Smart Choices - Maestro: Evander is the MLS Midfielder of the Year | OneFootball

This is Part 2 of 90min's Smart Choices award series presented by Continental Tires. Check back each day for new awards.

In Major League Soccer, plenty of attention is fixated on what players like Lionel Messi, Denis Bouanga and Cucho Hernández do in the final third.

While those players warrant that attention with excellent performances on the pitch, midfielder are what keeps every team ticking. Without the right kind of midfielder in a lineup, teams often struggle to generate momentum going forward.

That's where attacking midfielders like Luciano 'Lucho' Acosta and Evander step in. These elite players are often putting on shows on the attacking end of the pitch while dropping deep near their own box to receive the ball and drive up the pitch. However, in 2024, Evander set new MLS career-highs to give Portland Timbers a chance at MLS Cup glory.

MLS Midfielder of the Year: Evander

Evander logged the joint-most assists in the regular season / Soobum Im-Imagn Images

The Timbers' playmaker Evander logged an impressive 15 goals and 19 assists during the 2024 regular season—only Inter Miami's Messi had more with 20 goals and 16 assists.

Without Evander, there's a good chance Portland doesn't clinch a Wild Card slot under new head coach Phil Neville. The 26-year-old scored the second-most goals for the team while providing the most assists for the Western Conference club.

While reigning MLS MVP Acosta did enjoy a spectacular regular season with just one less goal contribution than Evander, the Timbers' No. 10 made four less appearances but still ended up with the joint-most assists in the league.

Evander has been at the center of everything going forward for the Timbers and his team will need him fit and firing to keep its season alive against Vancouver Whitecaps in the upcoming Wild Card contest.