Entering the season, it felt like the MVP award of Major League Soccer was to be lost to Lionel Messi. The Argentine took Major League Soccer by storm in his first season in the league and was able to enter second in the MVP race after just half a season. But this season, injuries caught up with Messi, allowing other players in the league to give him a run for the award including his own teammate Luis Suarez.
With only four to five games remaining, depending on the team, things like the Supporters’ Shield and the play-off chase will provide a platform for these rankings to change as important moments impact the rest of the season. While MVP rankings consider players a full season, things like making the playoffs and awards matter.
Let’s see where things shake out:
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Honorable mentions
With a list like that, it’s hard to include everyone who might be in the mix. Here are some names that are just on the edge.
- Daniel Rich
- Cucho Hernandez
- Christian Benteke
- Riqui Puig
- Matt Freese
The players are not completely out of contention but they are not at the levels of the players above them. All five are certainly MVPs within the specific teams and with great finishes to the season they could end up being finalists for the actual MVP award, but it would be a surprise for any of them to win it.
5. Lionel Messi, Inter Miami
Had Messi performed throughout the season, there would be no doubt that this award would have been his, and considering the composition of the voting, it still may be, but there are a few things working against the Argentine. First is the time missed. Despite collecting 14 goals and 15 assists, including secondary assists, missing time and having Miami win games without him should diminish his MVP credentials. Another thing is the run Suarez was on. Messi’s Uruguay may eat into his votes, preventing him from winning MVP this season.
4. Luis Suarez, Inter Miami
Increased when Messi was absent for Inter Miami, Luis Suarez proved that he has something left in his knees and then some. Scoring from wherever he wants, Suarez has 17 goals and six assists. Those are numbers that could see him close out the season with the Golden Boot, depending on Miami’s finish as they march towards the Supporters’ Shield. Suarez has only started five matches this season, failing to register a goal or assist and without Messi he has scored five goals to help keep the Herons on track. That’s the kind of stuff that keeps him in the MVP race despite not having the scoring 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 suspension. But later, he still did not score in a league game for Real Salt Lake, only assisting one goal. If he’s able to turn his game around, Arango could win the Golden Boot and push himself back into top contention for MVP, but that dry spell is enough to hurt his chances at the award. The Colombian has always been a streak player in his career, so this isn’t anything particularly surprising, but taking that next step is necessary to secure MVP honors.
2. Luciano Acosta, FC Cincinnati
The reigning league MVP is doing what he does best, scoring and creating, no matter what’s going on around him. FC Cincinatti’s attacking corps has changed dramatically, but Acosta is still doing his thing, scoring 12 goals and assisting 18 more. His consistency is something to marvel at, as no one in MLS has been able to match that for several seasons, but this is also where MVP fatigue can come into play. Nothing against what Acosta did, but sometimes voters like to see a new challenger take the crown.
1. Evander, Portland Timbers
Not much was expected of the Timbers entering the season, but as we close things out, they will likely enter the Western Conference finals as a team that no one wants to face. The defense was porous and there was a rotating cast in attack, but one constant was Evander in the center of the midfield. With 15 goals and 17 assists, Evander was involved in an astounding 51% of Portland’s goals. Everything the team does goes through him and even with teams wanting to do everything they can to slow him down, it hasn’t helped.
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