After a slow start to the 2026 MLS season, Evander closed the first half of the year with as high a high as anyone has ever had in club history – earning himself a league-wide honor and bringing his total account on the year to a near best in MLS thus far.
FC Cincinnati’s #10 and, of late, definitive captain on the field, Evander, closed the opening stanza of the year with a two-goal, three-assist affair in The Orange and Blue’s 6-2 drubbing of Orlando City SC, securing the honor of MLS Player of the Month for May. On top of his five goal contributions in that final match of the month, the Brazilian star had a total of 12 contributions in the month (the most in a single month in his career), and he ranked first in goals scored and second in assists league-wide during that time. Additionally, he contributed to 71 percent of FC Cincinnati’s 17 total goals in the month.
What stood out most about Evander’s contributions in May, though, as he led FC Cincinnati to a 2-1-2 record in the month, was both his personal skill and, more so, his skill at elevating those around him.
“He scored two goals and had three assists, that's hard to do in a game,” FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan joked after FC Cincinnati’s victory over Orlando, where Evander was named man of the match.
“When he's on the ball with space. Everybody comes to life. You can feel it,” Noonan continued.
“The energy of the stadium, the energy that he provides his teammates, moving with the ball, the one-v-one moments where he creates separation.
“He's taken his game to another level in this moment, both with production and with consistency in his play. And the scary thing is…there's more.”
After not earning a goal and only tallying two assists through FC Cincinnati’s first 11 matches across all competitions, Evander’s account now stands at nine goals and seven assists across all competitions. Both would already stand at some of the best records in club history with more than half a season to play.
He now enters this second half of the season looking to build on that success and lead FCC to better.
“It’s always just trying to do the best for the team, and things are just happening now. It feels kind of automatic,” Evander said of his late-season surge. “When you do the right play, and just think right away on the next play and what the team needs, it feels good.”
Evander’s breakout in the final game before the break, but really the entire month of May, has helped fuel an FC Cincinnati side who can go into said break with positive feelings. But he also knows there is work to be done.
“What we try to bring to this game is to win and perform well in front of our fans, and it’s good to go to this break with a win in the bag,” Evander said. “It was a great performance from everyone. But I think that's how we should have been playing since the start of this season. I think we dropped so many points that we should have gotten that were wins. But I think this is a good starting point. We just go into this break, and come back and play at our highest level.”
FC Cincinnati pause for the World Cup but will be back in action before too long, returning to training in late June before restarting the MLS regular season on July 22 at home against Vancouver Whitecaps.
“We are still a strong team,” Evander said to close his final postmatch press interviews before the break. “Of course, we need to adjust some small details, but we are still a team that wants to win and have big dreams for this season. So I think this was a good message for the fans to show that, and also thank you to them for their support throughout this tough time.”
