midfielder for the 2007 season, and he responded well. He served as Captain when Jaime Moreno was away on national team duty, scored his first career hat trick in a 4–2 win over New York Red Bulls on June 10, and enjoyed his best season in MLS. He ended the year with seven goals and seven assists and was named to the MLS Best XI team. Olsen had surgery on both of his ankles in Baltimore on November 5, 2007. Ankle problems again sidelined Olsen for the beginning of the 2008 MLS season, and there was speculation that his career was in jeopardy. Despite said problems, Ben Olsen was able to make one MLS appearance against the Los Angeles Galaxy on June 28, 2008. The crowd greeted him with the loudest ovation of the day and a tifo that read "Ben Olsen" and "Heart Of A Lion". After playing just 15 minutes Olsen responded to the media by stating, "It wasn't great; I was like a wounded animal out there." On July 7, 2008 Olsen underwent another ankle surgery. Olsen was able to continue his career during the 2009 season in a defensive midfield role, scoring the tying goal in stoppage time of a 1–1 tie with the New England Revolution. On May 2, 2009 Olsen injured himself during a game against FC Dallas, which led him to be substituted out during the second half. After skipping two matches he played against Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center on May 16, 2009. Six minutes into that match he aggravated his hamstring. On July 17, 2012 United announced that Olsen would be inducted into the D.C. United Hall of Tradition before a match against the New England Revolution scheduled for September 15. International Olsen at one time seemed like the right midfielder of the future for the U.S. national team, as he received his first cap soon after his Rookie of the Year season, on November 6, 1998 against Australia, and he was a significant player for the team in the 1999 season. He scored his first international goal during his first international start, which was against Chile on February 21, 1999. As the youngest player on the team. He received a cross from Brian McBride during the 58th minute. He then hit a side volley past goalie Marcelo Ramirez into the left corner of the goal. In 1999, he