- Luciano Acosta has scored 18 goals and provided 12 assists in MLS this season
- Acosta, who previously played for DC United, is on the rise at FC Cincinnati
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Luciano Acosta has secured victory in the Major League Soccer 2023 MVP voting, beating compatriots such as Lionel Messi and Thiago Almada.
The FC Cincinnati midfielder had an extremely impressive season with 18 goals and 12 assists and was still able to lead his team to MLS Cup success.
Acosta received a whopping 60.37 percent of the vote, easily beating second-place LAFC strikers Denis Bouanga (14.97%) and Thiago Almada (6.46%).
In a video celebrating his success, the 29-year-old said: “I’m very proud of this team.”
“I think everyone deserves something this year.” We deserve more. We have to give everything. “Let’s go,” before joking, “I don’t want to go to practice. ‘I won the MVP.’
Luciano Acosta holds up the MLS MVP trophy after being named the league’s best player in 2023
Acosta scored 18 goals and also had 12 assists in the MLS regular season
Acosta could still win the MLS Cup as FC Cincinnati is in the Eastern Conference final
Acosta and his Cincinnati teammates will face the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference final on Saturday night, and with a win they will host either LAFC or Houston Dynamo in the MLS Cup final.
Cincinnati has been by far the best team in MLS this season and has already secured the Supporters’ Shield trophy.
Acosta is now just the sixth player in league history to score at least 10 goals and 10 assists in three or more seasons.
Acosta’s compatriot Lionel Messi arrived in MLS this year, but Acosta still won the award
Atlanta United’s young Argentine star Thiago Almada finished third in the 2023 MVP voting
The Argentine first came to America in 2016, joining DC United from Boca Juniors, where he had come through the academy.
He spent four seasons in Washington before heading back south of the border to play two years in Mexico with Atlas.
Acosta then returned to the MLS with Cincinnati, where he had three impressive seasons and improved his goal scoring rate each year.
At 5’7″, he is one of the shortest players in the league, but was a very popular choice for the MVP Award in 2023.