c. Sporting Kansas City 2021 MLS Award Contenders and Team Awards

Daniel Salloi - MVP Caliber Season

Daniel Salloi was the focal point in a lethal Sporting Kansas City attack in 2021. The Sporting KC Academy product led the team in goals (16), assists (eight) and total goal contributions (24) en route to becoming club MVP. His on-field performance turned heads on the national stage as well. Salloi was nominated for the 2021 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valubale Player award and the MLS Comeback Player of the Year. Salloi is one of five players in club history to be named a finalist for MLS MVP alongside Preki (1996, 1997, 2003), Tony Meola (2000), Graham Zusi (2012) and Benny Feilhaber (2015). Salloi’s 16 non-penalty goals were tied for a league lead, and the most all time by a Sporting player. It was a career season for the forward as he set career marks in goals and assists. Sporting went undefeated in matches where Salloi scored, boasting an 11-0-3 record in said matches. With Salloi’s 24 goal contributions, Sporting ranked second in the league with 58 goals scored and was one win shy of tying their club record in a 34-match regular season. Salloi’s nomination for Comeback Player of the Year is thanks to the his rebound performance from a 2020 season in which he logged just 165 minutes. Salloi was an eight-time MLS Team of the Week selection this season and took MLS Player of the Week Honors on Sept. 30, a day after scoring twice in a 3-1 win over FC Dallas. His 2021 form earned him a spot on the MLS All-Star squad that took down the LIGA MX All-Stars in a penalty shootout. Salloi converted his spot kick. The Hungarian earned his first senior national team appearance on Sept. 2, and his first start on Oct. 9 against Albania.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2021 TEAM AWARD WINNERS

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Sporting KC announced the club’s 2021 end-of-year awards on Nov. 13. Online voting by supporters, players and media determined the annual award winners for MVP, Offensive/Defensive Players of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Goal of the Year.