LA Galaxy's First Real Rival is Waiting for Them on Saturday | OneFootball

Not only are the Los Angeles Galaxy and DC United two of Major League Soccer's original teams, they are perhaps two of the most successful franchises in the league.

During the inaugural season in 1996, the LA Galaxy and D.C. United met in the 1st ever MLS Cup Finals. Nearly 35,000 people came to see the game while another 2.11 million watched from home.

With the MLS Eastern Conference Champion tied with the Western Conference Champion, two goals apiece, essentially the deciding score came from DC United.

In the next two seasons, DC United not only made two more Finals appearances but they captured their second title in 1997 against the Colorado Rapids. United and the LA Galaxy would meet once again on MLS's grandest stage in 1999.

The LA Galaxy lost once more to the 1996 & 1997 MLS Cup champs. Including the 2001 MLS Finals Cup, the LA Galaxy had appeared in three finals, falling each time. It wasn't until the 2002 MLS season when the LA Galaxy finally became winners.

DC United won a fourth title in 2004. That would be the last time the franchise has made it to the Finals. The LA Galaxy won the next year in 2005 and lost a fourth time in the championship in 2009.

Where the LA Galaxy leapfrogged D.C. United as the superior franchise

Unfortunately for the Houston Dynamo, they found out how great the Los Angeles were towards the beginning of new decade. In back-to-back years (2011 & 2012), the LA Galaxy bested the Dynamo for league bragging rights.

The pair of consecutive championship victories placed the Galaxy in the history books with DC United and Houston as the only repeat champions in the league. Even to this day, they are the lone three teams to accomplish this feat.

The LA Galaxy won for a fifth time in 2014. Following their historic ninth MLS Cup Finals, the winningest franchise. DC United and the Galaxy have over 400 regular season wins, but the only original MLS team in Los Angeles has the most with over 430.

On Saturday, two-time MLS Cup champion coach Greg Vanney will have his team take the field against DC United. Neither look like a playoff team this year. But that's okay!

Since 2003, these two premiere franchises have played 30 games against each other. The 31st match could be even more epic than ever before. Kickoff is at 9:30 p.m. (CT at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.