Major League Soccer today announced the finalists for the 2022 MLS Year-End Awards, honoring the league’s top performers on and off the field during the MLS regular season. Among the finalists for the 15 awards are individuals representing 14 MLS clubs, with the winners set to be announced throughout the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.
The slate of five finalists for the Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player include forward Cristian ‘Chicho’ Arango (LAFC), goalkeeper Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), forward Sebastián Driussi (Austin FC), Golden Boot presented by Audi winner Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), and striker Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernández (LA Galaxy).
Blake, the only goalkeeper among the top MVP contenders, recorded 15 clean sheets for Philadelphia – the most in MLS in 2022. He conceded the fewest goals of any player at his position (22) and set a club goalkeeper record of 19 wins in a single season. Mukhtar’s 23 goals along with 11 assists for Nashville won him the 2022 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi, while runner-up Driussi’s 22 goals helped Austin secure their first postseason berth in club history. Hernández scored 18 goals for the Galaxy, and crosstown rival Cristian ‘Chicho’ Arango netted 16 goals en route to LAFC lifting the 2022 Supporters’ Shield.
The Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year candidates include LAFC’s Steve Cherundolo, the Philadelphia Union’s Jim Curtin, and CF Montréal’s Wilfried Nancy.
Finalist for MLS Defender of the Year in include Philadelphia’s Jakob Glesnes and Kai Wagner and New York City FC’s Alexander Callens, while Newcomer of the Year finalists include Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada (six goals, team-leading 12 assists), Columbus Crew forward Juan ‘Cucho’ Hernández (nine goals, three assist), and New England Revolution goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic (seven clean sheets).
The 2022 MLS Year-End Awards finalists earned the most votes in polling of following 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 2022 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 from Wednesday, Oct. 12 (12 p.m. ET) to Friday, Oct. 14 (5 p.m. ET).
The MLS Referee and Assistant Referee of the Year award recipients will be announced on Friday, Oct. 14, and the MLS Best XI presented by Continental Tire will be revealed on Tuesday, Nov. 1.
