Steve Ralston leads New England with seven goals. (Stew Milne/Associated Press)

Veteran midfielder Steve Ralston of the New England Revolution was named the Major League Soccer player of the week on Monday.

Ralston had a goal and two assists as New England defeated Chivas 4-0 last week. New England (12-7-5) is second to Columbus in the Eastern Conference.

Ralston, 34, was named player of the week earlier in the season when he scored both goals in a 2-1 win over Toronto FC on June 28.

The American player leads his team with seven goals. He has now scored 59 goals in his MLS career, which began in 1996 with the Tampa Bay Mutiny.

He has been with New England since 2002, the year the Revolution lost in the MLS Cup final for the first of four times.