As Inter Miami approaches the end of its inaugural MLS regular season, the Club has had a number of players nominated for the Major League Soccer’s End of Year Awards.
Landon Donovan MLS MVP - Rodolfo Pizarro and Lewis Morgan
The standout midfielders have led the team for the duration of the season, making the team more dangerous in all phases of the game. The Mexican international Pizarro has registered four goals and five assists in 17 matches and helped push the team forward with his creative dribbling and movement, as evidenced by the 52 fouls he has suffered, the second most in the league. Morgan, meanwhile, has totaled five goals and seven assists, starting each of the team’s 21 matches thus far. Morgan’s seven assists are currently tied for the fifth-most in the league and his pinpoint passing has been crucial to Inter Miami’s success. Morgan is also one of just 11 players to register two multi-goal games this season.
MLS Defender of the Year - Leandro González Pirez and Nicolás Figal
The Argentines have been defensive stalwarts instrumental to Inter Miami’s efforts to keep out goals. LGP has been a constant at center back for the team since making his debut after the MLS is Back Tournament, while Figal has been nearly ever-present, starting all 21 matches for Inter Miami and featuring both at center back and right back and ranking in the top 15 in the league in interceptions. The Argentine duo have combined to create a formidable defensive pairing who have also thrived with their distribution and line-breaking passing.
MLS Comeback Player of the Year - Brek Shea
The MLS Comeback Player of the Year honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2020 regular season. Shea suffered a long-term knee injury last season with Atlanta United on July 14, 2019, and entered this season training with Inter Miami’s USL League One affiliate Fort Lauderdale CF. Since then, he has recovered from his injury, signed with Inter Miami on June 25, 2020, made his debut for the team on Aug. 22, and gone on to register four goals, the second-highest tally on the team, in 13 appearances. Shea currently sits ninth in the league in scoring percentage, tallying his four goals on just 13 shots.
AllState MLS Goalkeeper of the Year & MLS Works Humanitarian of the Year - Luis Robles
Goalkeeper Luis Robles has led Inter Miami both on and off the field. The captain thrived in goal for the team before suffering an injury, making saves and leading his teammates in his 15 appearances. Off the field, Robles dedicated himself to humanitarian efforts in his new city, participating in a toy drive, a food drive for COVID-19 relief in conjunction with DeliverLean, and a back to school event presented by Gallagher, delivering backpacks with tablets to students to support virtual learning, among other things.
MLS Newcomer of the Year - Lewis Morgan and Nicolás Figal
Morgan and Figal, the team’s only players to start in every match thus far, have also been nominated for the MLS Newcomer of the Year award. The distinction is awarded to the best player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2020. Prior to joining Inter Miami, Morgan most recently played for the prestigious Celtic F.C. in the Scottish Premiership, while Figal played for South American powerhouse Club Atlético Independiente in his native Argentina.
AT&T Young Player of the Year - Andrés Reyes
The young Colombian, who has featured for his country on the international stage at the youth levels, has helped solidify the team’s backline, making 12 appearances at center back for Inter Miami. Throughout his first season with the Club, the 21-year-old has helped bolster Inter Miami’s defensive unit with his physicality and ability on the ball. For this award, any “young player” in MLS who is 22 years old or younger during the calendar year is eligible for the award. Any player born on or after Jan.1, 1998 is eligible, while any player born on or before Dec. 31, 1997 is ineligible.
Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year - Diego Alonso
The Uruguayan tactician, the only manager to win the Concacaf Champions League with two different sides, took control of the expansion side in its early stages and has helped guide it through its inaugural season, leading the team to a fight for playoff contention.
Voting for 2020 End of Year Awards will run from Oct. 29 through Nov. 9 with finalists to be announced on Nov. 11. The awards will be determined through voting from three groups:
• Current MLS players
• MLS clubs (Coaches, Technical Directors/General Managers)
• Select media members representing local and national outlets who consistently covered the 2020 MLS regular season
Additionally, MLS will recognize the top plays of the season with the AT&T MLS Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year presented by Allstate, with voting for both awards set to run from Nov. 12-18 on MLSsoccer.com.
CLICK HERE for a full list of nominees for each award.
