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Heading into the season, it felt like Lionel Messi was going to lose the Major League Soccer MVP award. The Argentinian conquered Major League Soccer in his first season in the competition and managed to finish second in the MVP race after just half a season. But this season, injuries have caught up with Messi, allowing other players in the league to give him a shot at the prize, including his own teammate Luis Suarez.
With only four to five games left depending on the team, things like the Supporters’ Shield and the play-off chase will provide a platform for these rankings to change as key moments impact the rest of the season. While the MVP rankings take into account a player’s entire season, things like making the playoffs and awards do matter.
Let’s see where things turn out:
Honorable mentions
With a list like this, it’s hard to include everyone who could be in the mix. Here are some names that are just getting started.
- Daniel Gaza Day
- Cucho Hernández
- Christian Benteke
- Riqui Puig
- Matt Freese
The players are not completely out of contention yet, but they are not at the level of the players above them. All five are certainly MVPs within the specific teams and if they finish the season well, they could become finalists for the actual MVP award, but it would be a surprise for any of them to win it.
5. Lionel Messi, InterMiami
If Messi were to play all season there would be no doubt that this award would be his, and given the composition of the votes that could still be the case, but there are a few things that Countering the Argentinian. First, there is the missed time. Despite scoring 14 goals and 15 assists, including secondary assists, missing time and Miami winning games without him should detract from his MVP credentials. Another problem is the run Suarez has made. Messi’s Uruguayan may eat away at his votes, preventing him from winning MVP this season.
4. Luis Suarez, Inter Miami
By stepping up during Messi’s absence at Inter Miami, Luis Suarez has proven that there is still something in his knees, and much more. Suarez scores wherever he wants and has seventeen goals and six assists. Those are numbers that could see him end the season with the Golden Boot, depending on Miami’s finish as they march towards the Supporters’ Shield. Suarez has only started five games this season, failing to score a goal or assist, and without Messi he has scored five goals to keep the Herons on track. That’s the kind of thing that keeps him in the MVP race despite not having the counting stats of some of the players around him.
3. Cristian Arango, Real Salt Lake
Consistency is key for MVP candidates and Chicho Arango had one of the best starts of anyone, scoring 17 goals before being suspended. But after that he has yet to score in the league match for Real Salt Lake and only assisted one goal. If he can turn his game around, Arango could win the Golden Boot and push himself back into the fight for MVP, but that dry spell is enough to hurt his chances at the award. The Colombian has always been a strong player throughout his career, so this isn’t particularly surprising, but taking the next step is necessary to secure the MVP award.
2. Luciano Acosta, FC Cincinnati
The reigning league MVP does what he does best: score and create, no matter what’s going on around him. FC Cincinatti’s attacking corps has changed drastically, but Acosta is still doing his thing, scoring twelve goals and assisting another eighteen. His consistency is something to marvel at, as no one in MLS has been able to match that over multiple seasons, but this is also where MVP fatigue can come into play. There’s nothing wrong with what Acosta has done, but sometimes voters like to see a new challenger take the crown.
1. Evander, Portland wood
Not much was expected from the Timbers heading into the season, but as we wrap things up, they’ll likely enter the Western Conference playoffs as a team no one wants to face. The defense was porous and the attacks varied, but one constant was Evander in central midfield. With 15 goals and 17 assists, Evander was involved in a whopping 51% of Portland’s goals. Everything the team does goes through him and even when teams want to do everything they can to slow him down, it hasn’t helped.