Atlanta United players nominated for MLS awards

Several Atlanta United players were nominated by the team Thursday for MLS end-of-the-season awards.

Thiago Almada, who has 11 goals and leads MLS with 16 assists, was nominated for MVP and Young Player of the Year.

Giorgos Giakoumakis, second in MLS with 15 goals, was nominated for MVP and Newcomer of the Year.

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Brad Guzan was nominated for Goalkeeper of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year.

Miles Robinson was nominated for Defender of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year. Robinson and Guzan each suffered Achilles tendon ruptures last season.

Brooks Lennon, the most productive American fullback in MLS, with four goals and 10 assists, was nominated for Defender of the Year.

Caleb Wiley, who has four goals and four assists, was nominated for Young Player of the Year.

Gonzalo Pineda was nominated for Manager of the Year.

Machop Chol was nominated for a community engagement award.

The winner in each category will be decided by a vote by journalists, club technical staffs, and MLS players. Each group will count for one-third of the total. Clubs can’t vote for their own players or teammates. Voting is scheduled to open Tuesday. It is scheduled to close Oct. 23.

MVP nominees

Acosta, Luciano (CIN)
Almada, Thiago (ATL)
Artur (HOU)
Benteke, Christian (DC)
Blake, Andre (PHI)
Bouanga, Dénis (LAFC)
Bürki, Roman (STL)
Busquets, Sergio (MIA)
Carranza, Julián (PHI)
Choinière, Mathieu (MTL)
Espinoza, Cristian (SJ)
Ferreira, Jesús (DAL)
Frei, Stefan (SEA)
Gauld, Ryan (VAN)
Giakoumakis, Giorgos (ATL)
Gil, Carles (NE)
Hernández, Cucho (CLB)
Herrera, Héctor (HOU)
Messi, Lionel (MIA)
Morris, Jordan (SEA)
Mukhtar, Hany (NSH)
Parks, Keaton (NYC)
Puig, Riqui (LA)
Pulido, Alan (SKC)
Reynoso, Emanuel (MIN)
Rodríguez, Santiago (NYC)
Sirois, Jonathan (MTL)
Swiderski, Karol (CLT)
Thommy, Erik (SKC)
Torres, Facundo (ORL)

Goalkeeper of the Year nominees

Barraza, Luis (NYC)
Blake, Andre (PHI)
Bond, Jonathan (LA)
Bürki, Roman (STL)
Callender, Drake (MIA)
Celentano, Roman (CIN)
Clark, Steve (HOU)
Coronel, Carlos (RBNY)
Daniel (SJ)
Frei, Stefan (SEA)
Gallese, Pedro (ORL)
Guzan, Brad (ATL)
Johnson, Sean (TOR)
Kahlina, Kristijan (CLT)
MacMath, Zac (RSL)
McCarthy, John (LAFC)
Melia, Tim (SKC)
Paes, Maarten (DAL)
Schulte, Patrick (CLB)
Sirois, Jonathan (MTL)
St. Clair, Dayne (MIN)
Takaoka, Yohei (VAN)
Willis, Joe (NSH)

Defender of the Year nominees

Alba, Jordi (MIA)
Blackmon, Tristan (VAN)
Boxall, Michael (MIN)
Bravo, Claudio (POR)
Carlos, Antônio (ORL)
Corbo, Gabriele (MTL)
Elliott, Jack (PHI)
Escobar, Franco (HOU)
Franklin, Kobe (TOR)
Glad, Justen (RSL)
Glesnes, Jakob (PHI)
Gómez Andrade, Yeimar (SEA)
Gray, Tayvon (NYC)
Jansson, Robin (ORL)
Jones, DeJuan (NE)
Lennon, Brooks (ATL)
Malanda, Adilson (CLT)
Martins, Thiago (NYC)
Maxsø, Andreas (COL)
Mensah, Jonathan (SJ)
Miazga, Matt (CIN)
Miller, Kamal (MIA)
Moore, Shaq (NSH)
Moreira, Steven (CLB)
Mosquera, Yerson (CIN)
Ndenbe, Logan (SKC)
Nouhou (SEA)
Palacios, Diego (LAFC)
Parker, Tim (STL)
Reyes, Andrés (RBNY)
Robinson, Miles (ATL)
Rodrigues (SJ)
Romney, Dave (NE)
Rosero, Dany (SKC)
Sviatchenko, Erik (HOU)
Tafari, Nkosi (DAL)
Tapias, Micky (MIN)
Veselinović, Ranko (VAN)
Waterman, Joel (MTL)
Williams, Derrick (DC)
Zimmerman, Walker (NSH)
Zuparic, Dario (POR)

Newcomer of the Year nominees

“Newcomer” is defined as a player who had previous professional experience and made his MLS debut in 2023.

Agyemang, Patrick (CLT)
Bakrar, Mounsef (NYC)
Bassi, Amine (HOU)
Bogusz, Mateusz (LAFC)
Boyd, Tyler (LA)
Busquets, Sergio (MIA)
Calegari, Lucas (LA)
Coello, Alonso (TOR)
Daniel (SJ)
Eneli, Emeka (RSL)
Evander (POR)
Giakoumakis, Giorgos (ATL)
Illenic, Mitja (NYC)
Kamungo, Bernard (DAL)
Klich, Mateusz (DC)
Löwen, Eduard (STL)
Messi, Lionel (MIA)
Mosquera, Yerson (CIN)
Privett, Andrew (CLT)
Radoja, Nemanja (SKC)
Rosero, Dany (SKC)
Santos, Rafael (ORL)
Surridge, Sam (NSH)
Sviatchenko, Erik (HOU)
Takaoka, Yohei (VAN)
Thórhallsson, Dagur Dan (ORL)
Vera, Brayan (RSL)

Young Player of the Year nominees

Any “young player” who is age 22 or younger during the calendar year is eligible for the award. For 2023, any player born on or after Jan. 1, 2001, is eligible. Any player born on or before Dec. 31, 2000, is ineligible.

