Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) forward Carlos Vela and head coach Bob Bradley are among the finalists for year-end MLS awards, the League announced on Tuesday. Vela is a finalist for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award and the MLS Newcomer of the Year, while Bradley is a finalist for the MLS Head Coach of the Year.
In his first campaign in MLS, the 29-year-old forward propelled LAFC to a third place finish in the Western Conference, in which he led the Club in goals (14), assists (13), shots (97), and shots on goal (44).
Vela was named to the MLS Team of the Week in six separate occasions and was also voted Week 33’s Player of the Week following a two-goal and two-assist performance in the Club’s 4-2 victory over Houston Dynamo on October 12.
Despite missing six matches due to international duty, Vela finished the regular season as just one of three MLS players in the top 10 in goals (t-7th), assists (t-6th), shots (8th) and shots on goal (t-4th). His ten goals away from home were also good enough for second across the league.
Head coach Bob Bradley is looking to become the second coach in MLS history to win the MLS Coach of the Year award in three separate occasions. Bradley previously won the award with the Chicago Fire in 1998 and Chivas USA in 2006.
In his tenth overall season as head coach in MLS, Bradley led the Black & Gold to the most points by an expansion team in its inaugural campaign with 57, while also helping the Club become just the third expansion side to reach the postseason in its first season.
Under Bradley, LAFC finished top five in goals (2nd, 68), assists (4th, 64), shots (3rd, 527), shots on goal (2nd, 204), and goal differential (4th, +16). The Club was also just one of two teams to suffer one home defeat in the 2018 regular season.
With an all-time record of 140-103-63 in MLS, Bradley is the second winningest active coach in league history, only behind Galaxy’s Dominic Kinnear (168), and ranks fourth all-time in regular season victories.
2018 MLS End of Year Awards Finalists
Landon Donovan MLS MVP
Miguel Almirón (Atlanta United)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (LA Galaxy)
Josef Martínez (Atlanta United)
Wayne Rooney (D.C. United)
Carlos Vela (Los Angeles Football Club)
MLS Defender of the Year
Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls)
Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC)
Michael Parkhurst (Atlanta United)
MLS Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year
Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC)
Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC)
MLS Newcomer of the Year
Zlatan Ibrahimović (LA Galaxy)
Wayne Rooney (D.C. United)
Carlos Vela (Los Angeles Football Club)
MLS Comeback Player of the Year
Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle Sounders FC)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (LA Galaxy)
Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew SC)
MLS AT&T Rookie of the Year
Corey Baird (Real Salt Lake)
Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union)
Chris Mueller (Orlando City SC)
MLS Coach of the Year
Bob Bradley (Los Angeles Football Club)
Gerardo “Tata” Martino (Atlanta United)
Peter Vermes (Sporting Kansas City)
MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, presented by AdvoCare
Matt Lampson (Minnesota United FC)
Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)
