Vancouver Whitecaps up for two MLS year-end awards, Messi finalist for MVP

NEW YORK — Two Vancouver Whitecaps are up for Major League Soccer’s year-end awards, while Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi is once again a finalist for the league’s most valuable player honour.

Whitecaps midfielder Ryan Gauld has been named a finalist for comeback player of the year after he returned midseason from a long-term knee injury to put up six goals and five assists over 20 regular-season games.

The 30-year-old Scotsman is vying for the award with FC Cincinnati’s Nick Hagglund and Eduard Lowen of the San Jose Earthquakes.

Vancouver’s head coach Jesper Sorensen is up for coach of the year alongside B.J. Callaghan of Nashville SC and St. Louis City’s Yoann Damet.

The Danish bench boss guided the ‘Caps to a 19-8-7 record in his second year at the helm, with the team finishing the regular season sitting No. 1 in the MLS Western Conference standings.

Messi won the league’s Golden Boot race with 26 goals in regular-season play, and is up for MVP against FC Cincinnati’s Evander, Guilherme of the Houston Dynamo, Hany Mukhtar of Nashville SC and Philadelphia Union phenom Cavan Sullivan.

MLS is set to announce the winners of its year-end awards throughout the playoffs, which begin with play-in games on Nov. 19.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2026.

The Canadian Press