LA Galaxy Forward Gabriel Pec Named 2024 MLS Newcomer of the Year

The 23-year-old Brazilian led all first-year MLS players with 30 goal contributions and was named ot the 2024 MLS All-Star Team in debut MLS season

NEW YORK (Monday, November 4, 2024) – Major League Soccer today announced LA Galaxy forward Gabriel Pec as the 2024 MLS Newcomer of the Year. The award recognizes the most impactful player with prior professional experience and made their MLS debut during the 2024 regular season.

• Watch LA Galaxy General Manager Will Kuntz present Pec with the news of his award **here**.
• Download video and social graphic assets of MLS Newcomer of the Year Gabriel Pec **here**.

Pec was signed for a club-record fee as a Young Designated Player by the LA Galaxy on January 30, 2024, going on to record a club-leading 16 goals in addition to 14 assists. The 23-year-old became the youngest player in club history to record at least 30 goal contributions in a single season and the fourth-youngest player in league history. Pec joined an illustrious club of players to accomplish the feat for the Galaxy, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2018 and 2019), Robbie Keane (2014), and Cobi Jones (1998).

The Brazilian forward also became the youngest player to record at least 15 goals and 10 assists in a single season in MLS history (excluding the shootout era) and the youngest player to do so for the Galaxy in 26 years. Pec was an integral piece to the Galaxy’s offense that produced a Western Conference-leading 69 goals in 2024, which tied for the second-most goals in a season for the club.

In addition to being named MLS Newcomer of the Year, Pec was also named to the 2024 MLS All-Star Team and earned Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra honors after recording a goal and two assists on Matchday 34.

Pec is the first Galaxy player to earn the honor since Ibrahimovic in 2018 and the first Brazilian to earn the honor since Luciano Emilio earned the inaugural award in 2007. The Galaxy is the fourth club to have multiple recipients of this award (Atlanta United, Columbus Crew, and Seattle Sounders FC). Pec led voting in all three categories to earn the honor over fellow first-year MLS stars Luis Suárez (Inter Miami CF) and Luca Orellano (FC Cincinnati).

The Newcomer of the Year award was voted on by MLS club technical staff, media, and current MLS players. Below is a breakdown of the voting results.

A full list of previous MLS Newcomer of the Year award winners can be found below: