It's awards season in MLS and Wednesday saw another step taken toward announcing who will be taking home the top individual prizes from the 2020 season.
The finalists have now been revealed for Major League Soccer's year-end awards, narrowing most of the categories down to a final three.
The exception to that is the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award, for which there is now a final five — Supporters' Shield winning goalkeeper for the Philadelphia Union, Andre Blake, Seattle Sounders duo Jordan Morris and Nicolas Lodeiro as well as Toronto FC playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo and LAFC's Golden Boot winner Diego Rossi.
Rossi is also up for the AT&T Young Player of the Year award, which replaces the previous Rookie of the Year award, while Blake will also contend for Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year honors and his Union coach, Jim Curtin, is among those vying for the Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year award.
The finalists (in alphabetical order) which follow below earned the most votes in polling among three voting groups:
- current MLS players
- MLS club technical staffs (coaches, technical directors/GMs)
- select group of media members
Full list of 2020 awards nominees
2020 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists
- Andre Blake (PHI)
- Nicolás Lodeiro (SEA)
- Jordan Morris (SEA)
- Alejandro Pozuelo (TOR)
- Diego Rossi (LAFC)
Defender of the Year Finalists
- Mark McKenzie (PHI)
- Jonathan Mensah (CLB)
- Walker Zimmerman (NSH)
Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
- Andre Blake (PHI)
- Eloy Room (CLB)
- Matt Turner (NE)
Newcomer of the Year Finalists
For this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2020.
- Robert Berić (CHI)
- Alan Pulido (SKC)
- Lucas Zelarayan (CLB)
AT&T MLS Young Player of the Year Finalists
For this award, “young player” is defined as a player age 22 (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998).
- Brenden Aaronson (PHI)
- Daryl Dike (ORL)
- Diego Rossi (LAFC)
Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year Finalists
- Jim Curtin (PHI)
- Oscar Pareja (ORL)
- Greg Vanney (TOR)
Comeback Player of the Year Finalists ()
Honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2020 regular season.
- Kevin Molino (MIN)
- Milton Valenzuela (CLB)
- Bradley Wright-Phillips (LAFC)
MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year - Finalists
- Jeremy Ebobisse (POR)
- Mark-Anthony Kaye (LAFC)
- Justin Morrow (TOR)
Referee of the Year Finalists
- Joe Dickerson
- Ismail Elfath
- Jair Marrufo
Assistant Referee of the Year
- Kathryn Nesbitt
- Cory Richardson
- Corey Rockwell
