League News

MLS announces nominees for 2023 Year-End Awards

MLSsoccer staff

Major League Soccer on Thursday announced the nominees for the 2023 Year-End Awards.

MLS clubs determine nominees and can nominate a maximum of two players for certain awards.

MLS Year-End Awards are determined via voting from three groups (each one-third):

Current MLS players
MLS coaches, technical directors/general managers
Select media members representing local and national outlets who consistently covered the 2023 MLS regular season

Voting will open on October 10 and conclude on October 23, shortly after Decision Day (end of MLS regular season).

Additionally, fans will have the opportunity to weigh in on the top plays of the season with both the AT&T 5G Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year presented by Allstate by casting their votes on MLSsoccer.com.

Landon Donovan MLS MVP Nominees

Acosta, Luciano (CIN)
Almada, Thiago (ATL)
Artur (HOU)
Benteke, Christian (DC)
Blake, Andre (PHI)
Bouanga, Dénis (LAFC)
Bürki, Roman (STL)
Busquets, Sergio (MIA)
Carranza, Julián (PHI)
Choinière, Mathieu (MTL)
Espinoza, Cristian (SJ)
Ferreira, Jesús (DAL)
Frei, Stefan (SEA)
Gauld, Ryan (VAN)
Giakoumakis, Giorgos (ATL)
Gil, Carles (NE)
Hernández, Cucho (CLB)
Herrera, Héctor (HOU)
Messi, Lionel (MIA)
Morris, Jordan (SEA)
Mukhtar, Hany (NSH)
Parks, Keaton (NYC)
Puig, Riqui (LA)
Pulido, Alan (SKC)
Reynoso, Emanuel (MIN)
Rodríguez, Santiago (NYC)
Sirois, Jonathan (MTL)
Swiderski, Karol (CLT)
Thommy, Erik (SKC)
Torres, Facundo (ORL)

Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Nominees

Barraza, Luis (NYC)
Blake, Andre (PHI)
Bond, Jonathan (LA)
Bürki, Roman (STL)
Callender, Drake (MIA)
Celentano, Roman (CIN)
Clark, Steve (HOU)
Coronel, Carlos (RBNY)
Daniel (SJ)
Frei, Stefan (SEA)
Gallese, Pedro (ORL)
Guzan, Brad (ATL)
Johnson, Sean (TOR)
Kahlina, Kristijan (CLT)
MacMath, Zac (RSL)
McCarthy, John (LAFC)
Melia, Tim (SKC)
Paes, Maarten (DAL)
Schulte, Patrick (CLB)
Sirois, Jonathan (MTL)
St. Clair, Dayne (MIN)
Takaoka, Yohei (VAN)
Willis, Joe (NSH)

MLS Defender of the Year Nominees

Alba, Jordi (MIA)
Blackmon, Tristan (VAN)
Boxall, Michael (MIN)
Bravo, Claudio (POR)
Carlos, Antônio (ORL)
Corbo, Gabriele (MTL)
Elliott, Jack (PHI)
Escobar, Franco (HOU)
Franklin, Kobe (TOR)
Glad, Justen (RSL)
Glesnes, Jakob (PHI)
Gómez Andrade, Yeimar (SEA)
Gray, Tayvon (NYC)
Jansson, Robin (ORL)
Jones, DeJuan (NE)
Lennon, Brooks (ATL)
Malanda, Adilson (CLT)
Martins, Thiago (NYC)
Maxsø, Andreas (COL)
Mensah, Jonathan (SJ)
Miazga, Matt (CIN)
Miller, Kamal (MIA)
Moore, Shaq (NSH)
Moreira, Steven (CLB)
Mosquera, Yerson (CIN)
Ndenbe, Logan (SKC)
Nouhou (SEA)
Palacios, Diego (LAFC)
Parker, Tim (STL)
Reyes, Andrés (RBNY)
Robinson, Miles (ATL)
Rodrigues (SJ)
Romney, Dave (NE)
Rosero, Dany (SKC)
Sviatchenko, Erik (HOU)
Tafari, Nkosi (DAL)
Tapias, Micky (MIN)
Veselinović, Ranko (VAN)
Waterman, Joel (MTL)
Williams, Derrick (DC)
Zimmerman, Walker (NSH)
Zuparic, Dario (POR)

MLS Newcomer of the Year Nominees

The best newcomer in MLS during the 2023 regular season. For this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player who had previous professional experience and made his MLS debut in 2023.

