in net with Harrison Afful, Michael Parkhurst, Gaston Sauro and Waylon Francis in front of him in defense. Wil Trapp and Tony Tchani will start in the defensive midfield roles of the 4-2-3-1 formation with Federico Higuain as the No. 10. Ethan Finlay and Justin Meram will look to provide forward Kei Kamara with service from their wing positions. 

Key Battles To Watch

Darlington Nagbe vs. Wil Trapp and Tony Tchani

There is a strong chance Nagbe, Trapp and Tchani will be teammates on the United States men's national team in the future, but they will be foes fighting for one trophy on Sunday. 

Nagbe has been a vital part of the Portland attack in the playoffs, but Trapp and Tchani will pose the biggest threat to his productivity this postseason. 

In the two legs against the Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference Final, Columbus' pair of defensive midfielders were all over the pitch clogging passing lanes and making key tackles in front of the their own penalty area. 

Diego Chara vs. Federico Higuain

Portland possesses a midfield destroyer of its own in Colombian Diego Chara, who has found an uptick in form since Porter shifted to a lone defensive midfielder late in the regular season. 

Chara's main job is to disrupt the rhythm of the opponent's top playmaker in the middle of the pitch. The Portland man does this with his physical style of play. Do not be surprised if Chara makes his presence known with a strong tackle or two early in the match. 

Higuain will have to break free from the grip of Chara in order to spread out the Columbus attack. If the Argentine can't get going in midfield, the Crew may end up relying too much on their wing players. 

Nat Borchers vs. Kei Kamara

Both matchups between the forwards and center backs are intriguing, but the one that sticks out the most is the battle between Borchers and Kamara. 

The acquisition of Borchers from Real Salt Lake in the offseason is turning out to be one of the top moves in the league over the last 12 months. The bearded center back is a menace in the air, but he will have his hands full with the Sierra Leone international. 

Kamara is capable of striking in a instant with his incredible aerial ability. If he wins a few aerial battles early in the match, he will set the tone for how the Crew attack through the wings. However, if Borchers shuts down Kamara in the air, Columbus will be forced to play on the ground and in the middle of the field to open up space. 

Prediction

Columbus has home-field advantage, but that gets thrown out the window due to Portland's road form and its win over the Crew on September 26 at Mapfre Stadium.

The key to victory for the Crew will be the play of Kamara, while the actions of Nagbe and Valeri on the pitch will decide the final result for Portland. 

Our prediction is a 2-1 win by Columbus with Kamara winning the MLS Cup Most Valuable Player with a late game-winner for the hosts.

Joe Tansey covers MLS for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

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From the second the first whistle blew on the Major League Soccer regular season up until MLS Cup on Sunday, the American soccer league has enjoyed its best season to date. 

In the nine months of play across the United States and Canada, fans have been treated to the fantastic individual talents of international stars such as Sebastian Giovinco, Giovani Dos Santos, Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard as well as American stars like Ethan Finlay, Dax McCarty, Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley and others. 

However, the 20th season almost didn't start on time as collective bargaining negotiations lasted until the final week of the offseason.

Reflecting on the historic campaign as a whole, commissioner Don Garber realizes just how close the league and the players' union came to hitting the deadline. 

"It seems like the CBA negotiations were a lifetime ago," Garber told Bleacher Report. "They were less than a year ago, and anytime you go through difficult labor negotiations, it’s traumatic and it gets everybody focused on ensuring you get a deal that makes sense for everybody, and I believe we’ve been able to do that.

"Here we are almost a year later, and it has been, without a doubt, the most successive season in the history of our league.

"Our attendance is up. Our new television partnerships with Fox, ESPN and Univision were a great success and gave us great destination schedule programming. The two new teams, Orlando City and New York City FC, averaged over 30,000 and 25,000 fans a game.

"A new stadium opened in San Jose and then [we had] the signing of some of the biggest names our league has put on the field in one season with Gerrard, Lampard, Pirlo, Giovinco, Giovani Dos Santos," he continued. "It’s hard to imagine when we were sitting in those CBA negotiations in Washington D.C. that we’d end up sitting here today with the success we’ve been able to enjoy."

The final match of the 2015 season will take place on Sunday as the Columbus Crew host the Portland Timbers in MLS Cup at Mapfre Stadium, kicking off at 4 p.m. on ESPN. Both clubs carry different back stories into the matchup, but they are special in their own right.

"Portland has such a rabid fan base and has strived so hard to be as successful on the field as they are off the field, and certainly this year they’ve been able to achieve that."

"When the team first launched, I took one of the presidents of the sports networks out there for his first MLS game and he said it was one of the most exciting and special environments he’d ever seen in sports in his lifetime," the commissioner continued. "And this was a guy who was involved in sports for 20-30 years.

