With the end of the MLS season upon us, award season will soon take its place. But the biggest award of the season, league MVP, is still very much up for grabs.
From the obvious superstars like Lionel Messi and Cucho Hernandez to perhaps underrated options like Evander and Christian Benteke, the award could go a number of ways.
Here is where the OneFootball’s North American team have decided to go with their picks.
Adam Booker: Cucho Hernández
Cucho is the ultimate clutch man in MLS. Not only has the former Watford man bagged 19 goals and 13 assists in 26 games, but he always leaves his mark on a game with key contributions in big moments.
Where Cucho goes, the Crew go, and they look primed and ready for another deep-run in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Despite winning that prestigious title last season, this iteration of the Crew looks even more prepared for a playoff push after setting a club record for wins and points in the regular season.
Not many players in MLS have the ice-cold ability to win a game in minutes, but Cucho does, and he should win MVP as a result.
Emily Wilson: Luciano Acosta
Sep 18, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta (10) runs downfield during the second half against Minnesota United at Allianz Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
In a lengthy, physically demanding season, consistency is key. And FC Cincinnati captain Luciano Acosta is the epitome of that saying.
The 30-year-old’s leadership while wearing the armband and ability to guide his side to victory on the pitch earned him a nomination for MLS MVP, and if you dive deeper into the numbers, it’s clear he should be the outright winner.
Acosta registered a stunning 33 goal contributions before Decision Day, two more than games played (31). Alongside his 14 goals, he leads the league in assists (19) and key passes (106), two stats where we might’ve assumed Lionel Messi would dominate.
Sure, Inter Miami’s double over FC Cincinnati helped prevent the club from claiming the top spot in the East, but Acosta is only one man. Even still, he did score in that 6-1 loss to the Herons.
The longevity of a player’s impact across an entire season is a leading factor when deciding the MVP, and it was Acosta who dragged his side up the table. A player whose individual contribution kept his side well in the mix all year.
Andrew Thompson: Christian Benteke
There’s that old sporting adage that offense gets the glory, but defense wins championships.
Well, in the case of D.C. United, the odds of being crowned MLS Cup champions are a long shot, but certainly, their chances of even making the post-season would not exist without former Belgian international striker Christian Benteke.
As the man about to take home golden boot honors for the 2024 season, the Kinshasha-born hitman stands tall as the club’s single-season record holder with 25 goals in all competitions. His 23 strikes in the league are the most from any D.C. player since club great Raúl Díaz Arce finished with the same total in the league’s inaugural 1996 campaign, and could even eclipse that on the final day of play.
Simply put, MVP honors deserve to go to a player who is most valuable to a team’s cause, not just necessarily if they are the top player in the league from a talent perspective. Without Benteke, D.C. would not even be in the playoff conversation, and instead, would be propping up the Eastern Conference.
Who gets your pick for MLS MVP? Let us know below.