In one of the more unsurprising developments, Italian National Team and Toronto FC midfielder Sebastian Giovinco was named MLS Most Valuable Player in an outstanding debut season in MLS defeating MLS Cup finalist Kei Kamara of Columbus Crew SC and longtime Jurgen Klinsmann USMNT snub Benny Feilhaber of Sporting Kansas City.
Giovinco finished the regular season with a season high 22 goals and 16 assists as well as winning Newcomer of the Year. He helped lead Toronto FC to the Knockout Round of the MLS Cup Playoffs, losing to the Montreal Impact.
Giovinco is also a finalist for MLS Goal of the Year. Giovinco is a finalist with Sporting KC’s Krisztian Nemeth with a great individual goal against the New York Red Bulls in October.
Before coming to MLS, Giovinco was a squad player at Juventus and came over to MLS to gain more playing time. As a result, the 28 year old revived his stalled career and got back on the Italian National Team for a couple caps but got injured in training the last time he played for Italy.
Sebastian Giovinco is the first in a possible trend of MLS signing talented European players either entering their prime or are currently in their prime. While MLS has the reputation of being a “retirement league” due to the league signing many big name players for huge amounts of money, many fans hope they can use some of that money to get younger players who may not be as world class, but are very talented and in Giovinco’s case, can be MVP and raise the talent pool of MLS.
