Team of the Matchday: Evander mounts MVP charge, Sporting KC duo pops off
Is Evander the new Landon Donovan MLS MVP frontrunner? At the very least, the Portland Timbers' No. 10 is making a case for serious consideration.
Erik Thommy, a German Bundesliga veteran, signed with Sporting KC in June 2022. Thommy previously recorded 42 goals and 33 assists across nine seasons in his native Germany - including nine goals, 14 assists and 96 appearances in the top-flight Bundesliga. He scored his first goal for Sporting in the 4-2 victory over the LA Galaxy on Aug. 6, 2022 and won the club's Offensive Player of the Year and Goal of the Year honors in 2023 and 2024.
Capable of playing in an advanced midfield role or on the wing, Thommy launched his professional career with FC Augsburg in 2014 before going on loan to FC Kaiserslautern (2014-2016) and Jahn Regensburg (2016-2017). Thommy joined VfB Stuttgart in 2017, starred for Fortuna Dusseldorf during a successful loan spell in 2019-2020, and ended his time at Stuttgart in the Spring of 2022 by appearing in each of the club’s last six matches of the 2021-2022 campaign.
Thommy developed in academies at SV Kleinbeuren (2000-2002), SSV Ulm (2002-2009) and TSG Thannhausen (2009-2010) before moving to FC Augsburg. He signed for FC Augsburg II in 2013 and made his Bundesliga debut with Augsburg’s senior team as a 19-year-old in February 2014.
PROFESSIONAL
2024: Made 38 appearances in all competitions for Sporting KC, scoring eight goals and adding five assists. Was named Sporting's Offensive Player of the Year and won the club's Goal of the Year, claiming both awards for the second consecutive season, while he also led all outfield players on the team with 2,937 minutes played. MLS Regular Season: Started 27 of 30 appearances, tallying seven goals and adding four assists. Scored the club's first goal of the season in the season-opening 1-1 road draw with the Houston Dynamo on Feb. 24 before adding a brace in front of more than 70,000 spectators during the club's 3-2 home defeat to Inter Miami CF at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on April 13. His second goal against Miami, a stunning volley from the edge of the area, was voted Sporting's Goal of the Year. Scored again the following week in the 3-3 home draw with St. Louis on April 20 before recording his first assist of the campaign in the 3-2 road loss to Austin FC on May 18. Recorded further assists in the 4-2 road loss to the LA Galaxy (June 15) and the 2-1 road defeat to the Colorado Rapids (July 4) before scoring the opener in the 2-1 road victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on July 13. Added an assist in the 3-0 home win over Orlando City SC on Aug. 24 before scoring a brace off the bench during the club's 4-0 home victory over the Colorado Rapids on Sept. 18. Open Cup: Started all five matches in the club's run to the Open Cup Final, tallying a goal and an assist. Recorded an assist on Johnny Russell's game-winner in the 2-0 home win over Indy Eleven in the Semifinals on Aug. 27 before scoring the equalizer in the eventual 3-1 road loss to LAFC in the Final on Sept. 25. Leagues Cup: Started two of three appearances, logging 199 minutes.
2023: Made 42 appearances in all competitions for Sporting KC, tallying five goals and led the team with 13 assists. Was named Sporting's Offensive Player of the Year and won the club's Goal of the Year. MLS Regular Season: Started 32 of 34 appearances, scoring five goals and adding 11 assists. Was one of just two players on the team to appear in all 34 regular-season matches. Recorded a goal and an assist in the club's first victory of the year - the 2-1 victory at Seattle on May 7. Added an assist the following week in the 3-0 win over Minnesota United on May 13 before scoring the club's Goal of the Year with a brilliant strike from distance against the Portland Timbers on May 28. Tallied assists in back-to-back games at Vancouver (June 3) and vs. Austin FC (June 10) before recording another assist at the LA Galaxy on June 21. Scored the final goal in the 3-0 win over Vancouver on July 1 and added his sixth assist in the 2-2 draw with Real Salt Lake on July 12. Had a goal and an assist in the 3-0 victory against San Jose on Aug. 26 before tallying a pair of assists in the 2-1 win over St. Louis on Sept. 2. Added an assist for the third straight game in the 3-2 setback at Inter Miami CF on Sept. 9. Enjoyed another goal-and-assist outing in the pivotal 3-2 victory at Real Salt Lake on Oct. 7. MLS Cup Playoffs: Started one of four appearances in the postseason, coming in the Wild Card victory over San Jose on Oct. 25. Open Cup: Made one appearance and tallied one assist, coming off the bench to set up the final goal in the 3-0 win over Tulsa Athletic in the Third Round on April 25. Leagues Cup: Started two of three appearances, recording an assist on Johnny Russell's game-winner in the 1-0 win over Chivas Guadalajara on July 31.
2022: Signed with Sporting on June 23. Named Co-Newcomer of the Year with forward Willy Agada. Received two MLS Team of the Week Selections for week 27 and Week 31. MLS Regular Season: Started 10 of 12 appearances, scored three goals and added two assists (887 minutes played). Debuted for Sporting on July 23 against LAFC, playing 61 minutes. Scored his first MLS goal against the LA Galaxy on Aug. 6 in a 4-2 Sporting KC win. Netted the third goal in a 4-1 win over the Portland Timbers on Aug. 21. Picked up a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over Minnesota United on Sept. 17, scoring the second goal and setting up Willy Agada's second score. Assisted Graham Zusi's goal against FC Dallas on MLS Decision Day on Oct. 9. Open Cup: Started one Open Cup match (83 minutes played).
VfB Stuttgart (2021-2022): Rejoined Stuttgart where he made nine total appearances, scored one goal and added two assists.
Fortuna Dusseldorf (2020): Went out on loan to Bundesliga side Fortuna Dusseldorf where he appeared in all 34 matches. He netted six goals and gathered five assists in league play. Made three DFB Pokal appearances and assisted on one goal in the tournament.
VfB Stuttgart (2018-2019): Finished his time with Augsburg making six appearances before transferring to VfB Stuttgart in the middle of the 2018-19 season. Went on to make 14 appearances for his new club, scoring two goals and adding six assists in his first season with Stuttgart. Made 21 appearances in all competitions, scoring once and tallying three assists the following year.
Jahn Regensburg (2017): In 2017 he spent the entire season loaned out from Augsburg to third-division outfit Jahn Regensburg. Tallied eight goals and seven assists across 37 appearances. Thommy’s standout performances during the season helped Jahn Regensburg gain promotion to the second-division 2 Bundesliga.
FC Augsburg (2014-2016): Debuted in the Bundesliga on Feb. 16, 2014, at home against FC Nuremberg. For the second team, Thommy showed out in his first professional season, scoring 18 goals and adding five assists. Over the next two seasons, he split time between Augsburg and Kaiserslautern who he was on loan with. In 2015 he made nine appearances for Ausbrug, scoring and assisting once and made six appearances for Kaiserslautern where he scored once. The following season was the same as he made 14 appearances for Ausbrug, scoring on four occasions, and made six appearances for Kaiserslautern.
YOUTH
Developed in academies at SV Kleinbeuren (2000-2002), SSV Ulm (2002-2009) and TSG Thannhausen (2009-2010) before moving to FC Augsburg, where he competed in the U-17 and U-19 Bundesliga. He signed for FC Augsburg II in 2013 and punctuated his debut professional season by notching 18 goals and five assists in the fourth-division Regionalliga.