The 2026 MLS regular season officially ended on Saturday. 510 games and 1,657 goals are in the books, ending the final season in the current spring-to-fall schedule before next year's calendar switch.
As is tradition, MLS end-of-year awards votes are due the Monday immediately following the regular season. Players, technical staffers, and media members are due to submit their ballots today for awards like MVP, Defender of the Year, and Best XI. I'm privileged to be among those media members given a vote, an honor I take very seriously.
I officially submitted my ballot on Sunday morning. Here's the full breakdown of who I selected, as well as the rationale behind some incredibly difficult decisions.
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Most Valuable Player - Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
Others receiving consideration: Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC), Petar Musa (FC Dallas)
I really don't think there's much of a discussion here. Lionel Messi is still the best player in MLS, leading the league with a ridiculous 43 goal contributions (26 goals and 17 assists). Historically, goal contributions have been the biggest decider for my ballots – after all, goals are the most important part of soccer. No one else comes close, and there was never a debate in my mind.
Coach of the Year - BJ Callaghan (Nashville SC)
Others receiving consideration: Yoan Damet (St. Louis), Ryan Richter (Philadelphia Union), Jesper Sørensen (Vancouver Whitecaps)
As with MVP, this was an easy choice. BJ Callaghan's Nashville SC didn't just set the single-season points record – which would have been enough to clinch it anyway – but set MLS records for wins (23), home wins (15), home points (47), fewest losses (three), and fewest goals conceded (25 – record for a 34-game season), while tying the MLS record with 17 clean sheets and just two goals away from tying the all-time goal differential record.
In league play, this is comfortably the best season in MLS history. They did this all while juggling a run to the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals (they lost to Tigres by pretty tight margins) while managing injuries to some incredibly important players. Patrick Yazbek, Eddi Tagseth, Andy Nájar, Sam Surridge, and Warren Madrigal missed a combined 42 games with injuries, and they didn't miss a beat. Callaghan's a no-brainer.
Goalkeeper of the Year - Brian Schwake (Nashville SC)
Others receiving consideration: Matt Turner (New England Revolution), Andrew Thomas (Seattle Sounders), Brad Stuver (Austin FC)
This is where things start to get tight. Statistically, Matt Turner had the best shot-stopping season in MLS recorded history. Per American Soccer Analysis, he was responsible for saving 15.55 goals in 2026, a staggering number. Right behind him, though, Brian Schwake saved 13.57, the second-most in ASA's database.
While clean sheets are a team stat, Schwake's 16 clean sheets tie Tony Meola's MLS record and are the most by a 'keeper in 26 years. He also leads MLS with three penalties saved, and his ability with the ball at his feet has been an indispensable factor in Nashville's success.
Turner is more than a deserving winner, but I think Schwake was marginally better in 2026.
Defender of the Year - Jeisson Palacios (Nashville SC)
Others receiving consideration: Maxwell Woledzi (Nashville SC), Mathías Laborda (Vancouver Whitecaps)
This was really a coin flip between Jeisson Palacios and Maxwell Woledzi. I think Woledzi will probably end up winning it as the more public-facing member of Nashville's backline, leading Nashville outfield players in minutes played, appearing in all 34 regular-season matches, and making an endless stream of eye-catching plays.
Palacios, though, has quietly been the more steady player this season. He's elite in the open field and has been virtually mistake-free this season, routinely cleaning up messes to cover for teammates (including Woledzi). The data likes his game – both ASA and Futi rank him as Nashville's best defender – and he's amassed an impressive five assists to go along with his one goal in MLS. Palacios is the best defender in MLS.
Newcomer of the Year - Antoine Griezmann (Orlando City)
Others receiving consideration: Guilherme (Houston Dynamo), Maxwell Woledzi (Nashville SC)
Houston's Guilherme was my frontrunner for 95% of the season. He was awesome, bagging 16 goals and 10 assists for the Dynamo in 31 appearances, and pushing them to a fifth-place finish in the West.
And then Antoine Griezmann showed up. The French World Cup winner dropped 14 goals and eight assists in just 18 matches for Orlando, taking them from well below the playoff line and into the Wild Card round and helping them overcome a defense that conceded 78 goals, tied for the MLS record heading into this season.
