Portland’s Diego Valeri was named MLS MVP on Monday, with Atlanta United’s Miguel Almiron finishing fifth and Josef Martinez seventh in voting.
Valeri scored 21 goals and added 11 assists to become the first Timbers player to earn the honor. Portland finished as the top seed in the Western Conference.
Almiron scored nine goals and added a team-high 14 assists and Martinez scored a team-high19 goals for the Five Stripes, which became the first MLS expansion squad since Seattle in 2009 to reach the playoffs.
The voting breakdown (by percentage):
Player, club, media, total
Diego Valeri (POR): 45.42, 51.19, 55.52, 50.71.
David Villa (NYC): 9.52, 16.67, 23.01, 16.40.
Nemanja Nikolić (CHI), 6.59, 8.33, 8.59, 7.84.
Sebastian Giovinco (TOR), 7.69, 3.57, 6.75, 6.00.
Miguel Almirón (ATL), 5.86, 1.19, 3.99, 3.68.
Michael Bradley (TOR), 0.00, 9.52, 0.61, 3.38.
Josef Martínez (ATL), 5.13, 2.38, 2.15, 3.22.
Víctor Vázquez (TOR), 2.93, 1.19, 1.23, 1.78.
All-time MLS Most Valuable Players:
2017: Diego Valeri – Portland Timbers
2016: David Villa – New York City FC
2015: Sebastian Giovinco – Toronto FC
2014: Robbie Keane – LA Galaxy
2013: Mike Magee – Chicago Fire
2012: Chris Wondolowski – San Jose Earthquakes
2011: Dwayne De Rosario – D.C. United
2010: David Ferreira – FC Dallas
2009: Landon Donovan – LA Galaxy
2008: Guillermo Barros Schelotto – Columbus Crew
2007: Luciano Emilio – D.C. United
2006: Christian Gómez – D.C. United
2005: Taylor Twellman – New England Revolution
2004: Amado Guevara – MetroStars
2003: Preki – Kansas City Wizards
2002: Carlos Ruiz – LA Galaxy
2001: Alex Pineda Chacón – Miami Fusion
2000: Tony Meola – Kansas City Wizards
1999: Jason Kreis – Dallas Burn
1998: Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United
1997: Preki – Kansas City Wizards
1996: Carlos Valderrama – Tampa Bay Mutiny
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