NEW YORK (Nov. 25, 2024) – Major League Soccer and Audi of America announced today that Darlington Nagbe of the Columbus Crew has been named the recipient of the 2024 Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award. The honor is awarded to MLS players who are dedicated to fostering equity and inclusion, enriching lives, and improving communities across the U.S. and Canada.
During MLS Cup presented by Audi, Audi will award Nagbe a $150,000 contribution to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Ohio, a community organization personally selected by the player. For more than 75 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Ohio have provided young people with essential support, guidance, and resources to help them succeed in life. In addition to his dedication to the organization, Nagbe has a celebrated MLS career marked by a longstanding commitment to positively impact his local community. Across the greater Columbus area, Nagbe has collaborated with numerous organizations, including Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the On Our Sleeves Movement for Children’s Mental Health.
“This is an amazing honor, I am very proud to receive the 2024 Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award,” said Nagbe. “I’m happy because so many people have helped me and my family, so to be able to help others, be a positive influence and a good role model is a true blessing. It’s important for me to give kids opportunities, give them access, give them the ability to dream and belief that they can become anything they want, just like others did for me. I’m glad that I won as this gives me the chance to help even more people and to be able to give the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Ohio this reward from Audi is huge. I’ve been able to meet the people in the organization and see first-hand the work that they do, and the access and opportunity that they provide is huge.”
A highly respected leader and current captain of the Columbus Crew, Nagbe has established himself as an MLS legend and has won four MLS Cup titles. In just the last two seasons in Columbus, Nagbe was named a 2024 MLS All-Star, and the Crew won both the 2023 MLS Cup presented by Audi and 2024 Leagues Cup.
The finalists for this year’s Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award included Nagbe, New England Revolution’s Andrew Farrell and Los Angeles FC’s Ilie Sánchez, each of whom were chosen by a selection committee comprised of current MLS players, technical staff, front office staff, and members of the media.
“Audi is proud to recognize Darlington Nagbe as this year’s recipient of the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award,” said Adam Perez, Sr. Specialist of Brand Partnerships and Experiences at Audi of America. “Soccer has the unique power to bring people together, breaking down barriers and creating a sense of belonging both on and off the pitch. Nagbe has successfully harnessed this power, extending that sense of community beyond the field and into the heart of Columbus. We are thrilled to play a small role in supporting Nagbe as he continues to create inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive.”
Over the last two seasons, Audi, MLS and The Players’ Tribune have teamed up to create the “Celebrating Impact” content series to amplify the work of MLS players in their communities and place a spotlight on the causes they are most passionate about. For his work driving progress off the field, Nagbe was featured in September and received a $40,000 contribution from the Audi Goals Drive Progress fund for his selected community organization.
The final addition to the content series, with additional video content featuring Nagbe, will debut across The Players’ Tribune channels on December 6.
“We’re very proud of this year’s finalists for the incredible work they do to uplift their communities, and we congratulate Darlington Nagbe on being the worthy recipient of the 2024 Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award,” said Jen Cramer, MLS EVP of Partnership Marketing. “Our continued partnership with Audi on the ‘Celebrating Impact’ series was a great success, and it has been very rewarding to see how our communities continue to be positively impacted by players across Major League Soccer.”
As a longstanding partner of MLS, Audi has made a significant impact on young soccer players through the Audi Goals Drive Progress initiative. Launched in 2019, the initiative provides funding to enhance the experience of MLS academy players, supporting their development both on and off the field. The program has expanded to not only support player development but also spotlight and fund the community initiatives of players. Since its inception, Audi has contributed a total of $5 million to support MLS academies and player-chosen charity organizations.
For more information on MLS Community efforts, please visit MLSsoccer.com, and to engage with the Celebrating Impact content series, visit theplayerstribune.com. To join the conversation and excitement around the Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award, follow @AudiUSA, @MLS and @ThePlayersTribune on social media.
ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer -- celebrating its 29th season in 2024 -- features 30 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, including a new expansion team in San Diego that will debut in 2025. All MLS, Leagues Cup, and select MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT matches can be watched through MLS Season Pass, available on the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com. MLS Season Pass features the most expansive and accessible lineup of programming ever for MLS fans. For more information about MLS, visit mlssoccer.com. For more information about the Apple TV app, visit apple.com/apple-tv-app.
ABOUT AUDI OF AMERICA
At Audi of America, we believe the future is electric. By 2025, our U.S. model lineup will be at least 30 percent electrified, including fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Globally, we are committed to net CO2 neutrality by 2050. In 2023, Audi sold a record-breaking 228,550 vehicles in the U.S. Among those deliveries, Audi sold more fully electric models than ever before, achieved record Audi Sport sales, and had a record-breaking year in after sales. Learn more about who we are and how we’re working to create a more sustainable, innovative, and inclusive future at audiusa.com or media.audiusa.com.
Media Contacts:
For Major League Soccer
Peter O’Brien
Peter.Obrien@MLSsoccer.com
For Audi
Laura Walton
Laura.Walton@audi.com