Normally, I try to vote for players who have been in MLS for the full season. Griezmann, though, has been the second-best player in the league since he showed up.
Young Player of the Year - Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union)
Others receiving consideration: Adri Mehmeti (New York Red Bulls), Julian Hall (New York Red Bulls), Peyton Miller (New England Revolution)
17-year-old Cavan Sullivan has lived up to the hype in every possible way this season, bagging nine goals and 14 assists in just 1,800 minutes. Only nine players logged more assists than Sullivan, who – let's remember – was SIXTEEN YEARS OLD for most of the season!
The Union were a Wooden Spoon contender before he started getting real minutes, and his lack of involvement was certainly a factor in Bradley Carnell's firing. Since then, the Union have stormed into the playoffs, Sullivan has probably earned a spot in the USMNT starting lineup, and he damn near broke into my Best XI.
This is one of the best seasons ever for a young player in MLS.
Comeback Player of the Year - Eduard Löwen (St. Louis City/San Jose Earthquakes)
Others receiving consideration: No one
Eduard Löwen has been an elite player for St. Louis City and San Jose Earthquakes this season. He's done all that while caring for his wife, Ilona, who was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer in 2024, and tragically passed away on March 9.
"Even in the last days of her life, she took care of me. And she was only concerned about me."
— Corey Miller (@corey_miller5) May 7, 2026
CITY SC midfielder Eduard Löwen spoke to the media for the first time today after the death of his wife, Ilona.@tomtimm asked him what he'd want people to know about Ilona: pic.twitter.com/sgoPAN96fT
I cannot imagine dealing with that type of loss, let alone continuing to play at an elite level. Respectfully, nothing else comes remotely close to what he's gone through. I'm glad he seems to be finding some level of joy again on the pitch after such a devastating loss.
Audi Goals Drive Impact Award - Brad Stuver (Austin FC)
Others receiving consideration: Andrew Farrell (New England Revolution), Paul Arriola (Seattle Sounders)
MLS Best XI
I'm sure there will be some who accuse me of homerism for picking three Nashville defenders and a Nashville goalkeeper in my backline. That might be fair, but I'd like to point out that in 2022, when Philadelphia Union set the previous record for fewest goals conceded in a 34-game season, I also picked three of their defenders and their goalkeeper.
I had a lot of trouble nailing down a No. 6, with Andres Cubas and Cristian Roldan playing important roles for playoff teams, while Jeppe Tverskov was the absolute best player for a poor San Diego FC. Daniel Edelman, though, was vital to St. Louis's unreal form in 2026, and improved significantly in 2026.
I had to slot Antoine Griezmann slightly out of position to get him into the team, and while Dénis Bouanga, Guilherme, and even Cavan Sullivan came close to squeezing in, Griezmann has played at an elite level since he arrived and is one of the three or four best players in the league.
With all that being said, here's my final Best XI vote:
Brian Schwake (Nashville); Tate Johnson (Vancouver), Maxwell Woledzi (Nashville), Jeisson Palacios (Nashville), Andy Nájar (Nashville); Rodrigo De Paul (Miami), Daniel Edelman (St. Louis), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville); Antoine Griezmann (Orlando), Petar Musa (Dallas), Lionel Messi (Miami)
I've also included an unofficial second and third XI to at least give some recognition to other players around MLS who are incredibly deserving in their own right, too. The fact that MLS still doesn't have official second- or third-team honors is frankly a bit ridiculous.
Second XI
Matt Turner (New England); Kai Wagner (Philadelphia), Mathías Laborda (Vancouver), Osaze Urhoghide (Dallas), Frankie Westfield (Philadelphia); Ashley Westwood (Charlotte), Jeppe Tverskov (San Diego), Carles Gil (New England); Dénis Bouanga (LAFC), Rafael Navarro (St. Louis), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia)
Third XI
Brad Stuver (Austin); Thomas Totland (St. Louis), Ethan Kohler (New England), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago), Édier Ocampo (Vancouver); Chris Durkin (St. Louis), Cristian Roldan (Seattle), Evander (Cincinnati); Guilherme (Houston), Sam Surridge (Nashville), Philip Zinckernagel (Chicago)
