MLS year-end awards: Who's in contention for MVP, Coach of the Year and more

Hernandez would also be an excellent choice. In purely sporting terms, he's the best soccer player on the best soccer team in the country, and he's scored crucial goals in four different tournaments. Without him, Columbus would remain a playoff-caliber team, but with him, it's world-class.

Dark horse: Evander, Portland Timbers

It's hard to talk about the Portland Timbers — it's had a roller coaster of a season — but Evander has taken the team on his shoulders for much of 2024. Whenever Portland needed a goal, Evander was ready, and most of his strikes have been stunners.

Coach of the Year

Will win: Tata Martino, Inter Miami

Should win: Chris Armas, Colorado Rapids

No team has improved more in 2024 than the Colorado Rapids, largely thanks to Armas. In nine months, he took the team from staged fan walkouts to the most exciting outfit in MLS, and he did it with a steely determination that inspired confidence from even his most vocal doubters.

Dark horse: Brian Schmetzer, Seattle Sounders

The Seattle Sounders had a dire start to the 2024 season, but they're entering the playoffs in the top four after a spirited mid-season turnaround orchestrated by Schmetzer. He's been in charge of the Sounders since 2016 and has led the team to four separate MLS Cup finals, but somehow, he's never won the Coach of the Year award. What he did to restart Seattle this summer is worthy enough of the title; what he's done for the club over the past decade should push him over the line.

Newcomer of the Year

Will win: Gabriel Pec, LA Galaxy

Should win: Gabriel Pec

This is a rare case where the public's perception is entirely correct: Pec has been an inspired signing for the LA Galaxy this season, and he's the strongest candidate on the ballot. His link-up play with Joseph Paintsil, Riqui Puig and Dejan Joveljic is delicious. Pundits nationwide hope to be put on LA Galaxy games to see Pec cause chaos; there's no greater honor for an MLS newcomer.

Dark horse: Luis Suarez, Inter Miami

Suarez's MLS journey is so tied up with Messi's that many forget he arrived several months later. 2024 has been Suarez's first season in the States, and he'd make a great MLS Newcomer of the Year. He's scored 18 goals this season, assisted seven and managed 400 more minutes of play than Messi did. For a late-career legend whose signing raised eyebrows, Suarez has performed above and beyond his expectations.