Freddy who?

Kansas City's Preki, 40, becomes first two-time MLS MVP

Preki registered at least one point in 18 of the Wizards' 30 games this season. Jon Ferrey/Getty Images

ATLANTA (SI.com) -- MLS is making headlines these days for signing 14-year-old phenom Freddy Adu, but the league's Most Valuable Player is some 26 years his senior.

Kansas City Wizards midfielder Preki on Friday became the first two-time MVP in league history as he captured the 2003 award six years after his first honor in 1997.

Preki edged out forwards John Spencer of the Colorado Rapids and Ante Razov of the Chicago Fire, who will take on the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday in the MLS Cup championship game (3:30 p.m. ET; ABC).

Preki, who also became the oldest MVP in American professional sports history, had already captured the 2003 scoring championship by virtue of his 12 goals and 17 assists during the regular season. His 2003 scoring totals were identical to his offensive production in 1997, when he also won both honors as MVP and top scorer. Each of the last three ccoring champions, and five of eight all-time, have gone on to win that season's MVP accolade.

"Ten months ago there was no way I was thinking that I would be here standing in front of all you guys accepting this great award," Preki said at an MLS press conference on Friday. "But I would like to praise John Spencer and Ante, who also had a great year, but I guess I had a little bit more luck.

"I would like to thank all my teammates, my coaching staff and MLS. Hopefully I will be back next year for some more."

The 40-year-old, known for his trademark cutback moves and accurate left foot, remains the only scoring champion to finish with more assists than goals scored, a feat he has now accomplished twice.

Preki finished six points ahead of his nearest competitor, Los Angeles Galaxy forward Carlos Ruiz, who accumulated 35 points (15 goals, 5 assists). Razov and New England Revolution forward Taylor Twellman finished one point behind Ruiz, whose won the 2002 race with the Revolution attacker for both the scoring title and the MVP, as well as MLS Cup.

Preki, a member of the Wizards for every season except 2001, helped guide his team to a second-place finish in the Western Conference and into the postseason for a fourth consecutive season. His 17 assists in 2003 were tops in MLS and matched his career high. Preki registered at least one point in 18 of the Wizards' 30 games this season, averaging 1.37 points per game, second in MLS behind Twellman (1.55).

His most productive game of the year came just three days before his 40th birthday. On June 21, the U.S. World Cup veteran tallied three assists in the first half, then scored on a penalty kick in the second half to help the Wizards beat the Chicago Fire 4-2.

Razov led the Fire in scoring for the fifth time in the club's six-year history and finished third in league in scoring (14 goals and six assists), kicking off his season with 11 goals in his first 16 matches. Rapids captain John Spencer carried his team after its poor start on the strength of 14 goals and five assists (5th among league scoring leaders). He scored in six consecutive games as Rapids registered a five-game winning streak and a seven-game undefeated streak.