Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been named the Major League Soccer Newcomer of the Year, narrowly trimming out former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney for the award.
LOS ANGELES, CA. - The Galaxy striker had a spectacular debut season with the team, scoring 22 goals and 10 assists in just 27 games for the LA Galaxy.
Ibrahimovic's season in Galaxy also featured him scoring his 500th career goal, one that has been nominated for MLS Goal of the Season.
The Swede becomes the 1st LA Galaxy player to win Newcomer of the Year, barely edged out Rooney for the award. Ibrahimovic took a 36.36 percent average of the vote, ahead of D.C. United striker’s 32.25%. The winner is determined by the highest average among the three groups of voters – players, media and MLS technical staff. Ibrahimovic finished 1st among players and media but Rooney was top among the MLS staff.
Rooney appeared in 20 games after joining DC United in the middle of the season but had a massive impact on the team, scoring 12 goals, seven assists and being one of the big keys in a late-season surge that obtained a playoff spot.
Carlos Vela, managed 14 goals and 13 assists as the star for Los Angeles FC in the club’s 1st season in MLS, finished third.
Minnesota United’s Darwin Quintero, New York Red Bulls’ Kaku, Vela’s LAFC teammate Diego Rossi and Sporting Kansas City’s Johnny Russell turned out the top seven.
