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The 2024 MLS season is entering the homestretch – just eight matchdays remain as the 34-game regular season calendar comes to an end.
Inter Miami sit atop the MLS Supporters’ Shield standings, but have their superstars in Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez outperformed some of MLS’ brightest players?
Cucho Hernandez led the Columbus Crew to the Leagues Cup title, while reigning MLS MVP Lucho Acosta is absolutely lighting up the Eastern Conference. LAFC’s Denis Bouanga also finds himself in the MVP conversation, and Real Salt Lake’s Chicho Arango has emerged as a contender following his emphatic goalscoring campaign.
Then there’s the dark horse candidates such as LA Galaxy’s Riqui Puig and Portland Timbers Evander, who are both having outstanding campaigns on the West Coast.
As the season heats up, GOAL takes a look at the top candidates for the 2024 MLS Landon Donovan MVP award.
1Cucho Hernandez, Columbus Crew
Cucho may not have the flashiest stats of all the contenders, but he is arguably the most important player to his club. There is no Columbus Crew without their Colombian forward right now. He’s a big-game player, a lethal finisher and more than anything, the face of excellence in this organization.
He joined the Eastern Conference club in the summer of 2022 and has since become one of the most talented forwards across the entire league. He’s electric in the air, on his left foot, his right foot – genuinely, anywhere in the final-third.
He’s totaled 13 goals and eight assists in 18 MLS appearances this season, including two goals in six appearances as the Crew reached the CONCACAF Champions Cup final. On top of that, he had four goals in five games – including a brace in the final – to hand the crew the 2024 Leagues Cup trophy have the Colombian atop the list. Simply unstoppable.
2Lionel Messi, Inter Miami
Messi last featured for Inter Miami on June 1. He’s going to miss nearly three months of the campaign for Miami, assuming he returns to the pitch this September. Despite that, his impact on their form cannot go unnoticed.
In 12 matches this season, he as 12 goals and 13 assists. He averaged more than two goal-contributions per-game with a combined 25 G+A across that span. Only two other players in MLS have a higher G+A than him, and both have played a minimum of nine more matches than him this season. Truly, his impact has been stupendous.
In those 12 matches he’s played in, Miami has only lost once. And Miami remain hopeful for Messi to return still in the regular season, which will give him more opportunity to add to his MVP credentials. Despite not featuring during the summer campaign, the Argentine has firmly planted himself on this list.
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USA Today Images3Denis Bouanga, LAFC
Bouanga may be the most talented forward in all of MLS. He leads the league in total shots, shots on target and is tied for second in the race for the Golden Boot, with 16 strikes.
On top of that, he’s managed nine assists for the Black and Gold this season, helping them to the Leagues Cup final and second place in the Western Conference. He’s scored in games against conference contenders LA (twice) and the Colorado Rapids, proving himself to be a big-game player for LAFC, too.
The Gabon international was a 2023 MLS MVP finalist, and this time around, is looking to secure the throne.
4Lucho Acosta, FC Cincinnati
The reigning MLS MVP is back, and arguably, better than before. However, FC Cincinnati aren’t clear Supporters’ Shield frontrunners anymore, meaning the pressure is on.
Acosta has amassed 18 assists so far this season, while notching 11 goals as well from an attacking midfield position. In 25 matches played, he leads the league in key passes made with 83, shot assists with 83 and boasts an impressive 79.9 passing completion percentage.
Cincy, meanwhile, are second in the Eastern Conference but eight points behind league-leaders Miami. Acosta is not only competing against the Herons in the standings, but against their stars for individual accolades, as well.
5Chicho Arango, Real Salt Lake
Tied atop the Golden Boot standings, Arango has been MLS’ most clinical finisher this season. He’s been ruthless in and around the box, netting 17 goals while notching 11 assists along the way. He has the highest G+A of any player in the league with 28 goal-contributions through 24 regular season appearances.
He’s lifted Real Salt Lake to new heights, becoming a crucial part of their attack along the way. In 1,899 minutes so far this season, he’s registered 40 scoring attempts on-target, completed 75.3 percent of his passes and registered 99 total scoring attempts.
However, on matchday 26, the Colombian left RSL’s match with the San Jose Earthquakes mintues before the halftime break with what’s been described as a “right hamstring tweak” by manager Pablo Mastroeni. It remains to be seen what the extent of the injury is.
6The dark horse contenders
- Luis Suarez, Inter Miami
- 14 goals, five assists in 19 matches
- Christian Benteke, DC United
- 17 goals, five assists in 22 matches
- Riqui Puig, LA Galaxy
- Nine goals, 11 assists, leads league in touches
- Evander Ferreira, Portland Timbers
- 12 goals, 15 assists in 22 matches
- Luis Suarez, Inter Miami
