Major League Soccer today announced the finalists for the 2023 MLS Year-End Awards, honoring the league’s best players during the regular season.
Competitors include individuals representing 13 MLS clubs, with the winners announced through the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. Atlanta United, FC Cincinnati and St. Louis CITY SC are the most represented clubs with finals in four award categories each.
The following finalists (in alphabetical order) received the highest average votes from the following groups:
Current MLS First Team Players MLS Clubs (Coaches, Technical Directors/General Managers) Select media representatives representing local and national trades that consistently covered the 2023 MLS regular season
Landon Donovan MLS MVP Finals
Luciano Acosta – FC Cincinnati Thiago Almada – Atlanta United Dénis Bouanga – LAFC
Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year finalists
Bradley Carnell – St. Louis CITY SC Wilfried Nancy – Columbus Crew Pat Noonan – FC Cincinnati
MLS Rookie of the Year Finalist
For this award, a “rookie” is defined as a player who had prior professional experience and made his MLS debut in 2023.
Giorgos Giakoumakis – Atlanta United Eduard Löwen – St. Louis CITY SC Lionel Messi – Inter Miami CF
MLS Young Player of the Year Finalist
For this award, any “young player” in MLS who is 22 years of age or younger during the calendar year is eligible for consideration.
Thiago Almada – Atlanta United Duncan McGuire – Orlando City SC Aidan Morris – Columbus Crew
Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Finalist
Roman Bürki – St. Louis CITY SC Roman Celentano – FC Cincinnati Pedro Gallese – Orlando City SC
MLS Defensive Player of the Year Finalist
Yeimar Gómez Andrade – Seattle Sounders FC Matt Miazga – FC Cincinnati Tim Parker – St. Louis CITY SC
MLS Comeback Player of the Year Finalist
Honors an MLS player who has overcome serious injury and/or adversity and as a result missed a significant portion of the 2022 season – then performed better to succeed in the 2023 season.
João Paulo – Seattle Sounders FC Alan Pulido – Sporting Kansas City Miles Robinson – Atlanta United
Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award finalists
Learn more about the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award and our players’ community efforts here.
Alejandro Bedoya – Philadelphia Union Darlington Nagbe – Columbus Crew Taylor Washington – Nashville SC
MLS Referee of the Year Finalist
Jon Freemon Victor Rivas Ted Unkel
MLS Assistant Referee of the Year Finalist
Michael Barwegan Cam Blanchard Ian McKay