LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016) – LA Galaxy defender Jelle Van Damme and forward Gyasi Zardes have been nominated for 2016 MLS End of the Year Awards, Major League Soccer Announced today. Van Damme was nominated as a MLS Defender of the Year and Newcomer of the Year finalist, while Zardes was nominated as a finalist for MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, presented by Advocare. All MLS awards will be announced throughout November.
Van Damme joined the Galaxy this offseason from Belgian side Standard Liege and went on to make 29 appearances for LA during the regular season in addition to two more during the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs, all starts. Van Damme also led a Galaxy defense that allowed just 39 goals on the season, tied for the third-fewest in Major League Soccer, which helped give LA the league’s second-best goal differential with +15 goal differential. Van Damme has helped a Galaxy backline that has allowed just one goal in their previous four games as the team prepares for the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Colorado Rapids.
Gyasi Zardes spent countless hours giving back to the local community and supporting the LA Galaxy Foundation this season. As part of Foundation Fridays with the LA Galaxy Foundation, Zardes helped unveil dedicated soccer fields at Hawthorne Memorial Park, just blocks away from where the Galaxy striker grew up. The Hawthorne native has continued to visit the dedicated soccer fields regularly to support multiple soccer clinics. Additionally, Zardes partnered with the LA Galaxy and Herbalife to launch “Scoring for Scholarships” to benefit college-bound students of South Los Angeles through A Place Called Home.
The finalists for each award are listed in alphabetical order below, as well as the announcement schedule for the winner of each.
The finalists earned the most votes in polling of three voting groups:
- Current MLS players
- MLS Clubs (Coaches, Technical Directors, Chief Business Officers and PR Directors)
- Media members who consistently covered the 2016 MLS Regular Season
The AT&T Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year will be decided by online voting at MLSsoccer.com from now through November 11.
2016 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)
Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists
- Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls)
- David Villa (New York City FC)
- Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls)
Defender of the Year Finalists
- Matt Hedges (FC Dallas)
- Axel Sjoberg (Colorado Rapids)
- Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy)
Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
- Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
- Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids)
- Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
Newcomer of the Year Finalists
For this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2016
- Ola Kamara (Columbus Crew SC)
- Nico Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders FC)
- Jelle Van Damme (LA Galaxy)
AT&T Rookie of the Year Finalists
For this award, “rookie” is defined as a player without previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2016
- Jack Harrison (New York City FC)
- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC)
- Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union)
Coach of the Year Finalists
- Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)
- Oscar Pareja (FC Dallas)
- Patrick Vieira (New York City FC)
Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2016 regular season
- Frank Lampard (New York City FC)
- Kevin Molino (Orlando City SC)
- Chris Pontius (Philadelphia Union)
MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, presented by Advocare, Finalists
- Matt Lampson (Chicago Fire)
- Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)
- Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
MLS Fair Play Finalists – Individual
Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fouls committed, cards received, games and minutes played, as well as subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.
- Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC)
- Keegan Rosenberry (Philadelphia Union)
- Chris Tierney (New England Revolution)
MLS Fair Play Finalists - Team
Selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fewest fouls committed, cards received, and on subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.
- Columbus Crew SC
- Seattle Sounders FC
- Toronto FC
Referee of the Year Finalists
- Alan Kelly
- Jair Marrufo
- Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists
- Frank Anderson
- Ian Anderson
- Eric Boria
Awards Announcements Schedule:
Schedule subject to change
- November 3: MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year, presented by Advocare
- November 4: MLS Referee and Assistant Referee of the Year; Fair Play Award – Individual and Team
- November 10: AT&T Rookie of the Year
- November 11: MLS Defender of the Year; AT&T Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year
- November 16: MLS Comeback Player of the Year
- November 17: Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year
- November 21: Newcomer of the Year
- November 29: MLS Coach of the Year
- December 6: Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player
- TBD: MLS Best XI
Tickets to the 2016 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs are now on sale now to the general public. Fans can purchase 2016 Audi MLS Cup Playoff individual tickets by clicking here, at www.lagalaxy.com/playoffs or by calling 877-3GALAXY (342-5299).
LA Galaxy single game tickets for the remainder of the 2016 MLS season are also available for purchase. Galaxy fans can go to www.lagalaxy.com/tickets or call 877.3GALAXY (342.5299) for information, purchasing, and special offers.