“Columbus is a great story for us," Garber said. "Here you have a relatively small market that is one of our original teams playing in our oldest soccer stadium. They just had a new owner take over and got a rebrand that took place last year and hired a terrific, very promising coach in Gregg Berhalter and put together a team that is so exciting to watch."

MLS grew in 2015 with the addition of Orlando City and New York City FC to the list of 20 teams. Atlanta, Los Angeles FC and Minnesota are scheduled to begin play over the next three years as well. 

“Our new teams, when they’ve launched, have individually set the bar for the next round both on and off the field," Garber said. "It isn’t easy to come in and be super competitive on the field based on the way our rules are structured and the way they are in other sports leagues in North America. Both teams had good seasons.

"New York City FC so over-delivered on what our expectations would’ve been. The brand was a fabulous launch, and them playing in Yankee Stadium has been really exciting and has attracted great crowds—they’ve broken through the clutter here in New York, which I think was really helpful for growing the Red Bulls fan base as well."

"Orlando has just been a monster," he continued. "They are one of the most popular sports teams in Brazil [because of Brazilian superstar Kaka]. They average over 33,000 fans a game to the point where they’re expanding their soccer stadium plan from 22,000 to 26,000." 

The one expansion situation hanging over the heads of Garber and those in the league office is the predicament in Miami, where David Beckham and his group of partners are still looking to secure a stadium site for what should be MLS' 24th team.

"We’re very focused on Miami and trying to get a deal done," Garber said. "We have a lot of faith in David Beckham and his partners and their new leader Tim Leiweke."

Garber expanded on the Miami situation, saying: "We’re the last league in so to speak and there’s been so much commitment to stadium development throughout the US and Canada in the other leagues that it’s difficult to fight for our share of the pie.

"What we’re experiencing in Miami is really no different from what we’ve faced in other markets. Some of them are easier than others, but we’re not concerned about the difficulty. That’s what we signed up for." 

As for the actions taking place on the field with the current 20 clubs, Garber is excited about the swell of youth prospects coming through the system. The New York Red Bulls, FC Dallas and LA Galaxy are just three of the teams at the forefront of the development process in MLS. 

“I think one of the most important contributions MLS has made to growing the sport in the US and Canada has been the real focus and investment in youth development. We just signed Fred Lipka, who worked at the French Football Federation, on the youth side and he’s now working full time for the league," Garber said.

"Our clubs are so deeply committed to this development, not just because of what it will do for MLS but for what it will do to grow the sport in the US and Canada." 

Developing the next generation of superstars is one of the main focuses of the league, which is looking to benefit from the uptick in support of soccer over the last few years. 

“We do have a bit of momentum, and that’s driven by the fact that the sport of soccer is more popular than it ever was," Garber said. "We’re riding that wave, and we need to be sure that we’re smart on what decisions we make and how we use all our resources to capitalize on all that growing interest." 

One constant criticism about the product on the field that MLS faces is the performance of referees. Garber is aware of the criticism, but he believes the men in charge of each match have done a good job in 2015. 

"We know that the key match decisions are improving," Garber said. "We know that the overall quality of officiating continues to get better. Officiating is an imperfect science. We know that from watching games around the world, whether it be the highest level in the World Cup or the Champions League or in league play." 

"I don’t think that we in Major League Soccer are much different from the rest of the world," the commissioner continued. "That being said, we’re spending a lot of time and money along with the Canadian Soccer Association and US Soccer to give the Pro Referees Organization [PRO] the resources to improve and that means better training for officials." 

With everything developing rapidly in MLS at the moment, it is hard to look past 2016, but Garber does have an idea of what he wants the league to look like for its 25th season in 2020.

“I see us being a 24-team league," Garber said. "We ought to have stadiums completed in Boston, Los Angeles, Minnesota and Washington D.C. I see us continuing to have a great group of world-class international players that are plying their trade here in the US and Canada.

"I see the average age of those players coming down from where those signings were this year. I see us having a core of the US national team getting ready to get through qualifying and play for the US in 2022, and I hope that we are able to have Canada able to qualify for the World Cup and have the core of that team playing in MLS." 

Joe Tansey covers MLS for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

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The 2015 MLS Cup final between the Columbus Crew and Portland Timbers is a great matchup for neutral fans.

Both teams have incredibly quick attackers which should lead to plenty of excitement. Both of these sides also have strong squads, and there are a few players that are worth the price of admission.

Five players from each club will be highlighted in this slideshow. Whether it's someone who is dealing with an injury or a standout striker like Kei Kamara, several names will be recognized.

Here are 10 players to watch in Sunday's MLS Cup final. 

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