Agyemang, Patrick (CLT)
Bakrar, Mounsef (NYC)
Bassi, Amine (HOU)
Bogusz, Mateusz (LAFC)
Boyd, Tyler (LA)
Busquets, Sergio (MIA)
Calegari, Lucas (LA)
Coello, Alonso (TOR)
Daniel (SJ)
Eneli, Emeka (RSL)
Evander (POR)
Giakoumakis, Giorgos (ATL)
Illenic, Mitja (NYC)
Kamungo, Bernard (DAL)
Klich, Mateusz (DC)
Löwen, Eduard (STL)
Messi, Lionel (MIA)
Mosquera, Yerson (CIN)
Privett, Andrew (CLT)
Radoja, Nemanja (SKC)
Rosero, Dany (SKC)
Santos, Rafael (ORL)
Surridge, Sam (NSH)
Sviatchenko, Erik (HOU)
Takaoka, Yohei (VAN)
Thórhallsson, Dagur Dan (ORL)
Vera, Brayan (RSL)

MLS Young Player of the Year Nominees

The best young player in MLS during the 2023 regular season. For this award, any “young player” in MLS who is age 22 or younger during the calendar year is eligible for the award. For 2023, any player born on or after Jan. 1, 2001, is eligible. Any player born on or before Dec. 31, 2000, is ineligible.

Almada, Thiago (ATL)
Atencio, Josh (SEA)
Bajraktarevic, Esmir (NE)
Bogusz, Mateusz (LAFC)
Brady, Chris (CHI)
Buck, Noel (NE)
Cowell, Cade (SJ)
Cremaschi, Benjamin (MIA)
Davis, Jake (SKC)
Farías, Facundo (MIA)
Franklin, Kobe (TOR)
Gómez, Andrés (RSL)
Haak, Justin (NYC)
Harriel, Nathan (PHI)
Jackson, Aziel (STL)
Jasson, Andres (NYC)
Kerr, Deandre (TOR)
Ku-DiPietro, Ted (DC)
Luna, Diego (RSL)
Malanda, Adilson (CLT)
McGlynn, Jack (PHI)
McGuire, Duncan (ORL)
Morris, Aidan (CLB)
Mosquera, Juan (POR)
Mosquera, Yerson (CIN)
Neal, Jalen (LA)
Quiñónes, Nelson (HOU)
Schulte, Patrick (CLB)
Sirois, Jonathan (MTL)
Tolkin, John (RBNY)
Tsakiris, Niko (SJ)
Vargas, Obed (SEA)
Velasco, Alan (DAL)
Vilsaint, Jules-Anthony (MTL)
Vite, Pedro (VAN)
Wiley, Caleb (ATL)
Wolff, Owen (ATX)
Yapi, Darren (COL)

MLS Comeback Player of the Year Nominees

Honors an MLS player who has overcome a severe injury and/or adversity and, as a result, missed a significant portion of the 2022 season – then shown improved performance to achieve success during the 2023 regular season.

Arias, Santiago (CIN)
Guzan, Brad (ATL)
Hines-Ike, Brendan (DC)
Jansson, Robin (ORL)
Kreilach, Damir (RSL)
Mora, Felipe (POR)
Nilsson, Joakim (STL)
Osorio, Jonathan (TOR)
Parks, Keaton (NYC)
Paulo, João (SEA)
Pulido, Alan (SKC)
Reyes, Andrés (RBNY)
Robinson, Miles (ATL)
Smith, Brad (HOU)
Westwood, Ashley (CLT)
Wood, Bobby (NE)

Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award

This award recognizes an MLS player who demonstrates excellence in driving progress in their communities. Their dedication to charitable efforts and social impact work creates sustainable communities, fosters equity inclusions, and enriches the lives of those in need across the U.S. and Canada.