Almada, Thiago (ATL)
Atencio, Josh (SEA)
Bajraktarevic, Esmir (NE)
Bogusz, Mateusz (LAFC)
Brady, Chris (CHI)
Buck, Noel (NE)
Cowell, Cade (SJ)
Cremaschi, Benjamin (MIA)
Davis, Jake (SKC)
Farías, Facundo (MIA)
Franklin, Kobe (TOR)
Gómez, Andrés (RSL)
Haak, Justin (NYC)
Harriel, Nathan (PHI)
Jackson, Aziel (STL)
Jasson, Andres (NYC)
Kerr, Deandre (TOR)
Ku-DiPietro, Ted (DC)
Luna, Diego (RSL)
Malanda, Adilson (CLT)
McGlynn, Jack (PHI)
McGuire, Duncan (ORL)
Morris, Aidan (CLB)
Mosquera, Juan (POR)
Mosquera, Yerson (CIN)
Neal, Jalen (LA)
Quiñónes, Nelson (HOU)
Schulte, Patrick (CLB)
Sirois, Jonathan (MTL)
Tolkin, John (RBNY)
Tsakiris, Niko (SJ)
Vargas, Obed (SEA)
Velasco, Alan (DAL)
Vilsaint, Jules-Anthony (MTL)
Vite, Pedro (VAN)
Wiley, Caleb (ATL)
Wolff, Owen (ATX)
Yapi, Darren (COL)

Comeback Player of the Year nominees

This honors a player who overcame a severe injury in 2022 season and performed well during the 2023 regular season.

Arias, Santiago (CIN)
Guzan, Brad (ATL)
Hines-Ike, Brendan (DC)
Jansson, Robin (ORL)
Kreilach, Damir (RSL)
Mora, Felipe (POR)
Nilsson, Joakim (STL)
Osorio, Jonathan (TOR)
Parks, Keaton (NYC)
Paulo, João (SEA)
Pulido, Alan (SKC)
Reyes, Andrés (RBNY)
Robinson, Miles (ATL)
Smith, Brad (HOU)
Westwood, Ashley (CLT)
Wood, Bobby (NE)

Progress Impact Award

From MLS: This award recognizes an MLS player who demonstrates excellence in driving progress in their communities. Their dedication to charitable efforts and social impact work creates sustainable communities, fosters equity inclusions, and enriches the lives of those in need across the U.S. and Canada.

Arriola, Paul (DAL)
Bedoya, Alejandro (PHI)
Beitashour, Steven (COL)
Bernardeschi, Federico (TOR)
Chol, Machop (ATL)
Clark, Steve (HOU)
Durkin, Chris (DC)
Farrell, Andrew (NE)
Frei, Stefan (SEA)
Kann, Alec (CIN)
MacMath, Zac (RSL)
Marcinkowski, JT (SJ)
Marks, George (CLT)
Martins, Felipe (ORL)
Nagbe, Darlington (CLB)
Neal, Jalen (LA)
Omsberg, Wyatt (CHI)
Parks, Keaton (NYC)
Piette, Samuel (MTL)
Sánchez, Ilie (LAFC)
Stuver, Brad (ATX)
Teibert, Russell (TOR)
Ulloa, Victor (MIA)
Washington, Taylor (NSH)
Williamson, Eryk (POR)
Yaro, Josh (STL)
Zusi, Graham (SKC)

Coach of the Year nominees

Carnell, Bradley (STL)
Cherundolo, Steve (LAFC)
Curtin, Jim (PHI)
Cushing, Nick (NYC)
Estévez, Nico (DAL)
Gonzalez, Luchi (SJ)
Heath, Adrian (MIN)
Lattanzio, Christian (CLT)
Lesesne, Troy (RBNY)
Losada, Hernán (MTL)
Martino, Gerardo (MIA)
Mastroeni, Pablo (RSL)
Nancy, Wilfried (CLB)
Noonan, Pat (CIN)
Olsen, Ben (HOU)
Pareja, Oscar (ORL)
Pineda, Gonzalo (ATL)
Rooney, Wayne (DC)
Sartini, Vanni (VAN)
Schmetzer, Brian (SEA)
Smith, Gary (NSH)
Vanney, Greg (LA)
Vermes, Peter (SKC)

Referee of the Year nominees

Freemon, Jon
Rivas, Victor
Unkel, Ted

Assistant Referee of the Year nominees

Barwegen, Micheal
Blanchard, Cam
McKay, Ian

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Atlanta United’s 2023 MLS schedule

Feb. 25 Atlanta United 2, San Jose Earthquakes 1

March 4 Atlanta United 1, Toronto FC 1

March 11 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte FC 0

March 18 Atlanta United 5, Portland 1

March 25 Columbus 6, Atlanta United 1

April 1 Atlanta United 1, New York Red Bulls 0

April 8 Atlanta United 1, New York City FC 1

April 15 Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2

April 23 Atlanta United 2, Chicago 1

April 29 Nashville SC 3, Atlanta United 1

May 6 Inter Miami CF 2, Atlanta United 1