LAFC, in conjunction with Major League Soccer, announced today that head coach Bob Bradley, defender Walker Zimmerman, midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye, and forward Carlos Vela have made the shortlist for the year-end awards honoring the league’s top performers during the 2019 MLS regular season.
In his second season at the helm, Bradley led LAFC to an MLS-record 72 points, plus-48 goal differential, the 2019 Supporters’ Shield, and home-field advantage throughout the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs. Bradley is looking to become the first MLS head coach to earn the honor for three different organizations (Chicago Fire, 1998; Chivas USA, 2006) and join Bruce Arena as a three-time winner.
After appearing in 20 of 21 matches in his first season with LAFC, Kaye suffered a season-ending ankle injury on July 26, 2018. He returned to the field in 2019, starting the team’s home opener and went on to appear in 31 regular season games (27 starts), tallying four goals and eight assists in 2,501 minutes. One of four players to represent LAFC at the 2019 AT&T MLS All-Star Game, Kaye has also been named to the MLS Team of the Week on three occasions, and also represented Canada at the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup and the Concacaf Nations League.
Vela, the 2019 Golden Boot winner, has been named a finalist for the second consecutive season. This year, Vela captained his second MLS All-Star Game, was voted the MLS Player of the Month three times, the MLS Player of the Week six times, and selected to the MLS Team of the Week on 16 occasions. The two-time MLS All-Star Captain led MLS in goals (34), shots (160), and shots on goal (71), and finished tied for third in assists (15). Vela’s combined 49 goals and assists are also the most-ever in one campaign in MLS history.
Zimmerman, 26, started all 25 regular season matches he appeared in for the Club, tallying one goal and one assist in 2,169 minutes. The 6-foot-3 centerback led a backline that gave up the fewest goals in 2019, holding opponents to just 37 goals in 2019. The USMNT defender reached 100 career starts during the 2-2 draw at NYCFC on March 17, and 10,000 MLS minutes during the 1-1 draw against FC Dallas on May 19.
The finalists earned the most votes in polling of three voting groups:
- Current MLS players
- MLS clubs (Coaches, Technical Directors/General Managers)
- Select media members representing local and national outlets who consistently covered the 2019 MLS regular season
The AT&T MLS Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year presented by Allstate will be decided by online voting at MLSsoccer.com or the free MLS app from now through October 22.
2019 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)
*Announcement dates subject to change
Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists
(to be announced the week of 2019 MLS Cup)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (LA Galaxy)
Josef Martínez (Atlanta United)
Carlos Vela (Los Angeles Football Club)
MLS Defender of the Year Finalists
(to be announced Oct. 17)
Ike Opara (Minnesota United FC)
Miles Robinson (Atlanta United)
Walker Zimmerman (Los Angeles Football Club)
Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
(to be announced Oct. 24)
Bill Hamid (D.C. United)
Sean Johnson (New York City FC)
Vito Mannone (Minnesota United FC)
MLS Newcomer of the Year Finalists
(to be announced Oct. 16)
For this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2019
Carles Gil (New England Revolution)
Héber (New York City FC)
Alejandro Pozuelo (Toronto FC)
AT&T MLS Rookie of the Year Finalists
(to be announced Oct. 15)
For this award, “rookie” is defined as a player without previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2019
Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union)
Hassani Dotson (Minnesota United FC)
Andre Shinyashiki (Colorado Rapids)
Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year Finalists
(to be announced Oct. 23)
Bob Bradley (Los Angeles Football Club)
Jim Curtin (Philadelphia Union)
Domènec Torrent (New York City FC)
MLS Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2019 regular season
(to be announced Oct. 22)
Mark-Anthony Kaye (Los Angeles Football Club)
Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC)
Kacper Przybyłko (Philadelphia Union)
MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year
(TBD announcement date)
Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids)
Matt Lampson (LA Galaxy)
Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
MLS Referee of the Year Finalists
(to be announced Oct. 15)
Allen Chapman
Jair Marrufo
Rubiel Vazquez
MLS Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists
(to be announced Oct. 15)
Logan Brown
Brian Dunn
Brian Poeschel
