Messi, Benteke, Evander headline 2024 MLS Best XI

12/03/2024 11:35 AM

The 2024 MLS Best XI has been revealed with nine clubs being represented in the annual honor.

Lionel Messi, Christian Benteke, and Riqui Puig headlined the Best XI selections with seven players being named to the list for the first time. 2023 MLS MVP Luciano Acosta earned his fourth Best XI honor while Cucho Hernandez and Denis Bouanga each earned their second nomination.

Messi led MLS with 36 goal contributions for Inter Miami, who won the Supporters’ Shield this season. The Argentine star played in only 19 league matches due to injuries and international duty last summer.

Benteke won the MLS Golden Boot this season after notching 23 goals in league play. He is the first DC United player to earn Best XI honors since Luciano Acosta and Wayne Rooney did so in 2018.

Puig, who suffered a torn ACL in the LA Galaxy’s Western Conference Final win last weekend, totaled 13 goals and 15 assists in MLS regular season play. The Spaniard helped the Galaxy reach MLS Cup after assisting on Dejan Joveljic’s winning goal vs. Seattle.

Acosta‘s 19 assists were tied for the most in MLS play this season. He also contributed 14 goals, remaining a key leader in the FC Cincinati squad.

The Columbus Crew totaled 72 goals in 2024 and Hernandez played a part in 33 of them himself. He scored 19 goals and tallied 14 assists as the Crew lifted the Leagues Cup title.

Bounaga‘s 20 goals this season made him the fourth player in MLS history to registered 20+ goalscoring campaigns. He led LAFC to the No. 1 seed in the MLS Cup Playoffs and also contributed 11 assists.

A first-time MLS Best XI selection, Evander tallied 15 goals and 19 assists for the Portland Timbers. He finished behind only Messi for the most goal contributions this year and became the third Brazilian to be named to the league’s Best XI.

Alba led all defenders with 14 assists in MLS play, while also adding four goals for the Supporters’ Shield winners. The Spanish veteran was vital to the Herons success in 2024.

Moreira was named 2024 MLS Defender of the Year after helping the Crew win the Leagues Cup title. The Cape Verde international also scored two goals and added four assists as a centerback.

Second-time Best XI selection Yeimar helped the Seattle Sounders conceded a league-fewest 35 goals in MLS play. His 2,471 minutes played were the second most registered by the Colombian in his five-year Sounders career.

Kahlina was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year after playing a vital role for Charlotte FC. The first-time Best XI selection registered 12 clean sheets this season and helped Dean Smith’s squad concede the second-fewest goals in MLS play (37).

Here is the MLS Best XI for 2024:

Goalkeeper: Kristijan Kahlina (Charlotte FC).

Defenders: Jordi Alba (Inter Miami), Yeimar Gomez (Seattle Sounders), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew).

Midfielders: Evander (Portland Timbers), Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati), Riqui Puig (LA Galaxy).

Forwards: Cucho Hernandez (Columbus Crew), Christian Benteke (DC United), Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami).