After winning just about every honor in US soccer, it’s fitting that Landon Donovan will have MLS’s biggest individual honor named after him. The trophy for the league’s MVP will now be named the Landon Donovan Award.
“As a child, soccer was merely an outlet for me – a way to express myself,” Donovan said in statement. “To have this prestigious award named after me is truly unimaginable. Thank you to Commissioner Garber, Major League Soccer and all of the people that have supported me along the way. I am extremely humbled by and proud of this honor.”
Donovan’s credentials are impeccable. He scored 144 goals in MLS over 14 seasons, winning six titles. He also won the league’s MVP award in 2009. The Landon Donovan Award will feature a silhouette of the player.
“Landon Donovan’s commitment to growing the game in North America is unrivaled and his contributions to Major League Soccer are immeasurable,” Garber said. “When he joined MLS in 2001, he showed other American players that this was his league of choice. His legacy will be forever etched in our league’s history, and we appreciate everything he has accomplished, both on and off the field.”
