Major League Soccer announced finalists for the 2023 MLS Year-End Awards, with Atlanta United's Thiago Almada and Inter Miami's Lionel Messi among the top names.
Almada, 22, who tallied 11 goals and a league-high 19 assists, is a finalist for Landon Donovan MVP as well as MLS Young Player of the Year.
Messi made a splashy MLS debut this season and is a finalist for MLS Newcomer of the Year.
According to MLS, for this award, "newcomer" is defined as a player who had previous professional experience and made his MLS debut in 2023.
The winners are scheduled to be announced throughout the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Finalists were determined in voting by current MLS first-team players, MLS clubs (coaches and technical directors or general managers) and selected media members.
Introducing the finalists for our 2023 MLS awards. 💯
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 26, 2023
First up...who will win the Landon Donovan MVP award? pic.twitter.com/0WTsa3GnIt
LANDON DONOVAN MLS MVP
Luciano Acosta, FC Cincinnati; Almada, Atlanta United; Denis Bouanga, LAFC
SIGI SCHMID MLS COACH OF THE YEAR
Bradley Carnell, St. Louis City SC; Wilfried Nancy, Columbus Crew; Pat Noonan, FC Cincinnati
MLS NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Giorgos Giakoumakis, Atlanta United; Eduard Lowen, St. Louis City SC; Messi, Inter Miami CF
MLS YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Almada, Atlanta United; Duncan McGuire, Orlando City SC; Aidan Morris, Columbus Crew
MLS GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Roman Burki, St. Louis City SC; Roman Celentano, FC Cincinnati; Pedro Gallese, Orlando City SC
MLS DEFENDER OF THE YEAR
Yeimar Gomez Andrade, Seattle Sounders FC; Matt Miazga, FC Cincinnati; Tim Parker, St. Louis City SC
MLS COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Joao Paulo, Seattle Sounders FC; Alan Pulido, Sporting Kansas City; Miles Robinson, Atlanta United