The 2024 Major League Soccer season is nearing its conclusion with a handful of players in the running for the Landon Donovan MVP Award.
Teams near the top of both the Western and Eastern Conferences have top attacking talent, and that's excluding Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi who's recovering from injury.
Luciano Acosta - FC Cincinnati
The MLS MVP Award is historically dominated by forwards and attacking midfielders and this year is no different. Reigning Supporters' Shield champions FC Cincinnati remain in the conversation to repeat this season thanks to the brilliance of Luciano 'Lucho' Acosta.
Acosta took home MVP honors last season after recording 17 goals and 14 assists in the regular season before Cincinnati fell short in the Eastern Conference final to eventual MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew.
Acosta has 29 goal involvements this season including 18 league-leading assists with seven matches to go.
Juan "Cucho" Hernández - Columbus Crew
Across the state, Columbus Crew wouldn't be primed to make another deep playoff run without Juan 'Cucho' Hernández's 13 goals. Not only has Hernández solidified himself as one of the best finishers in MLS, he's also become one of the best all-around strikers with 10 assists.
Luis Suarez - Inter Miami
Luis Suárez has managed to score loads of goals wherever he's been throughout his storied career with Liverpool, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.
El Pistolero has stepped up in Messi's absence by scoring 16 goals to propel Miami to first place in the Supporters' Shield standings. There's no denying that Suárez has a great supporting cast in south Florida, but he's more than played his part to deserve a seat at the MVP table.
🇺🇾 Luis Suárez in @MLS this season:
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) September 7, 2024
2️⃣0️⃣ matches 2️⃣1️⃣ goal contributions 🔥
1️⃣6️⃣ goals⚽
5️⃣ assists 🅰️ pic.twitter.com/Q8IjYVFp3w
Denis Bouanga - LAFC
Denis Bouanga is in the prime of his career with 16 goals and nine assists this season for LAFC.
LAFC is just four points off rival LA Galaxy in second place in the Western Conference thanks to Bouanga's consistency. With an-all important El Tráfico coming up this weekend, Bouanga could add to his MVP case by helping LAFC close the gap on its rival.
Cristian Arango - Real Salt Lake
Fellow Western Conference team Real Salt Lake have enjoyed a solid season thus far thanks in part to Cristian 'Chicho' Arango's impressive performances leading the line. Back in MLS for a second stint after a stop in Liga MX, Arango has found the back of the net 17 times while also dishing out 11 assists to help guide RSL to third place currently in the West.
With just under a month remaining in the regular season, there really isn't a clear-cut favorite for the MVP. These final weeks are pivotal for players building the best case possible to earn the prestigious award.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Breaking Down the Favorites for the Landon Donovan MVP Award.
