The Best MLS Player ESPY Award is an annual award honoring the achievements of an individual from the world of Major League Soccer (MLS).[ 1] It was first awarded as part of the ESPY Awards in 2006.[ 2] The Best MLS Player ESPY Award trophy, designed by sculptor Lawrence Nowlan ,[ 3] 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 .[ 1] 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.[ 1] 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 .[ 4]
The inaugural winner of the Best MLS Player ESPY Award was LA Galaxy forward Landon Donovan in 2006.[ 5] 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 .[ 6] The most recent winner of the award was Carlos Vela of Los Angeles FC in 2022 .[ 7]
Winners and nominees
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^ a b c Nelson, Murry R. (2013). American Sports: A History of Icons, Idols and Ideas . Santa Barbara, California : ABC-CLIO . pp. 399– 401. ISBN 978-0-313-39753-0 . Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2015 – via Google Books .
^ a b "Nominees Announced and Fan Voting Begins for 14th Annual ESPYs" . ESPN . June 28, 2006. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved December 20, 2017 .
^ Avard, Christian (August 2, 2013). "Sculptor commissioned to complete Joe Frazier statue has died" . Barre Montpelier Times Argus . Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2018 .
^ "New categories unveiled for The 2002 ESPY Awards" (Press release). ESPN . 2002. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2017 .
^ a b "2006 ESPY Awards Winners; Steelers earn best team kudo" . Variety . July 12, 2006. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2017 .
^ a b Messer, Lesley (June 19, 2020). "7 ways the 2020 ESPYS will be different amid the pandemic" . Good Morning America . Archived from the original on June 20, 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2020 .
^ a b "Carlos Vela gana el ESPYS al Best MLS Player 2022" [Carlos Vela wins the ESPYS for Best MLS Player 2022] (in Spanish). ESPN . July 20, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2024 .
^ "Major League Soccer (MLS) – New England Revolution" (Press release). Our Sports Central. June 25, 2007. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ a b "Revolution's Reis Nominated for ESPY Award" . The Sun Chronicle . July 2, 2008. Archived from the original on January 30, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ D'Aniello, Chris (July 21, 2008). "2008 ESPY Awards: The Winners & The Other (Real) Winners" . Bleacher Report . Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ Neil, Lanee (July 17, 2009). "Athletes Score Big with UPP Entertainment Marketing ESPY Gifting – Suite of Dreams" . LA's The Place . Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ Myers, Laura (July 14, 2010). "Lakers' Kobe Bryant, Galaxy's Landon Donovan take home ESPYs" . Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on July 16, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2018 .
^ "Lakers nominated for 'Best Team' Espy Award" . San Gabriel Valley Tribune . June 24, 2010. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018 .
^ "U.S Women's National Team Accepts Best Play at 2011 ESPY Awards from Germany" . U.S. Soccer . July 14, 2011. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ Langford, Richard (June 26, 2011). "2011 ESPN ESPY Awards: Nominees and TV Schedule" . Bleacher Report . Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018 .
^ Harris, Beth (July 12, 2012). "LeBron is king of the 2012 ESPY Awards" . The Durango Herald . Associated Press . Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ "Canadian kickboxer up for Espy Award, soccer's Dwayne De Rosario also nominated" . HuffPost . The Canadian Press . June 26, 2012. Archived from the original on January 22, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ Della Femina, Frank (July 18, 2013). "2013 ESPY Winner for Best MLS Player: Thierry Henry" . New York Red Bulls . Archived from the original on January 30, 2018. Retrieved January 21, 2018 .
^ Adno, Carly (July 18, 2014). "Tim Cahill named best MLS player at ESPYs for his stellar season with New York Red Bulls" . The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ "ESPYs: Lionel Messi, Robbie Keane, U.S. women's team all win awards" . ESPN . July 16, 2015. Archived from the original on September 19, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ Becker, Josie (July 14, 2016). "Toronto FC's Sebastian Giovinco wins 2016 ESPY for Best MLS Player" . Major League Soccer . Archived from the original on July 19, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ "Giovinco, Ciman nominated for top MLS player at ESPY awards" . Sportsnet . The Canadian Press . June 23, 2016. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ "NYCFC's David Villa win Best MLS Player at ESPYS" . ESPN . July 13, 2017. Archived from the original on January 23, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^ Willis, Kelcie (July 18, 2018). "2018 ESPY Awards: Winners list" . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018 .
^ Kovzan, Sam (June 20, 2018). "Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia and defender Ike Opara nominated for Best MLS Player at 2018 ESPYS" . Sporting Kansas City . Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018 .
^ Paulina Maupomé, Ana (July 11, 2019). "Zlatan Ibrahimovic named MLS Best Player at ESPY Awards" . Diario AS . Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2019 .
^ "Diego Rossi Wins Best MLS Player Award at 2021 ESPYS" . Los Angeles FC . July 11, 2021. Archived from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2022 .
^ Wheeler, Daniel (June 23, 2021). "Andre Blake earns ESPY nomination" . The Jamaica Star . Archived from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 21, 2022 .
^ "Revs captain Gil receives ESPY nomination for best MLS' player" . The Sun Chronicle . June 29, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2024 .