Major League Soccer have announced the Landon Donovan MVP finalists for the 2024 regular season—and to no one's surprise it's a star-studded affair.
Inter Miami's Supporters' Shield triumph was fueled by its leading goalscorers Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, who both made the MVP shortlist. Suárez's strong season in front of goal kept him in contention for the Golden Boot race, but D.C. United's Christian Benteke looks certain to claim the top scoring award heading into the final matchday.
Even though 37-year-old Messi has made just 18 appearances, his 32 goal contributions are only second to Portland Timbers midfielder Evander and FC Cincinnati's Luciano 'Lucho' Acosta—both players have tallied 33 goal involvements and were also named MVP finalists.
Acosta was named the 2023 MVP and could become just the second player to win the award twice after Predrag 'Preki' Radosavljević was the two-time MVP in 1997 and 2003 with the then-Kansas City Wizards—now Sporting Kansas City.
Reigning Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga's excellent season in front of goal has him included in the shortlist while El Tráfico rival Riqui Puig continues to run the show in the midfield for LA Galaxy.
Josef Martínez, the 2018 MLS MVP, made the cut after CF Montréal's late surge to push for a postseason spot. The former Atlanta United and Inter Miami striker leads the team with 10 goals scored ahead of Decision Day on Oct. 19.
NYCFC's Matt Freese, St. Louis City's Roman Bürki and Charlotte FC's Kristijan Kahlina were the only three goalkeepers to be named MVP finalists. Kahlina's 11 clean sheets are tied for second-most in MLS; meanwhile, Bürki has kept seven shutouts and Freese has five.
Take a look at the full list of MLS MVP finalists.
- Albert Rusnák (Seattle Sounders)
- Artur(Houston Dynamo)
- Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps)
- Carles Gil (New England Revolution)
- Christian Benteke (D.C. United)
- Cristian Arango (Real Salt Lake)
- Cristian Espinoza (San Jose Earthquakes)
- Cucho Hernández (Columbus Crew)
- Dániel Gazdag (Philadelphia Union)
- Denis Bouanga (LAFC)
- Djordje Mihailovic (Colorado Rapids)
- Evander (Portland Timbers)
- Facundo Torres (Orlando City)
- Federico Bernardeschi (Toronto FC)
- Hernán López (San Jose Earthquakes)
- Jonathan Osorio (Toronto FC)
- Jonathan Rodríguez (Portland Timbers)
- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders)
- Josef Martínez (CF Montréal)
- Kristijan Kahlina (Charlotte FC)
- Lewis Morgan (New York Red Bulls)
- Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
- Luca Orellano (FC Cincinnati)
- Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati)
- Luis Suárez (Inter Miami)
- Martín Ojeda (Orlando City)
- Matt Freese (NYCFC)
- Rafael Navarro (Colorado Rapids)
- Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy)
- Roman Bürki (St Louis CITY)
- Ryan Gauld (Vancouver Whitecaps)
- Saba Lobjanidze (Atlanta United)
- Samuel Piette (CF Montréal)
- Santiago Rodríguez (NYCFC)
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2024 MLS Landon Donovan MVP Award Finalists Revealed.
