LAFC and Major League Soccer today announced the finalists, including three LAFC players, for the MLS 2020 year-end awards honoring the league’s top performers during the regular season.
LAFC forward Diego Rossi, the winner of the 2020 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi, made the shortlist for the 2020 Landon Donovan MLS MVP Award and the AT&T MLS Young Player of the Year Award. In his third season with LAFC, Rossi became the youngest player in MLS history to lead the league in goals with 14 in 19 matches, and registered a career-high goals-per-game average of .737 on the year.
The Uruguay National Team member will look to add to his four individual honor this season after a tremendous performance at the MLS is Back Tournament. Rossi won the tournament’s Golden Boot presented by Audi with seven goals scored and was also named the MLS is Back Young Player of the Tournament presented by AT&T 5G and to the tournament Best XI presented by BODYARMOR.
After starting only nine games in 2019 and undergoing surgery early in 2020, forward Bradley Wright-Phillips bounced back in his first season with LAFC, finishing second on the team in goals (8) and assists (6). The two-time MLS Golden Boot winner and Best Xi selection was named the MLS Player of the Week for Week 13 for his brace against Vancouver on September 23 – the honor was the 12th of his MLS career, third-most in league history. Wright-Phillips currently sits sixth all-time in goals with 116 and his 0.66 goals/90 ranks first for players with at least 85 career goals.
LAFC midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye is one of three finalists for MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year. In his third season in Major League Soccer and Los Angeles, Kaye remains a constant force for good in the community. Throughout the year, Kaye has made virtual appearances and participated in various community events in the LA metro area. Additionally, the 25-year-old is LAFC’s representative and member of the Black Players for Change, constantly advocating and supporting black voices and communities.
The finalists earned the most votes in polling of three voting groups:
- Current MLS players
- MLS clubs (Coaches, Technical Directors/General Managers)
- Select media members representing local and national outlets who consistently covered the 2020 MLS regular season
The AT&T MLS Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year presented by Allstate will be decided by online voting at MLSsoccer.com or the free MLS app from Nov. 12-18. All MLS awards, including the 2020 MLS Best XI will also be announced in the coming weeks.
2020 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)
Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists
Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Nicolás Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders FC)
Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC)
Alejandro Pozuelo (Toronto FC)
Diego Rossi (Los Angeles Football Club)
MLS Defender of the Year Finalists
Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union)
Jonathan Mensah (Columbus Crew SC)
Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Eloy Room (Columbus Crew SC)
Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
MLS Newcomer of the Year Finalists
For this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2020
Robert Berić (Chicago Fire FC)
Alan Pulido (Sporting Kansas City)
Lucas Zelarayan (Columbus Crew SC)
AT&T MLS Young Player of the Year Finalists
For this award, “young player” is defined as a player age 22 (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998)
Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union)
Daryl Dike (Orlando City SC)
Diego Rossi (Los Angeles Football Club)
Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year Finalists
Jim Curtin (Philadelphia Union)
Oscar Pareja (Orlando City SC)
Greg Vanney (Toronto FC)
MLS Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2020 regular season
Kevin Molino (Minnesota United FC)
Milton Valenzuela (Columbus Crew SC)
Bradley Wright-Phillips (Los Angeles Football Club)
MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year
Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers)
Mark-Anthony Kaye (Los Angeles Football Club)
Justin Morrow (Toronto FC)
MLS Referee of the Year Finalists
Joe Dickerson
Ismail Elfath
Jair Marrufo
MLS Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists
Kathryn Nesbitt
Cory Richardson
Corey Rockwell
