Lionel Messi, Thiago Almada among MLS awards finalists
Major League Soccer announced finalists for the 2023 MLS Year-End Awards, with Atlanta United’s Thiago Almada and Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi among the top names.
Messi made a splashy MLS debut this season and is a finalist for MLS Newcomer of the Year. According to MLS, for this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player who had previous professional experience and made his MLS debut in 2023.
Almada, 22, who tallied 11 goals and a league-high 19 assists, is a finalist for Landon Donovan MVP as well as MLS Young Player of the Year.
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The winners are scheduled to be announced throughout the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Finalists were determined in voting by current MLS first-team players, MLS clubs (coaches and technical directors or general managers) and selected media members.
Landon Donovan MLS MVP
Luciano Acosta, FC Cincinnati; Almada, Atlanta United; Denis Bouanga, LAFC
Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year
Bradley Carnell, St. Louis City SC; Wilfried Nancy, Columbus Crew; Pat Noonan, FC Cincinnati
MLS Newcomer of the Year
Giorgos Giakoumakis, Atlanta United; Eduard Lowen, St. Louis City SC; Messi, Inter Miami CF
MLS Young Player of the Year
Almada, Atlanta United; Duncan McGuire, Orlando City SC; Aidan Morris, Columbus Crew
MLS Goalkeeper of the Year
Roman Burki, St. Louis City SC; Roman Celentano, FC Cincinnati; Pedro Gallese, Orlando City SC
MLS Defender of the Year
Yeimar Gomez Andrade, Seattle Sounders FC; Matt Miazga, FC Cincinnati; Tim Parker, St. Louis City SC
MLS Comeback Player of the Year
Joao Paulo, Seattle Sounders FC; Alan Pulido, Sporting Kansas City; Miles Robinson, Atlanta United
