| Club: | LA Galaxy |
| Season: | 2012 |
| League: | Major League Soccer |
| League Result: | Conference: 4th Overall: 8th |
| Chrtitle: | Owner |
| Chairman: | Philip Anschutz (AEG) |
| Mgrtitle: | Coach |
| Manager: | Bruce Arena |
| Cup1: | MLS Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Champions |
| Cup2: | CONCACAF Champions League (11–12) |
| Cup2 Result: | Quarterfinals |
| Cup3: | CONCACAF Champions League (12–13) |
| Cup3 Result: | Quarterfinals |
| Cup4: | U.S. Open Cup |
| Cup4 Result: | Third round |
| Cup5: | Desert Diamond Cup |
| Cup5 Result: | Champions |
| Cup6: | Honda SuperClasico |
| Cup6 Result: | Won |
| Cup7: | California Clasico |
| Cup7 Result: | Lost |
| League Topscorer: | Robbie Keane (16) |
| Highest Attendance: | 27,000 (six matches) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 16,512 v San Jose Earthquakes (May 23, 2012) |
| Pattern La1: | _GALAXY_12h |
| Pattern B1: | _GALAXY_12h |
| Pattern Ra1: | _GALAXY_12h |
| Pattern Sh1: | _adidasonwhite |
| Pattern So1: | _3_stripes_on_white |
| Leftarm1: | FFFFFF |
| Body1: | FFFFFF |
| Rightarm1: | FFFFFF |
| Shorts1: | 000040 |
| Socks1: | 000040 |
| Pattern La2: | _GALAXY_11a |
| Pattern B2: | _GALAXY_11a |
| Pattern Ra2: | _GALAXY_11a |
| Pattern Sh2: | _GALAXY_11a |
| Pattern So2: | _3_stripes_white |
| Leftarm2: | FFFFFF |
| Body2: | FFFFFF |
| Rightarm2: | FFFFFF |
| Shorts2: | FFFFFF |
| Socks2: | 233B83 |
| Pattern La3: | _GALAXY_11t |
| Pattern B3: | _GALAXY_11t |
| Pattern Ra3: | _GALAXY_11t |
| Pattern Sh3: | _adidasonblack2011 |
| Pattern So3: | _3_stripes_on_black |
| Leftarm3: | FFFFFF |
| Body3: | FFFFFF |
| Rightarm3: | FFFFFF |
| Shorts3: | C0A771 |
| Socks3: | C0A771 |
| American: | true |
| Prevseason: | 2011 |
| Nextseason: | 2013 |
The 2012 Los Angeles Galaxy season was the club's 18th year of existence as well as their 17th season in Major League Soccer (MLS) and their 17th consecutive year in the top-flight of American soccer. The Galaxy entered the season as both the defending MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield winners.
The 2012 campaign was highlighted by the Galaxy successfully defending their MLS Cup title, defeating Houston Dynamo, 3–1, in the MLS Cup final to win their fourth ever MLS Cup championship, tying D.C. United for the most league championships in MLS history, and the second most in North American history.
Although Los Angeles defended their MLS Cup trophy, the club failed to defend the Supporters' Shield, losing on point differential to their upstate rivals, the San Jose Earthquakes on point total. Most of this is to blame due to poorer performance early on in the season, before a second-half season resurgence.
Elsewhere, the Galaxy also competed in 2012 Desert Diamond Cup, winning the preseason tournament, the 2011–12 and 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League, as well as the 2012 U.S. Open Cup. In the 2011–12 edition of the Champions League, the Galaxy reached the quarterfinals before losing 4–3 on aggregate to Canadian side, Toronto FC. In the 2012–13 edition, the Galaxy won their group for the second straight year, and reached the knockout round, which will be played during the 2013 campaign. Finally, the Galaxy were eliminated in the third round proper of the Open Cup losing to second-tier North American Soccer League outfit, Carolina RailHawks.
In noncompetitive tournaments, the Galaxy hosted Spanish club, Real Madrid, in the 2012 World Football Challenge, losing the exhibition match, 1–5.
See main article: 2011 Los Angeles Galaxy season.
The Galaxy entered the 2012 season off of one of the franchise's most successful campaigns ever. The club earned the league double, winning both the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup. Additionally, the Galaxy reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup,[1] and were the only American team to win their group in the CONCACAF Champions League,[2] posting a record of four wins, two losses and no draws.[3]
Following the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs, the Galaxy embarked on a two-week, postseason tour across Asia, stopping in Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia. During the tour, the Galaxy finished undefeated, winning twice and tying once.
