LA Galaxy Announce 2024 Team Awards

Riqui Puig awarded Galaxy Player of the Year; Gabriel Pec wins Golden Boot; Yoshida claims Defender of the Year honors; Jalen Neal named Humanitarian of the Year

LOS ANGELES (Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024) – The 2024 MLS Cup Champion LA Galaxy have announced the recipients of the club’s 2024 team awards following the conclusion of the season. Riqui Puig was named the 2024 LA Galaxy Player of the Year, Gabriel Pec won the club’s Golden Boot, Maya Yoshida was voted Defender of the Year and Jalen Neal claimed Humanitarian of the Year honors. In the Academy ranks, Mateo Tsakiris was named the 2024 LA Galaxy Academy Player of the Year.

LA GALAXY 2024 TEAM AWARDS

LA Galaxy Player of the Year: Riqui Puig – Midfielder
In his third season with the Galaxy, Puig totaled 36 goal contributions (17 goals, 19 assists) in 36 matches played (35 starts) across all competitions during the 2024 campaign. Puig, a two-time MLS All-Star (2023, 2024), was named to the 2024 MLS Best XI after finishing the 2024 MLS Regular Season with 28 goal contributions (13 goals, 15 assists) in 29 appearances (28 starts) and led all players in MLS this season in touches (2,847), passes attempted (2,847), passes completed (2,497), fouls suffered (83) and multi-assist performances (6) and ranked third in the league in distance covered in possession (152.68 km).

LA Galaxy Defender of the Year: Maya Yoshida – Defender
In his second season with the club, Yoshida was the only player on the Galaxy roster to appear and start in every MLS competition (Regular Season & Postseason) during the 2024 campaign. In 41 matches played (41 starts) across all competitions this season, Yoshida recorded two goals and two assists in 3,583 minutes of action.

LA Galaxy Humanitarian of the Year: Jalen Neal – DefenderNeal, 21, has been consistent in his support of the community alongside the LA Galaxy Foundation. Among his many contributions to the community, Neal helped kick off the LA Galaxy Special Olympics Team's season by being a part of their official Signing Day as well as supporting them at multiple home and away matches. Last October, Neal partnered up with the City of Lakewood, Herbalife and the U.S. Soccer Foundation to build a brand new mini-pitch at Palms Park in his hometown of Lakewood. Since then, he continues to host pick-up soccer events including the Jalen Neal Futsal Tournament which will take place for the second year in a row this month. Additionally, Neal and his mom, Sarah Neal, work with the LA Galaxy Foundation every matchday to help bring at least one family per game to their first-ever LA Galaxy match. More notably, in October of this year, Neal was featured in Audi, MLS, and The Players’ Tribune “Celebrating Impact” Content Series for his demonstration of excellence in driving progress in his community with the nonprofit, Care Closet LBC. Additionally, Neal was named the LA Galaxy Humanitarian of the Year in 2023 and the LA Galaxy II Humanitarian of the Year for three consecutive seasons (2020, 2021, 2022).

Golden Boot: Gabriel Pec – Forward
Pec led the LA Galaxy with 16 goals scored in 33 matches played (30 starts) during the 2024 MLS Regular Season. Across all competitions during the 2024 campaign, Gabriel Pec recorded 21 goals in 41 matches played (38 starts) and Dejan Joveljić tallied 21 goals in 33 appearances (28 starts).

LA GALAXY ACADEMY
Academy Player of the Year: Mateo Tsakiris – Midfielder
Tsakiris, 16, was named the 2024 LA Galaxy Academy Player of the Year after captaining and helping the LA Galaxy Academy U-17s defeat Charlotte FC 4-1 in the final of the 2024 U-17 MLS Next Cup on June 23. Following the 2024 MLS NEXT Cup win, Tsakiris was one of three LA Galaxy Academy players named to the third annual MLS NEXT All-Star Game presented by Allstate on July 23. At the youth international level, Tsakiris was previously called up by the U.S. U-16 Men’s Youth National Team for a training camp at Dignity Health Sports Park.

The LA Galaxy Player of the Year and Defender of the Year winners were selected via media voting conducted by LA Galaxy Communications. The LA Galaxy Golden Boot is awarded to the player who scores the most goals during the MLS Regular Season, with the tie-breaker going to the player who scores the most amount of goals across all competitions in a single campaign.