Welcome back to Week 30 of Justin and Favian’s Weekly MLS Awards where SBI staff writers Justin Ruderman and Favian Renkel bring you a glimpse at the best of each week in MLS. The final Best of MLS for 2024 is in the books! Here is a closer look at this week’s selections:
Player of the Week
Justin Ruderman: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)
For the first time in MLS history, a player came off the bench to score a hat trick with an assist to top it off. Of course, it was Lionel Messi in his final regular season game of his first full season in MLS to put an exclamation mark on his MVP campaign. You better believe he received my vote for MLS MVP.
Favian Renkel: Luis Suárez (Inter Miami CF)
Following Justin’s theme in his pick, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi became the first duo to each score 20 goals in a single MLS season for the same team. So, it was a no-brainer that they had to be the players of the week for the final MLS weekly. Luis Suarez single-handedly kept Inter Miami in the game after they fell two goals behind against the New England Revolution, with the MLS points record on the line. Without Suarez, the gap might have been too much for Lionel Messi to overcome as a substitute. In my opinion, Suarez’s two goals and a stunning acrobatic assist seal the deal for this MLS Weekly pick and his Newcomer of the Year award.
Young Player of the Week
JR: Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake)
In need of a win to secure a top-three finish in the Western Conference, Diego Luna delivered for Real Salt Lake with a second-half equalizer before hitting the crossbar and eventually leading the fast break which led to a winning own goal by Vancouver. Luna also created a match high two chances unable to be converted by teammates. You better believe he received my vote for MLS Young Player of the Year.
FR: Aziel Jackson (Columbus Crew)
Aziel Jackson is yet another newly acquired Columbus Crew talent thriving under Nancy’s system, benefiting from being part of such a strong team and organization. The 22-year-old delivered a goal and an assist on Decision Day, playing with a confidence he lacked in St. Louis. Like many young players before him—Arfsten, Schulte, Jones, and Morris—Nancy has uncovered another bargain-bin gem capable of performing at the highest level. It will be interesting to see if Jackson can secure a regular spot in the starting lineup next season, or perhaps even sooner in the playoffs.
Goal of the Week
JR: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)
When you have Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez on your team, sometimes you don’t need anybody else. The Barcelona buddies took on New England Revolution’s entire team with a give-and-go combination directly down the center of the Revs half until Messi provided a body feint around his defender, opening up the space for a long-range, pinpoint finish from the top of the box.
FR: Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami CF)
This goal stands out because of the moment and the build-up. Picture this: the entire league is buzzing about the MVP race, with many pundits and journalists favoring Cucho Hernández. The Colombian had just added another assist in his final match, while Lionel Messi was on the bench, expected to play no more than 30 minutes. But Messi needed only a minute. With his first touch, he set up this brilliant goal, earning the hockey assist. This was the defining moment that cemented Messi’s MVP case. Benjamin Cremaschi finished the play, but Messi and Jordi Alba made sure the ball was put in the back of the net.
Team of the Week
JR: Inter Miami CF
Inter Miami entered Decision Day with the Supporters’ Shield in their pocket but still with a goal in front of them; the MLS points record. New England Revolution, their opponent on the day, held that record with 73 points in 2021 but with a win, Miami would take the crown. Two minutes in the Revs took the lead, doubling it in the 34th minute, and leaving Miami with work to do. But luckily for them, they have Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi on their side. By halftime, Suárez equalized with two goals in three minutes. In the second half, Messi subbed on to provide the lead with a cheeky, chipped secondary assist for Benjamin Cremaschi before putting on a show with a hat trick for himself. 6-2 was the final score as Miami snatched the MLS points record from their northern neighbors with 74 points through 34 matches. If the Herons go on to win MLS Cup as they are favored to do, it will be hard to argue against them being the best team in MLS history. For that reason, you better believe Gerardo “Tata” Martino received my vote for MLS Coach of the Year.
FR: Atlanta United
Who would have thought at the start of the season, after Atlanta United sold Giorgos Giakoumakis and Thiago Almada, and parted ways with Carlos Bocanegra and Gonzalo Pineda, they’d still be above the playoff line when the final whistle blew on Decision Day? Garth Lagerwey’s formula for success in MLS seems to work: buy quality players in their prime, and they’ll lead the team to the promised land. It worked with Nico Lodeiro in Seattle, and now again with Aleksei Miranchuk for the Five Stripes. Despite not having a full-time head coach and with some significant gaps in the roster, United got the job done—even if it took a last-minute VAR decision to help them over the line. Sometimes, all you need is to put yourself in a position where a little luck can change the entire season’s outcome. Now, ahead of schedule, Atlanta United will face CF Montreal in a play-in game. If they manage to win in Canada, they could find themselves up against Inter Miami, the favorites to win it all, by the weekend’s end. They’ll also host Lionel Messi at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a home playoff match. You can bet Arthur Blank and the city of Atlanta is thrilled with that possibility.
Best thing we saw this week
JR: Hollywood drama at the top of the West
Entering Decision Day, LA Galaxy and LAFC were in a battle for the top spot in the Western Conference but with Galaxy carrying a three point lead, all they needed was a draw in Houston. LAFC required their rivals to lose while beating San Jose by a two-goal margin to overturn Galaxy’s goal differential advantage for the points tiebreaker. Both Houston and San Jose ended up taking 1-0 leads into halftime, leaving little expected drama, but of course since you are reading this that changed.
Denis Bouanga and Eduard Atuesta scored for LAFC to flip the scoreline against Earthquakes, leaving both teams even on 64 points including 19 wins, 8 losses, 7 draws, and a +19 goal differential. As it stood, Galaxy would top the conference on the third tiebreaker – goals scored (69 to 63). Still, the chaos was yet to begin. In stoppage time, the Black and Gold’s newest signing Marlon headed home the goal they craved to push themselves onto +20 GD and the top of the conference as it stood. The final whistle blew with a 3-1 scoreline and LAFC doing their job, but the final whistle had not blown yet in Houston where Galaxy had not given up the fight. In stoppage time there, Riqui Puig drew a 90+6′ penalty which Gabriel Pec scored to give Galaxy the point they needed to retain top spot in the West, again, as it stood. But again, the drama was not over. Former LA Galaxy defender Daniel Steres provided the final twist in the tale with his own towering header in 90+11′ to snatch the win back for Dynamo and in the process, the Western Conference back for LAFC who ended up flipping the script on their biggest rivals on Decision Day to ensure home field advantage until at least…