Offseason reports involved David Beckham's contract concluding at the end of 2011, and whether or not he would remain with the Galaxy.[4] On January 18, 2012, Galaxy announced Beckham had signed a new two-year contract to remain in Los Angeles.[5] [6]
See also: 2012 Desert Diamond Cup.
See also: 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League.
See main article: 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs.
See main article: MLS Cup 2012.
See main article: 2012 U.S. Open Cup.
See main article: 2012 World Football Challenge.
See also: 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League.
The Galaxy earned a berth into group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League by winning the Supporters Shield on October 8, 2011. Since the Galaxy also won the MLS Cup, which also merits a direct bye into group play, the Galaxy forfeited their Shield berth to the Sounders and took the MLS Cup berth.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee/notes | Date | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | LD Alajuelense | Free | [7] | ||||
| 33 |  LA Galaxy Youth Academy | Free | [8] | ||||
| 34 | Philadelphia Union | Traded for | [9] | ||||
| 14 | Ingolstadt 04 | Free | [10] | ||||
| 22 |  São Paulo | Free | [11] | ||||
| 1 |  Montreal Impact | Free | [12] | ||||
| 3 | Chivas USA | Traded for | [13] | ||||
| 1 | Unattached | Free | [14] | ||||
| 9 |  Al-Hilal FC | Free | [15] |
| Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee/notes | Date | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chivas USA | Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 1 | [16] | ||||
| San Jose Earthquakes | Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 2 | [17] | ||||
| Seattle Sounders FC | Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 3 | [18] | ||||
| Chicago Fire | Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 4 | |||||
| Indiana University | SuperDraft, 1st round | [19] | ||||
| University of Louisville | SuperDraft, 2nd round | [20] | ||||
| Bradley University | Supplemental Draft, 1st round | [21] | ||||
| Cal State Northridge | Supplemental Draft, 2nd round | |||||
| Flamengo | Supplemental Draft, 3rd round | |||||
| University of San Diego | Supplemental Draft, 4th round | |||||
| San Diego State University | Supplemental Draft, 4th round | [22] |
| No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred to | Fee/notes | Date | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | None | Retired | [23] | ||||
| 1 | Montreal Impact | Traded | [24] | ||||
| 25 |  Quilmes | Loan expired | [25] | ||||
| 6 | None | Out of contract | [26] | ||||
| 7 | None | Retired | |||||
| 29 | None | Retired | [27] | ||||
| 33 | None | Released | |||||
| 8 | Columbus Crew | Out of contract | [28] | ||||
| 21 | None | Released | |||||
| 28 | None | Released | [29] | ||||
| 55 | None | Out of contract | |||||
| 30 | Chivas USA | Traded | [30] | ||||
| 17 | None | Retired | [31] | ||||
| 1 | New York Red Bulls | Traded | [32] |
| No. | Pos. | Player | Loaned to | Start | End | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Everton | January 1, 2012 | February 19, 2012 | [33] | |||
| 4 | Nuremberg | January 5, 2012 | February 15, 2012 | [34] | |||
| 14 | Aston Villa | January 9, 2012 | February 26, 2012 | [35] | |||
| 9 |  Vålerenga | July 31, 2012 | December 31, 2012 | [36] |
| Type | Shirt | Shorts | Socks | First appearance / Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | White | White | White | ||
| Away | Blue-grey | Blue-grey | Blue-grey | ||
| Third | Black | Black | Black | ||
| Special | White | Blue-grey | White | 2011–12 CCL, ¼-Finals, March 7 against Toronto → Training Shirt |
Los Angeles is in the #19 position in the MLS Allocation Ranking. The allocation ranking is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a U.S. National Team player who signs with MLS after playing abroad, or a former MLS player who returns to the league after having gone to a club abroad for a transfer fee. A ranking can be traded, provided that part of the compensation received in return is another club's ranking.[37]
Los Angeles has 7 MLS International Roster Slots for use in the 2012 season. Each club in Major League Soccer is allocated 8 international roster spots. Los Angeles traded one slot to Portland Timbers, traded another to Philadelphia Union, and acquired one from D.C. United. Each of these trades expire on January 1, 2013.
Future picks acquired:
Future picks traded: