CHICAGO(Nov. 11, 2020) – Chicago Fire FC forward Robert Berić has been nominated for MLS Newcomer of the Year, the league announced today. The Slovenian international, who is looking to become the first Fire player to win the award, is nominated alongside Sporting Kansas City’s Alan Pulido and Columbus Crew SC’s Lucas Zelarayan.
Berić became one of the league’s most effective scorers, earning a team-leading 12 goals and tallying one assist during the 2020 regular season campaign. His 12 goals on the season ranked him first among all newcomers and tied for second overall in MLS, alongside Seattle forward Raul Ruidiaz and Columbus forward Gyasi Zardes.
The finalists earned the most votes in polling of three voting groups:
- Current MLS players
- MLS clubs (Coaches, Technical Directors/General Managers)
- Select media members representing local and national outlets who consistently covered the 2020 MLS regular season
The AT&T MLS Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year presented by Allstate will be decided by online voting at MLSsoccer.com or the free MLS app from Nov. 12-18. All MLS awards, including the 2020 MLS Best XI will also be announced in the coming weeks.
2020 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists
(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)
Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player Finalists
Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Nicolás Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders FC)
Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC)
Alejandro Pozuelo (Toronto FC)
Diego Rossi (Los Angeles Football Club)
MLS Defender of the Year Finalists
Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union)
Jonathan Mensah (Columbus Crew SC)
Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
Allstate MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists
Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Eloy Room (Columbus Crew SC)
Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
MLS Newcomer of the Year Finalists
For this award, “newcomer” is defined as a player with previous professional experience who made his MLS debut in 2020
Robert Berić (Chicago Fire FC)
Alan Pulido (Sporting Kansas City)
Lucas Zelarayan (Columbus Crew SC)
AT&T MLS Young Player of the Year Finalists
For this award, “young player” is defined as a player age 22 (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998)
Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union)
Daryl Dike (Orlando City SC)
Diego Rossi (Los Angeles Football Club)
Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year Finalists
Jim Curtin (Philadelphia Union)
Oscar Pareja (Orlando City SC)
Greg Vanney (Toronto FC)
MLS Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
Honors an MLS player who has overcome injuries and/or adversity in order to achieve success during the 2020 regular season
Kevin Molino (Minnesota United FC)
Milton Valenzuela (Columbus Crew SC)
Bradley Wright-Phillips (Los Angeles Football Club)
MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year
Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers)
Mark-Anthony Kaye (Los Angeles Football Club)
Justin Morrow (Toronto FC)
MLS Referee of the Year Finalists
Joe Dickerson
Ismail Elfath
Jair Marrufo
MLS Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists
Kathryn Nesbitt
Cory Richardson
Corey Rockwell
