FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta has won the 2023 AT&T 5G MLS Goal of the Year award for his stunning solo goal against Charlotte FC on September 23, Major League Soccer announced today.
Acosta’s magical moment came in the 78th minute when he took possession in Cincinnati’s half, beginning his run by dribbling through the legs of a Charlotte defender whom he beat. He then beat another defender, running towards the Bailey at TQL Stadium, and beat a third man en route to placing a perfect finish into the top corner of the net to finish off his superb effort.
Acosta’s award is FC Cincinnati’s first Goal of the Year since joining MLS. The 2023 MLS Goal of the Year was determined by fan votes on MLSsoccer.com and has been awarded since the league’s inaugural 1996 season.
MLS Goal of the Year Winners:
2023: Luciano Acosta – FC Cincinnati | 9/23/23 vs. Charlotte FC, 78th minute
2022: Josef Martínez – Atlanta United | 10/1/22 vs. New England Revolution, 81st minute
2021: Rubio Rubin – Real Salt Lake | 5/7/21 vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 43rd minute
2020: Darlington Nagbe – Columbus Crew SC | 8/20/20 vs. Chicago Fire FC, 81st minute
2019: Josef Martínez – Atlanta United | 9/18/19 vs. FC Cincinnati, 65th minute
2018: Zlatan Ibrahimović – LA Galaxy | 3/31/18 vs. Los Angeles Football Club, 77th minute
2017: Héctor Villalba – Atlanta United | 7/21/17 vs. Orlando City SC, 86th minute
2016: Shkëlzen Gashi – Colorado Rapids | 9/24/16 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 75th minute
2015: Krisztián Németh – Sporting Kansas City | 10/4/15 vs. Portland Timbers, 83rd minute
2014: Obafemi Martins – Seattle Sounders FC | 5/23/14 vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 8th minute
2013: Camilo Sanvezzo – Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 10/6/13 vs. Portland Timbers, 78th minute
2012: Patrick Ianni – Seattle Sounders FC | 6/20/12 vs. Sporting Kansas City, 15th minute
2011: Darlington Nagbe – Portland Timbers | 7/2/11 vs. Sporting Kansas City, 45th minute
2010: Marco Pappa – Chicago Fire | 4/10/10 vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 52nd minute
2009: Landon Donovan – LA Galaxy | 8/8/09 vs. New England Revolution, 21st minute
2008: Will Johnson – Real Salt Lake | 10/18/08 vs. FC Dallas, 54th minute
2007: Cuauhtémoc Blanco – Chicago Fire | 8/18/07 vs. Real Salt Lake, 43rd minute
2006: Brian Ching – Houston Dynamo | 9/30/06 v D.C. United, 86th minute
2005: Dwayne De Rosario – San Jose Earthquakes | 10/15/05 vs. LA Galaxy, 45th minute
2004: Dwayne De Rosario – San Jose Earthquakes | 8/7/04 vs. D.C. United, 82nd minute
2003: Damani Ralph – Chicago Fire | 8/13/03 vs. Columbus Crew SC, 90th minute
2002: Carlos Ruiz – LA Galaxy | 7/27/02 vs. Columbus Crew SC, 75th minute
2001: Clint Mathis – MetroStars | 4/28/01 vs. Dallas Burn, 60th minute
2000: Marcelo Balboa – Colorado Rapids | 4/22/00 vs. Columbus Crew SC, 55th minute
1999: Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United | 5/22/99 vs. Miami Fusion, 90th minute
1998: Brian McBride – Columbus Crew | 7/9/98 vs. Chicago Fire, 68th minute
1997: Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United | 8/27/97 vs. New England Revolution, 39th minute
1996: Eric Wynalda – San Jose Clash | 4/6/96 vs. D.C. United, 88th minute
FC Cincinnati will host Philadelphia Union in an Eastern Conference Semifinal showdown at TQL Stadium on either November 25 or 26. Tickets are on sale now at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling (513) 977-5425 (KICK). For more information on FC Cincinnati in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, visit FCCincinnati.com/Playoffs23.
