Lionel Messi was named winner of the Landon Donovan MVP Award for the 2024 MLS season Friday, beating out the Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernández, the Portland Timbers’ Evander, Christian Benteke from D.C. United and his Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez.
Messi, 37, received due to his 20 objectives and 16 appearances in simply 19 matches.
He joins Carlos Vela in 2019 (LAFC, 34 objectives, 15 assists) and Sebastian Giovinco in 2015 (Toronto FC, 22 objectives, 16 assists) as the one gamers in league historical past with a minimum of 20 objectives and 15 assists in a single season.
The MVP award is set by a ballot that features gamers, membership technical employees and chosen members of the media. Messi acquired 38.43% of the votes averaged in comparison with second-place finisher Benteke (33.70%).
This was his first full season with the membership, having joined in July 2023.
MLS commissioner Don Garber made the announcement Friday alongside Inter Miami Academy college students and Messi’s three sons in a video.
“Truly, it’s an honor for me to obtain this award from all of you,” Messi mentioned to the Academy gamers. “It’s a supply of pleasure to observe you all prepare. I’m very completely satisfied to be right here day by day. I’m very completely satisfied to be on this metropolis, on this Club that’s rising. It’s a pleasure to see you develop daily. I invite you to maintain preventing and striving in your desires.”
The Miami captain received the award regardless of enjoying in solely 55% of aggressive matches of the 34-game common season. He missed 62 days between June 1 and Sept. 14 with an ankle injury sustained throughout Argentina‘s win over Colombia within the Copa América remaining.
During this time, the Herons performed nicely, profitable eight of 9 video games with out him.
The award considers a participant’s contributions and affect on the pitch at a minimal of 1,000 minutes performed within the common season, which is the league requirement for an MVP nomination.
Per FotMob, Messi averaged multiple objective each 90 minutes, which led the league. In 1,485 minutes, Messi averaged 2.18 objective contributions per match, which is a league file, in line with MLS.
The MLS MVP trophy is yet one more entry on the absurdly lengthy checklist of profession honors for Messi. He’s an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, eight-time FIFA participant of the 12 months winner, a seven-time LaLiga MVP, previous UEFA participant of the 12 months, previous Champions League participant of the season, World Cup golden ball winner, Club World Cup golden ball winner, and the checklist goes on from there.
“Unless you are dwelling on this planet of worldwide soccer, it is arduous to think about the general enchantment and the huge recognition and stardom that Leo Messi has,” Garber mentioned. “I imply, he’s Michael Jackson assembly Taylor Swift — and he is enjoying in our league.”
His numbers and affect on the pitch helped Inter Miami win the Supporters’ Shield and set the single-season factors file this season with 74 factors. Despite its robust common season — incomes the No. 1 seed for the postseason — Inter Miami misplaced to Atlanta United within the first round of the playoffs, ending their 2024 marketing campaign in a disappointing approach.
In November, Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who had taken the teaching function in June of 2023, resigned for personal reasons. Miami named Javier Mascherano — a former Barcelona and Argentina teammate and good friend of Messi — to interchange Martino.
The MLS Cup final is on Saturday in Carson, California, the place the LA Galaxy host the New York Red Bulls. The Galaxy look to win a file sixth Cup, whereas the Red Bulls search their first.
Information from The Associated Press was used on this report.
