Toronto FC’s Alejandro Pozuelo named Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player

Major League Soccer’s league leader in combined goals and assists and tied for overall assist lead

NEW YORK / TORONTO(Monday, Dec. 7, 2020) – Major League Soccer today announced Toronto FC midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo as the 2020 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player.

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Pozuelo finished the 2020 Major League Soccer season with nine goals and 10 assists, leading the league in combined goals and assists. The 10 assists were tied for the MLS league lead, while the nine goals were tied for eighth-most in the league. He was named to the MLS Best XI for a second successive season in 2020, leading MLS in chances created (70) and game-winning goals (5).

Pozuelo was named the MLS Player of the Month for September, as he scored four goals and added two assists across six matches, and scored goals in four consecutive games from Sept. 13-Oct. 6. In addition, Pozuelo was named to the MLS Team of the Week on five occasions (MLS is Back Round 1, Round 2, Week 6, Week 7 & 8 combined, Week 15).

During the season, Pozuelo led Toronto FC to the second-best overall record in the league, in a season where the club finished the year playing in E. Hartford, Conn.

A native of Sevilla, Spain, Pozuelo is the second player from that country to win the MLS Most Valuable Player award, both coming in the last five years (along with David Villa of New York City FC in 2016). He is the second Toronto FC player to win league MVP honors, after Sebastian Giovinco took the award in 2015.

In his second season in Major League Soccer, Pozuelo scored 12 goals and 12 assists in his inaugural campaign, then finishing tied for seventh in the league in assists and tied for 11th in goals. He made a splash on his MLS debut, scoring two goals and adding an assist, just the third player in MLS history to achieve the feat in his first league game. In 2020, he became the first player in TFC club history to start in every regular-season match in a season.

Pozuelo finished ahead of Los Angeles Football Club forward Diego Rossi, who finished second after winning the 2020 MLS Golden Boot, and Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro, who finished third.

The Landon Donovan MLS MVP award has been presented since 1996 to the individual determined by a poll of players, club technical staff and the media to be the most valuable to his club. Below is a breakdown of the voting results for 2020.

All-Time MLS Most Valuable Players:

2020: Alejandro Pozuelo – Toronto FC

2019: Carlos Vela – Los Angeles Football Club

2018: Josef Martínez – Atlanta United

2017: Diego Valeri – Portland Timbers

2016: David Villa – New York City FC

2015: Sebastian Giovinco – Toronto FC

2014: Robbie Keane – LA Galaxy

2013: Mike Magee – Chicago Fire

2012: Chris Wondolowski – San Jose Earthquakes

2011: Dwayne De Rosario – D.C. United

2010: David Ferreira – FC Dallas

2009: Landon Donovan – LA Galaxy

2008: Guillermo Barros Schelotto – Columbus Crew

2007: Luciano Emilio – D.C. United

2006: Christian Gómez – D.C. United

2005: Taylor Twellman – New England Revolution

2004: Amado Guevara – MetroStars

2003: Preki – Kansas City Wizards

2002: Carlos Ruiz – LA Galaxy

2001: Alex Pineda Chacón – Miami Fusion

2000: Tony Meola – Kansas City Wizards

1999: Jason Kreis – Dallas Burn

1998: Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United

1997: Preki – Kansas City Wizards

1996: Carlos Valderrama – Tampa Bay Mutiny