Nick Hagglund named 2025 MLS Comeback Player of the Year

FC Cincinnati defender Nick Hagglund has been named the 2025 MLS Comeback Player of the Year, Major League Soccer announced today. The award marks Hagglund’s first major individual MLS honor and FC Cincinnati’s first player in club history to win the Comeback Player of the Year award.

Hagglund, the Cincinnati native and the only player to have spent all seven MLS seasons with the Orange and Blue, received the honor by earning nearly 35 percent of the vote among all nominated players for the award.

Hagglund made 17 MLS appearances for FC Cincinnati this season, anchoring the backline and appearing in four clean sheet performances. During the 2025 season, Cincinnati produced a 10-4-3 record when Hagglund played, which included a five-game winning streak from March 29 to April 26 where Hagglund started each of those victories.

On June 22, 2024, Hagglund suffered a severe leg injury as he slid to make a tackle in a game against the New England Revolution. He suffered a fractured fibula, torn ligaments and tendons, and significant cartilage damage in his ankle. After undergoing a successful surgery on July 1, he began a 250+ day rehab process. It was his third season-ending injury in the prior four seasons.

After months of grueling rehab, Hagglund returned to the pitch on March 22, 2025 against Atlanta United FC. He made 10 appearances before suffering another injury – two fractured ribs and a collapsed lung – at Atlanta on May 25. Despite another setback, Hagglund once again returned to the field in August and became a mainstay on the backline over the final two months of the season, making seven starts in eight appearances.

On Decision Day against CF Montréal, Hagglund recorded his first-career MLS game with a goal and assist, scoring his first goal since August 26, 2023 vs NYCFC and his first assist since October 9, 2022 at D.C. United.

The MLS Comeback Player of the Year honors an MLS player who has overcome a severe injury and/or adversity, and as a result missed a significant portion of the 2024 MLS season and shown improved performance to achieve success during the 2025 regular season. The award was voted on by MLS club technical staff, media, and current MLS players.

Below is a breakdown of the voting results featuring the three finalists for the award:

A full list of previous MLS Comeback Player of the Year award winners can be found below:

FC Cincinnati continue the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs on Sunday, November 2 against the Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field in Columbus. The Orange and Blue take a 1-0 series advantage into Game 2 of the Round One Best-of-3 series. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET and the match will air on Apple TV and MLS Season Pass. Radio will be carried on iHeart Fox Sports 1360 and La Mega 101.5 FM in Cincinnati.