Atlanta United Midfielder Thiago Almada Named MLS Young Player of the Year

22-year-old World Cup-winner and MLS All-Star becomes first Argentine award winner

NEW YORK (Monday, November 6, 2023) – Major League Soccer today announced Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada as the 2023 MLS Young Player of the Year. The 22-year-old is the first Atlanta player to win the award in its current iteration and the second Atlanta player to earn the honor overall since Julian Gressel was named MLS Rookie of the Year in 2017.

In just his second MLS season, Almada produced a league-leading 19 assists and, with 11 goals, provided the second-most goal contributions with 30 during the 2023 MLS regular season. His 19 assists set a new club single-season record, which was previously held by Miguel Almirón (2017, 2018) and Julian Gressel (2018) with 14 assists each. Almada is also the youngest player in MLS history to record double-digit goals and assists in a single season at 22 years and 150 days old, surpassing Ronald Cerritos (22 years and 246 days) during 1997 regular season.

Almada also earned a series of individual awards throughout the 2023 regular season, including being named to the 2023 MLS All-Star Team. At 21 years and 338 days old, the Argentina international became the youngest player to earn MLS Player of the Month presented by CELSIUS® Essential Energy honors since Daryl Dike (20 years and 98 days old) in 2020 after scoring four goals and providing four assists between February and March. His three Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire honors in 2023 were also the most of any player this season.

Almada is the first Argentinian to be named MLS Young Player of the Year and the fourth player from South America to earn the honor. Since arriving in Atlanta at the beginning of 2022, Almada has the second-most assists (31) and fourth-most goal contributions (48) of any MLS player over that stretch.

• Photo and video assets from Thiago Almada’s 2023 MLS regular season are available **here**.

The Young Player of the Year award honors the top player in the league aged 22 and under. Players born on, or before, Jan. 1, 2001, were eligible for selection.

The Young Player of the Year award was voted on by MLS club technical staff, media, and current MLS players. Below is a breakdown of the voting results, with Almada besting fellow finalists Duncan McGuire (Orlando City SC) and Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew).

A full list of previous MLS Young Player of the Year and MLS Rookie of the Year award winners can be found below: