Son Heung-min, '22 attacking points' yet overlooked... Why was he eliminated from the MLS MVP candidates? "He also recorded the most assists in LAFC history..."

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LAFC forward Son Heung-min (34) failed to make the final candidate list for the 2026 season Most Valuable Player (MVP). In contrast, Lionel Messi (39, Inter Miami) is aiming for the first three consecutive awards in Major League Soccer (MLS) history.

The MLS office announced the final candidates for each category at the 2026 MLS Year-End Awards on the 13th (Korean time). The five nominees for the highest honor, the 'Landon Donovan MLS MVP,' were Messi, Evander (FC Cincinnati), Guilherme (Houston Dynamo), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), and Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union).

This season, Son Heung-min recorded 7 goals and 15 assists in 31 regular-season matches. The 15 assists tie Carlos Vela's club single-season record set in 2019. However, he failed to produce an attacking point in four consecutive matches at the end of the season, and his team LAFC remained in sixth place in the Western Conference, falling out of contention for the award.

LAFC did not produce a single candidate in any category at this awards ceremony.

Messi delivered an overwhelming season. He recorded 26 goals and 17 assists in the regular season, achieving the league's most attacking points (43). After becoming the first player in MLS history to win the scoring title two years in a row, he is aiming for his third career MVP award following 2024 and 2025.

17-year-old Sullivan recorded 9 goals and 14 assists, leaving his name as the youngest MVP candidate in history, and was also included among the Young Player Award nominees. In the Rookie of the Year category, Antoine Griezmann (Orlando City), Guilherme, and Andrei Luis (Sporting Kansas City) were selected. Nashville monopolized the three candidates for the Defender of the Year category (Andy Najar, Jason Palacios, Maxwell Wellez).

The winner is selected by combining the voting results of club technical staff, first division players, and media, each weighted at 33.3%. The final results will be announced sequentially during the MLS Cup playoffs held on the 19th.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original