The list of Major League Soccer’s most valuable player award winners is one of the most diverse in sports and this year’s two-horse race is no exception
First a thought. Now that Landon Donovan has shaken off the proverbial dust from his Galaxy uniform and returned to action, the league should probably consider removing his name from the MVP award. After saying goodbye to the game in 2014, MLS respectfully renamed it in his honor, but now after his return it seems slightly odd for a trophy to be named after a player who, despite his great success in the past, is probably not better than the candidates who might receive it.
Namesake notwithstanding, Major League Soccer’s MVP award is one of my favorite prizes in the world of soccer just because the nominees and winners continue to be so wonderfully diverse. Since the league’s first ever season in 1996 when Carlos Valderrama won it with Tampa Bay Mutiny, we have had 10 different nationalities win the award. From Bolivia’s Marco Etcheverry (DC United) to last year’s first ever Italian winner in Sebastian Giovinco, it’s refreshing to see just how many different nationalities represent the most sought after individual award in the most diverse professional sports league in North America.
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