The MLS Newcomer of the Year Award is awarded by Major League Soccer to a player who has professional experience in another league and has an outstanding season in his first season of play in MLS. [1] The award was introduced in 2007; its votes are collected from team staff, players, and members of the media. [2] [3]
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the United States and 3 in Canada—since the 2023 season. MLS is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.
Donald P. Garber is an American sports executive who has served as the Commissioner of Major League Soccer since 1999. Garber is also the CEO of Soccer United Marketing and a member of the United States Soccer Federation board of directors.
Federico Fernando Higuaín is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a forward and attacking midfielder. He is currently the head coach for MLS Next Pro club Inter Miami II.
Fredy Henkyer Montero Muñoz, known as Fredy Montero (Spanish pronunciation:[ˈfɾeðimonˈteɾo], is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Deportivo Cali. He was the all-time top scorer for the Seattle Sounders until being surpassed by Raúl Ruidíaz in 2024. He scored 79 goals with the club across two stints: from 2009 to 2012, and from 2021 to 2023. Montero has been called up to the Colombia national team five times, scoring once in an unofficial match against Catalonia.
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional men's soccer club based in Seattle, Washington, United States. The Sounders compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began play in 2009 as an MLS expansion team. The Sounders are a phoenix club, replacing the second-division franchise that played in the American Professional Soccer League (APSL), A-League, and USL First Division (USL-1) from 1994 to 2008, and carrying the same name as the original Sounders franchise that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1974 to 1983.
Diego Hernán Valeri is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.
CF Montréal is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montréal. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Eastern Conference. Founded in 2010 as the Montreal Impact, they began playing in the MLS in 2012 as the league's nineteenth franchise and third Canadian club. They are a phoenix club of the original Montreal Impact that played in the various second division leagues of American soccer from 1993 to 2011.
Darlington Joephillip Nagbe is a professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer. Born in Liberia, he played for the United States national team.
Josef Alexander Martínez Mencia is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Major League Soccer club CF Montréal and the Venezuela national team.
Matthew James Hedges is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center-back for Major League Soccer club Austin FC.
The 2014 Major League Soccer season was the 19th season of Major League Soccer. It was also the 102nd season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States, and the 36th with a national first-division league.
Lucas Manuel Zelarayán is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Saudi Pro League club Al-Fateh. Born in Argentina, he plays for the Armenia national team.
The 2015 Major League Soccer season featured 20 total clubs. The regular season was held from March 6 through to October 25, whereas the MLS Cup Playoffs began on October 28 and ended with MLS Cup 2015 on December 6. The defending MLS Cup champions were the LA Galaxy, while Seattle Sounders FC were the defending Supporters' Shield winners.
Los Angeles Football Club, commonly referred to as Los Angeles FC or LAFC, is an American professional men's soccer team based in Los Angeles, California. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The club was established on October 30, 2014 and began play during the 2018 season as an expansion team. The club plays their home matches at BMO Stadium, a soccer-specific stadium located in Exposition Park.
Miguel Ángel Almirón Rejala is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or right winger for Premier League club Newcastle United and the Paraguay national team.
The 2016 Major League Soccer season featured 20 total clubs. The regular season began on March 6 and ended on October 23. The playoffs began on October 26 and ended on December 10. The defending MLS Cup champions were the Portland Timbers, while the New York Red Bulls were the defending Supporters' Shield winners. FC Dallas won the Supporter's Shield for the first time, and the Seattle Sounders FC won their first MLS Cup in their history after defeating Toronto FC 5–4 in a penalty kick shootout, after playing to a 0–0 result after regulation and added extra time.
The 2018 Major League Soccer season was the 23rd season of Major League Soccer, top division of soccer in the United States and Canada. The regular season began on March 3, 2018 and concluded on October 28, 2018. The MLS Cup Playoffs began on October 31, 2018 and concluded with MLS Cup 2018 on December 8, 2018. The league took a nine-day hiatus in early June for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, reduced from previous breaks.
Thiago Ezequiel Almada is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Major League Soccer club Atlanta United and the Argentina national team.
The 2020 Major League Soccer season was the 25th season of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. The regular season began on February 29, 2020, and was originally planned to end on October 4. The MLS Cup Playoffs were planned to begin later that month and would end with MLS Cup 2020 on November 7.
Charlotte FC is an American professional men's soccer club based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The team competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference. The team is owned by David Tepper, who was awarded the expansion franchise on December 17, 2019. It began play in the 2022 MLS season as the league's 28th franchise. Charlotte FC plays at Bank of America Stadium, which it shares with the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League, a team also owned by Tepper; the stadium capacity is reduced to 38,000 for most matches.
