FC Cincinnati’s Luca Orellano has been named a finalist for the MLS Newcomer of the Year as Major League Soccer announced today the complete list of finalists for the 2024 MLS Year-End Awards.
Orellano is one of three finalists for the MLS Newcomer of the Year alongside Gabriel Pec from LA Galaxy and Luis Suárez of Inter Miami CF. The award recognizes the year’s most impactful new MLS player who has prior professional experience. Orellano joined FC Cincinnati in February on a year-long loan with an option to buy from Brazilian club Club de Regatas (CR) Vasco da Gama.
Orellano has been superb in his debut season with the Orange and Blue, scoring 10 goals and adding seven assists. Orellano appeared in 33 games this season, starting 30 of them. The versatile 24-year-old Argentine has featured primarily as a wingback but also in the central midfield and up top for FC Cincinnati.
Twice this season Orellano was named the MLS Player of the Matchday, first in Matchday 16 for his brace in the dramatic 4-3 win at Toronto FC. He earned his second Player of the Matchday honor in Matchday 30 for his second brace of the year, scoring two free kick goals in the 4-1 win over CF Montréal.
Orellano also twice earned MLS Goal of the Matchday, both for spectacular long-distance goals scored this season, the first against Philadelphia Union on June 19 which beat the keeper from just inside the halfway line. His second against CF Montréal on August 31 was tracked at 79.81 yards, the longest free kick goal since MLS started tracking the stat in 2010.
Orellano’s goal against Montréal is a finalist for the AT&T MLS Goal of the Year (vote here) which is decided by online voting at MLSsoccer.com. Voting opened on Monday, October 21 and will close on Monday, Oct. 28, with the winner to be announced Wednesday, Oct. 30.
The honors are in addition to six honors on the MLS Team of the Matchday and in July, Orellano was named to the MLS All-Star Team roster for the 2024 MLS All-Star Game.
No. 3 FC Cincinnati will hold home field advantage against No. 6 New York City FC in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 Series. FCC will host NYCFC in Game 1 at TQL Stadium on Monday, October 28. Kickoff is set for 6:45 p.m. ET and the match will air on Fox Sports 1 and for free – with no subscription required – on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The match will air over the radio on iHeart Media ESPN 1530 in English and in Spanish on La Mega 101.5 FM.
Tickets for Game 1 and Game 3, if necessary, are available at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling (KICK).
