Ahead of Saturday's battle for first place in the Western Conference against the Houston Dynamo, Chivas USA today announced its annual Team Award Winners for the 2007 Major League Soccer season. This year's winners - Brad Guzan, Claudio Suárez, Jesse Marsch and Maykel Galindo - will be officially recognized this Saturday, Oct. 20 before Chivas USA's game against the Houston Dynamo at The Home Depot Center (kickoff 7:30 p.m. PT).
As Defender of the Year, Chivas USA captain Claudio Suárez becomes the first back-to-back winner of a Chivas USA team award, having also been named the club's Defender of the Year in 2006. Cuban forward Maykel Galindo, with 12 regular-season goals as of Oct. 14, earns the team's Budweiser Golden Boot in his first full season as a pro. Meanwhile, MLS Original Jesse Marsch takes home the 'Chivas Regal Award', for the player 'who best represents the spirit of Chivas USA.' Finally, goalkeeper Brad Guzan joined the elite company of Ramón Ramírez (2005) and Ante Razov (2006) as Chivas USA's Honda MVP for 2007, while also being named the club's U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the year.
Below is a complete list of Chivas USA's Team Award Winners, along with player-by-player capsules:
Chivas USA 2007 Team Award Winners
Honda MVP: Brad Guzan. Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan enjoyed a breakout season in 2007, eclipsing his own shutout record of five games, while also tying Pat Onstad's all-time single-season record of 12 shutouts in just 25 games. Currently Guzan leads MLS with 12 shutouts and is second in the league with a goals-against average (GAA) of 0.96. The emerging U.S. National Team player's timely interventions throughout Chivas USA's season have been fundamental to the team's success this year.
Defender of the Year: Claudio Suarez. Mexico's all-time caps leader continues to demonstrate his importance as an on-field leader, defender and goalscorer; in 2007, Suarez has played 24 games for Chivas USA, registering 3 goals and 1 assist, while providing valuable leadership to a backline that has conceded the second-lowest goals against total in all of MLS (28).
Chivas Regal Award: Jesse Marsch. Awarded to the player "who best represents the spirit of Chivas USA", veteran midfielder and MLS Original Jesse Marsch has continued to be the heart of Chivas USA's midfield during the present campaign, starting 28 games for Chivas USA, while registering 2 goals and 4 assists and providing a valuable spark on and off the field for his teammates.
Budweiser Golden Boot: Maykel Galindo. Awarded to the team's leading scorer, this year's Budweiser Golden Boot goes to first-year Chivas USA forward Maykel Galindo. In a season of star attacking players in MLS, unheralded Cuban marksman Maykel Galindo has emerged as one of MLS's top goalscorers and is currently Chivas USA's leader with 12 goals, and fifth place in the MLS goalscoring charts.
U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year: Brad Guzan. During 2007, Brad Guzan was featured in number of important Public Service Announcements, including an American Cancer Society PSA promoting cancer awareness and an American Red Cross PSA encouraging Latinos to donate blood. In addition, Guzan has partnered with AbilityFirst, a Southern California-based organization offering services to persons with disabilities.
Chivas USA Team Award Winners Year-by-Year
Honda MVP
2005: Ramón Ramírez
2006: Ante Razov
2007: Brad Guzan
Defender of the Year
2005: Brad Guzan
2006: Claudio Suárez
2007: Claudio Suárez
Chivas Regal Award
2005: Ramón Ramírez
2006: Francisco Mendoza
2007: Jesse Marsch
Budweiser Golden Boot (# of goals)
2005: Héctor Cuadros (4)
2006: Ante Razov (14)
2007: Maykel Galindo (12*)
*As of Oct. 14, 2007.
U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year
2005: Ezra Hendrickson
2006: Tim Regan
2007: Brad Guzan
