NEW YORK (Wednesday, May 27, 2026) – FC Cincinnati midfielder Evander was voted the MLS Player of the Month for May 2026.
During the month of May, Evander ranked second in MLS with 12 goal contributions (seven goals, five assists) across five regular-season games. His 12 goal contributions were the most he has ever produced in a single month in his career (seven in June 2024). The Brazilian midfielder was tied for first in goals (seven) and tied for second in assists (five). Evander also produced clutch performances with one game-winning goal and one game-winning assist in the month – one of just four midfielders to do this during May. Of Cincinnati’s 17 goals in May, Evander scored or assisted on 71 percent of those.
Evander kicked off the month in style, scoring all three goals in the club’s come-from-behind 3-2 victory on the road against Chicago Fire FC on May 2. The performance was his first career hat trick and the sixth multi-goal game of his FC Cincinnati career. He then scored in back-to-back games against Charlotte FC on May 9 and Inter Miami CF on May 13. Evander followed that up with two assists on the road against San Diego FC (May 16) before earning MLS Player of the Matchday Presented by Michelob Ultra honors for a two-goal, three-assist performance on May 23 against Orlando City SC. He became the ninth different player in league history to record at least five goal contributions in a single match, marking just the 11th occurrence in MLS history.
With Evander leading the attack, Cincinnati scored 17 goals in May, which was the second-most across the league. Cincinnati scored eight of its 17 goals on the road, helping the Orange and Blue go 1-0-2 away from home in May. In his FC Cincinnati career, Evander now has 48 goal contributions (27 goals, 21 assists) in just 46 matches and sits one goal contribution shy of Brandon Vazquez (49) for the second-most in club history. Across his four-year career in MLS, the Brazilian is averaging nearly one goal contribution per game, sitting at 96 goal contributions in 101 regular-season appearances.
Evander becomes the third FC Cincinnati player to earn MLS Player of the Month honors, joining Luciano Acosta (four times) and Brenner (September/October 2022). It also marks Evander’s second Player of the Month award after winning it in August/September 2024 with Portland, joining Luciano Emilio, Benny Feilhaber, and Camilo Sanvezzo as the only Brazilian-born players to win the award twice.
Evander and FC Cincinnati will return to action following the FIFA World Cup 2026 break on Wednesday, July 22 when they host Vancouver Whitecaps FC at TQL Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS on Apple TV).
MLS Player of the Month is voted upon by a group of select national and local media members in a process conducted by MLS Communications.
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