The Best MLS Player ESPY Award is an annual award honoring the achievements of an individual from the world of Major League Soccer (MLS). It was first awarded as part of the ESPY Awards in 2006. The Best MLS Player ESPY Award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan, is presented to the MLS player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year at the annual ESPY Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. Balloting for the award is undertaken by fans over the Internet from between three and five nominees selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee, which is composed by a panel of experts. It is conferred in July to reflect performance and achievement over the preceding twelve months, which generally includes a portion of each of two MLS seasons.

The inaugural winner of the Best MLS Player ESPY Award was LA Galaxy forward Landon Donovan in 2006. He is one of two people to have been presented with the award more than once in its history, winning it a further four times in 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011; he also earned a nomination in 2008. English right midfielder David Beckham, also for LA Galaxy, has been the second most successful player, winning twice in 2008 and 2012. American players have been the most successful with five wins and twenty-eight nominations, while those who play in the position of a forward have been recognized on fourteen occasions, and those who have played for LA Galaxy have won a total of nine awards. It was not awarded in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The most recent winner of the award was Carlos Vela of Los Angeles FC in 2022.

Winners and nominees + Key Player's team won the MLS Cup Player's team lost the MLS Cup MLS Cup Most Valuable Player

+ Best MLS Player ESPY Award winners and nomineesYear ImagePlayerNationTeamPosition Other nominees 2006 LA Galaxy Forward Dwayne De Rosario () – San Jose EarthquakesJaime Moreno () – D.C. UnitedTaylor Twellman () – New England Revolution 2007 (2) LA Galaxy Forward Jeff Cunningham () – Toronto FCChristian Gómez () – D.C. UnitedMatt Reis () – New England Revolution 2008 LA Galaxy Right midfielder Juan Pablo Ángel () – New York Red BullsCuauhtémoc Blanco () – Chicago FireLandon Donovan () – LA GalaxyLuciano Emílio () – D.C. United 2009 (3) LA Galaxy Forward Juan Pablo Ángel () – New York Red BullsJon Busch () – Chicago FireKenny Cooper () – FC DallasGuillermo Barros Schelotto () – Columbus Crew 2010 (4) LA Galaxy Forward Conor Casey () – Colorado RapidsJeff Cunningham () – FC DallasShalrie Joseph () – New England RevolutionKasey Keller () – Seattle Sounders FC 2011 (5) LA Galaxy Forward Edson Buddle () – LA GalaxyDavid Ferreira () – FC DallasChris Wondolowski () – San Jose Earthquakes 2012 (2) LA Galaxy Right midfielder Dwayne De Rosario () – D.C. UnitedBrad Davis () – Houston DynamoChris Wondolowski () – San Jose Earthquakes 2013 New York Red Bulls Forward Chris Wondolowski () – San Jose EarthquakesGraham Zusi () – Sporting Kansas City 2014 New York Red Bulls Forward Marco Di Vaio () – Montreal ImpactRobbie Keane () – LA GalaxyMike Magee () – Chicago Fire 2015 LA Galaxy Forward Obafemi Martins () – Seattle Sounders FCLee Nguyen () – New England RevolutionBradley Wright-Phillips () – New York Red Bulls 2016 Toronto FC Forward Kei Kamara () – New England RevolutionLaurent Ciman () – Montreal ImpactLuis Robles () – New York Red Bulls 2017 New York City FC Forward Andre Blake () – Philadelphia UnionStefan Frei () – Seattle Sounders FCMatt Hedges () – FC DallasBradley Wright-Phillips () – New York Red Bulls 2018 Chicago Fire Forward Tim Melia () – Sporting Kansas CityIke Opara () – Sporting Kansas CityDiego Valeri () – Portland Timbers 2019 LA Galaxy Forward Josef Martínez () – Atlanta United FCAaron Long () – New York Red BullsWayne Rooney () – D.C. United 2020Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Los Angeles FC Forward Andre Blake () – Philadelphia UnionAlejandro Pozuelo () – Toronto FCLucas Zelarayán () – Columbus Crew 2022 Los Angeles FC Forward Valentín Castellanos () – New York City FCJesús Ferreira () – FC DallasCarles Gil () – New England Revolution

Statistics

+ Multiple winners and nominees Name Wins Nominations 5 6 2 2 1 2 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 2

+ Winners by team represented Team Wins Nominations LA Galaxy 9 12 New York Red Bulls 2 8 Chicago Fire 1 4 Toronto FC 1 3 New York City FC 1 2 Los Angeles FC 2 2 New England Revolution 0 6 D.C. United 0 5 FC Dallas 0 5 San Jose Earthquakes 0 4 Seattle Sounders FC 0 3 Sporting Kansas City 0 3 Columbus Crew 0 2 Montreal Impact 0 2 Philadelphia Union 0 2 Atlanta United FC 0 1 Colorado Rapids 0 1 Houston Dynamo 0 1 Portland Timbers 0 1

+Winners by nation representedCountryWinnersNominations 5 28 2 5 1 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 4 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

See also Landon Donovan MVP Award MLS Best XI

References

External links