Twenty-nine-year-old Spanish midfielder Carles Gil is the MLS’ Most Valuable Player of the year, the league announced on Tuesday.
The New England Revolution player also received the league’s 2021 Comeback Player of the Year award and was nominated in the 2021 Best XI, a selection of the MLS’ best players at each position.
“It’s an honor for me to be named MLS MVP,” Gil said. “I want to thank everyone who voted for me, everyone who works at the club, our coaching staff, our fans, and especially my teammates. Together, we achieved an unforgettable regular season.”
Gil finished the season with four goals and 18 assists to his name. He created 130 chances, the most for a player during a season since the stats were first tracked in 2011. With him in top form, the Revs won the Supporters’ Shield this year and made it to the playoffs, with New York City FC knocking them out on penalties in the conference semifinals.
Gil missed most of the 2020 campaign due to injury, but made his comeback in time for the playoffs last year.
Born in Valencia, Spain, Gil grew up in his hometown club’s academy where he also made his debut as a professional player in 2012. The talented midfielder impressed while on loan at Elche in the 2013-14 season, securing a move to Aston Villa. Unfortunately, he found it hard to adapt to the English game, so he returned to La Liga in 2016 at Deportivo La Coruna before joining the New England Revolution in 2019. Gil scored 16 goals for the Revs in his three years with the club. In 2019, he won the prize for MLS Newcomer of the Year.
In 2020, another Spanish player, Alejandro Pozuelo from Toronto FC, won the MLS MVP award.