Thiago Almada, Lionel Messi among MLS awards finalists

Major League Soccer announced finalists for the 2023 MLS Year-End Awards, with Atlanta United's Thiago Almada and Inter Miami's Lionel Messi among the top names.

Almada, 22, who tallied 11 goals and a league-high 19 assists, is a finalist for Landon Donovan MVP as well as MLS Young Player of the Year.

Messi made a splashy MLS debut this season and is a finalist for MLS Newcomer of the Year. According to MLS, for this award, "newcomer" is defined as a player who had previous professional experience and made his MLS debut in 2023.

The winners are scheduled to be announced throughout the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Finalists were determined in voting by current MLS first-team players, MLS clubs (coaches and technical directors or general managers) and selected media members.

--Landon Donovan MLS MVP

Luciano Acosta, FC Cincinnati; Almada, Atlanta United; Denis Bouanga, LAFC

--Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year

Bradley Carnell, St. Louis City SC; Wilfried Nancy, Columbus Crew; Pat Noonan, FC Cincinnati

--MLS Newcomer of the Year

Giorgos Giakoumakis, Atlanta United; Eduard Lowen, St. Louis City SC; Messi, Inter Miami CF

--MLS Young Player of the Year

Almada, Atlanta United; Duncan McGuire, Orlando City SC; Aidan Morris, Columbus Crew

--MLS Goalkeeper of the Year

Roman Burki, St. Louis City SC; Roman Celentano, FC Cincinnati; Pedro Gallese, Orlando City SC

--MLS Defender of the Year

Yeimar Gomez Andrade, Seattle Sounders FC; Matt Miazga, FC Cincinnati; Tim Parker, St. Louis City SC

--MLS Comeback Player of the Year

Joao Paulo, Seattle Sounders FC; Alan Pulido, Sporting Kansas City; Miles Robinson, Atlanta United