LAFC: Diego Rossi was the clear choice for Young Player of the Year

Diego Rossi was named the inaugural MLS Young Player of the Year.

Another accomplishment has been earned by Los Angeles FC’s Diego Rossi. The 22-year-old forward was named the Major League Soccer Young Player of the Year for the 2020 season. After claiming the Golden Boot award with a league-leading 14 goals, Rossi earned his second big award of the season. Rossi won the award over the Philadelphia Union’s Brenden Aaronson and Orlando City’s Daryl Dike. This is the first season the Young Player of the Year has been awarded as it replaces the Rookie of the Year award.

An incredible campaign

Rossi has been improving every season he’s been with LAFC. Since his arrival in 2018, the Uruguayan talent has been scoring goals and making an impact for the Western Conference club. This season may have been the best campaign yet from Rossi. His 14 goals in 19 appearances was an incredible accomplishment as he was clearly the best goal scorer in MLS.

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The goals he provided were much needed as LAFC dealt with the absence of Carlos Vela for a majority of the 2020 season. Without the reigning Golden Boot and MVP award winner in the lineup, it appeared the club would struggle to qualify for the postseason and advance far in the MLS is Back tournament. Rossi was the player who stepped in to lead the way for LAFC and give them the offensive spark they needed to get results. For this reason, they were able to secure their third consecutive playoff appearance and make a quarterfinal appearance in the MLS is Back tournament.

Diego Rossi on the move?

At 22, Rossi still has a ways to go in his career and a move to Europe seems imminent for the LAFC player. He has done very well during his time in MLS which has certainly had to have caught the eye of clubs in European leagues. By winning the Golden Boot and now the Young Player of the Year, his value certainly will have gone up. For this reason, it’s very possible which every round of the playoffs LAFC make their exit could be the last time Rossi plays in MLS.

While LAFC supporters will be sad to see Rossi depart he does deserve an opportunity to prove himself in a top European league. His consistent offensive production has earned him this opportunity and he could prove to be one of the best MLS exports in recent memory. It was a memorable campaign from Rossi which certainly made a deserving winner of this award.