Wayne Rooney is looking to build on an impressive, some might say surprisingly good, first season in Major League Soccer by leading DC United to glory in 2019, writes James Nalton from World Football Index.
The new season begins this weekend, and Rooney's side face the toughest test of all in their opening fixture which sees them come up against last season's MLS Cup winners Atlanta United, live on Sky Sports.
All eyes will be on the 33-year-old who helped turn the club's fortunes around last year after joining them midway through the campaign.
"Rooney has brought a winning spirit back to DC that hasn't been seen since their glory days," says DC United fan, football writer and broadcaster, Richard Kharman.
"He's brought fight and raised the level of so many players, including Luciano Acosta.
"Many believe with a full season, Rooney should be leading a strong United squad to a successful campaign that not only sees a return to a playoff spot for a second consecutive season, but a push deep into the playoffs."
Rooney arrived in MLS with plenty of baggage, and not all of it his own, but he soon shed it.
Rooney's reputation was on a high as he left boyhood club Everton as their top scorer that season, before making the trip across the Atlantic to begin a new adventure. The baggage he carried with him was that of failed big-name signings and dud Designated Players.
Over the years, MLS has become increasingly wary of its big-name signings from Europe who are invariably recruited with their best years behind them but, the league hopes, not quite past it.
It was easy to predict that Rooney would be the latest in a line of underwhelming high-profile arrivals from Europe, and that he would offer little more than the Rooney name to help raise the profile of the league and his new club.
Despite that respectable final season with Everton, there were signs that he was waning physically and that he might not be as sharp as he once was, but on arrival in Washington DC, he proved that he still had it in him to perform at a high level.
His output - 12 goals and six assists from 19 starts - was matched by his work rate, and on top of that, he was a leader on the pitch, the coach's voice among the players.
His arrival coincided with the opening of a new stadium, but also with a club down in the dumps, stuck at the bottom of the league and facing an uphill challenge to recover some pride.
Rooney, along with head coach Ben Olsen and an increasingly inspired supporting cast including impressive Argentine Acosta, who was recently linked with Paris Saint-Germain, turned DC United from down and outs to playoff contenders.
They went from bottom of the pile, albeit with games in hand due to their mid-season stadium move, to qualifying for the playoffs where they faced Columbus Crew.
The tie went to penalties with Rooney and Acosta, plus Nick DeLeon missing their spot-kicks as DC United exited in the first knockout round, but that they were there in the first place was in no small part down to Rooney.
Acosta remaining at the club, despite strong links with PSG right up until the final minutes of the European transfer deadline, is another boost for Rooney, who has forged an excellent partnership with the 24-year-old.
The Englishman was considered for a number of end of season awards, and was eventually named in the league's best XI along with Acosta. If Rooney can achieve this having joined 14 games into the 2018 season, imagine where he could take DC United in a full campaign in 2019.
"There is a lot of optimism in DC these days, and for good reason," adds Kharman.
"Last season we were treated to only half a season with Rooney and he provided an MVP worthy campaign.
"He should be able to build on last season, and look for him to be in the MVP discussion again at the end of the year."
DC United are one of the most successful clubs in MLS history, and are one of only two MLS sides to have won continental honours - the other being LA Galaxy.
They are going through something of a barren spell in recent years, and the last time they lifted a trophy was in 2013 when they won the US Open Cup,
Their last MLS title came way back in 2007 in the form of a Supporters' Shield, which is the trophy awarded to the team finishing top of the league during the regular season.
But there is now a renewed optimism around the team and among the supporters, and a belief that they can return to winning ways. Five-time Premier League winner Rooney is a big reason for this new hope.
Kharman will be attending the season opener against Atlanta, and is expecting an exciting game in which DC United will take the game to their opponents.
"I am expecting an attacking team, who will be back to their goal-scoring ways," he adds.
"They will be back to thinking about winning the MLS title, and it will be Rooney who will get them there, sooner or later.
"They'll have a true test in the opener on Sunday against the reigning MLS champions, but to be honest, Rooney would have it no other way."
Watch DC United vs Atlanta United live on Sky Sports Football from 11.20pm on Sunday