MLS Awards Finalists Announced

Major League Soccer announced the finalists for all of the league's year-end awards today, with a pair of Galaxy players highlighting the lists.


Landon Donovan, who has already won the Budweiser Golden Boot Award as the top goalscorer in MLS, was named a finalist for the Volkswagen Most Valuable Player award while Sean Franklin is a finalist for the Gatorade Rookie of the Year award. The finalists earned the most votes in polling of MLS players, general managers, coaches, referees and members of the media.


Additionally, three of the Galaxy’s MLS-best 55 goals this season have been named among the 35 finalists for the Sierra Mist Goal of the Year award. David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Brandon McDonald have all had goals nominated for the award. Donovan and McDonald each won the Goal of the Week award for their nominated goals, while Beckham’s 70-yard goal against Kansas City on May 24 was one of four goals that were added to the voting.

Fan voting, which determines the Goal of the Year award, begins today and runs through Nov. 5 when the original group of 35 is cut down to 10. That will be followed by another round of voting from Nov. 6 until Nov. 12 which will see the 10 semifinalists cut down to five finalists. Those five goals will then be voted on once again from Nov. 13 until Nov. 18, with the winner being announced on Wednesday, Nov. 19. Click here to place your vote for the Sierra Mist Goal of the Year Award.