Major League Soccer on Tuesday announced the finalists for each of the 2016 year-end awards, honoring the league’s top performers during the 2016 MLS regular season.
The finalists earned the most votes in polling of three voting groups: Current MLS players, MLS club staff (including coaches, technical directors, chief business officers and PR directors) and media members who consistently covered the 2016 regular season. The AT&T Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year will be decided by voting at MLSsoccer.com from now through Nov. 11.
The finalists for each award are listed in alphabetical order below, as well as the announcement schedule for the winner of each (schedule subject to change).
2016 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists (December 6)
Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls)
David Villa (New York City FC)
Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)
Defender of the Year Finalists (November 11)
Matt Hedges (FC Dallas)
Axel Sjoberg (Colorado Rapids)
Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy)
Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists (November 17)
Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids)
Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
Newcomer of the Year Finalists (November 21)
Ola Kamara (Columbus Crew SC)
Nicolas Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders FC)
Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy)
For this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2016
AT&T Rookie of the Year Finalists (November 10)
Jack Harrison (New York City FC)
Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC)
Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union)
For this award, “rookie” is defined as a player without previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2016
Coach of the Year Finalists (November 29)
Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)
Oscar Pareja (FC Dallas)
Patrick Vieira (New York City FC)
Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Frank Lampard (New York City FC)
Kevin Molino (Orlando City SC)
Chris Pontius (Philadelphia Union)
Honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2016 regular season
MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, presented by Advocare, Finalists (November 3)
Matt Lampson (Chicago Fire)
Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
MLS Fair Play Finalists – Individual (November 4)
Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC)
Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union)
Chris Tierney (New England Revolution)
Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fouls committed, cards received, games and minutes played, as well as subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.
MLS Fair Play Finalists – Team (November 4)
*Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fewest fouls committed, cards received, and on subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.
Columbus Crew SC
Seattle Sounders FC
Toronto FC
Referee of the Year Finalists (November 4)
Alan Kelly
Jair Marrufo
Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists (November 4)
Frank Anderson
Ian Anderson
Eric Boria
