The 2018 Major League Soccer season is in the books and Goal selects the very best the league had to offer this season
Atlanta United was the class of MLS in 2018, from its record-breaking crowds, to its record-setting striker, but the Five Stripes weren't the only impressive aspect of the league's 23rd season.
The arrival of stars such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney helped raise the international profile of the league, while Carlos Vela stepped in to help Los Angeles FC enjoy an impressive debut season in MLS.
The 2018 season also saw some veterans reach new levels, such as Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei, and New York Red Bulls defender Aaron Long, as well as some young players who emerged as difference-makers, such as Real Salt Lake rookie Corey Baird and FC Dallas defender Reggie Cannon.
This season also saw top young MLS talent draw serious attention on the transfer market, Alphonso Davies' transfer to Bayern Munich and Zack Steffen's looming move to Manchester City signaling the league's shift into being more of a selling league, a change MLS commissioner Don Garber acknowledged is now taking place.
With the season now over, here is a look at what the Goal staff saw as being the best of the best in MLS in 2018:
Kevin C. CoxMVP, Josef Martinez, Atlanta UnitedThough you could definitely make a strong argument for his teammate, Miguel Almiron, as having been the most valuable player for Atlanta United, it's tough to deny Martinez's status as MVP after his record-shattering season. The Venezuelan striker set a new league record with 31 goals in a season, then he went on to star in the playoffs, including scoring the eventual winner in the MLS Cup final.AdvertisementJonathan DanielNewcomer of the Year, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, LA GalaxyIn a season that saw some outstanding new faces, such as Wayne Rooney, Carlos Vela and Raul Ruidiaz, it was Zlatan who captivated the league with his dominant play and penchant for highlight-reel moments. The Swedish superstar compiled 22 goals and 10 assists, and though the Galaxy ultimately fell just short in their bid to make the playoffs, Zlatan was still one of the league's best.Goalkeeper of the Year, Stefan Frei, Seattle SoundersThough he only finished third in the voting for the league's official goalkeeper of the year award, Frei was Goal's pick for the honor due to his outstanding season in goal for the Seattle Sounders. He finished second in the league in goals-against average with a 1.03 average, playing in all but one match in 2018. He posted the highest save percentage among regular starters (76.0) and deserves serious credit for his play in the first half of the season, when he was one of the few bright spots for a Sounders side struggling prior to their second-half turnaround.New York Red BullsDefender of the Year, Aaron Long, New York Red BullsThe New York Red Bulls posted the best regular season in MLS history, and it was led by a league-best defense spearheaded by Long. The U.S. national team defender provided the leadership and poise in the heart of a stout back-line, and the arrival of Tim Parker to give him a perfect central defense partner helped Long take his game to a new level.