David Villa, Patrick Vieira, Jack Harrison and Frank Lampard have all been shortlisted for End of Year MLS Awards.
Villa is up for MVP, Vieira is in the frame for Coach of the Year, Harrison is in the running for Rookie of the Year and Lampard will be considered for Comeback Player of the Year.
No-one in MLS has more than NYCFC’s four nominations across all of the categories.
Each of our men are in three-person shortlists after they earned the most votes in polling of current MLS players, clubs and members of the media.
Villa is up alongside Red Bulls duo Sacha Kljestan and Bradley Wright-Phillips for the Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player after he scored 23 goals in Regular Season play.
NYCFC Head Coach Vieira earned his nomination in his very first year in the league after leading his team to second place in the Eastern Conference and into the MLS Playoffs for the first time in Club history.
He will be considered alongside FC Dallas boss Oscar Pareja and Colorado Rapids manager Pablo Mastroeni.
Rookie of the Year, the award given to the best MLS debutant without professional experience in 2016, will be between Harrison, Jordan Morris of Seattle Sounders and Philadelphia Union’s Keegan Rosenberry.
Finally, the Comeback Player of the Year award recognizes the player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity to achieve success this season.
Lampard, who endured an injury-hit 2015, is in this category following his 12 goals in 19 appearances this campaign, taking on Kevin Molino of Orlando City SC and Chris Pontius of Philadelphia Union.
2016 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)
Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists
Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls)
David Villa (New York City FC)
Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)
Defender of the Year Finalists
Matt Hedges (FC Dallas)
Axel Sjoberg (Colorado Rapids)
Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy)
Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids)
Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
Newcomer of the Year Finalists
For this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2016
Ola Kamara (Columbus Crew SC)
Nico Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders FC)
Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy)
AT&T Rookie of the Year Finalists
For this award, “rookie” is defined as a player without previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2016
Jack Harrison (New York City FC)
Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC)
Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union)
Coach of the Year Finalists
Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)
Oscar Pareja (FC Dallas)
Patrick Vieira (New York City FC)
Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2016 regular season
Frank Lampard (New York City FC)
Kevin Molino (Orlando City SC)
Chris Pontius (Philadelphia Union)
MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, presented by Advocare, Finalists
Matt Lampson (Chicago Fire)
Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
MLS Fair Play Finalists – Individual
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.
Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC)
Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union)
Chris Tierney (New England Revolution)
MLS Fair Play Finalists - Team
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
Alan Kelly
Jair Marrufo
Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists
Frank Anderson
Ian Anderson
Eric Boria
Awards Announcements Schedule:
Schedule subject to change
November 10: AT&T Rookie of the Year
November 11: MLS Defender of the Year; AT&T Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year
November 16: MLS Comeback Player of the Year
November 17: Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year
November 21: Newcomer of the Year
November 29: MLS Coach of the Year
December 6: Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player
TBD: MLS Best XI
