Earlier today, New York City FC named goalkeeper Matt Freese the 2024 MVP.
Ice in his veins 🥶
— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) December 27, 2024
Congrats to Matt on being named New York City FC's MVP for the 2024 season. pic.twitter.com/278Tg5QlcE
It was the first MVP announced by the club since 2021, when Taty Castellanos was given the award. Freese is in elite company as he is just the fifth player to be named MVP, joining Castellanos (2021), Anton Tinnerholm (2020), Maxi Moralez (2018, 2019), and David Villa (2015, 2016, 2017).
New York City FC | MVP by Year
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Matt Freese |
| 2023 | — |
| 2022 | — |
| 2021 | Taty Castellanos |
| 2020 | Anton Tinnerholm |
| 2019 | Maxi Moralez |
| 2018 | Maxi Moralez |
| 2017 | David Villa |
| 2016 | David Villa |
| 2015 | David Villa |
This award is the cherry on top of a career-defining year for Freese. The 26-year-old goalkeeper joined New York City at the start of the 2023 season after serving as the backup at Philadelphia Union for four seasons. Freese didn't make a single First Team appearance in a league game for Philadelphia in 2022, his final year with that club.
He began the 2023 season on the bench at New York City, but he took over the starting spot at the end of the summer, and was in the Starting XI for the final eight league games of the season.
But it wasn't until 2024 that Freese established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in Major League Soccer. Freese's 8.9 goals prevented was second only to MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Kristijan Kahlina, and his save rate of 73.4% was fourth-best in the league. Freese made 135 saves in 2024, which puts him behind only John McCarthy of LA Galaxy (138) and Brad Guzan of Atlanta United (137).
Freese emerged as a fan favorite this season, and one of the most exciting players to watch on an improving New York City squad. And yet the goalkeeper remained "criminally underrated," in the words of Hudson River Blue contributor Matthew Mangam. Earlier this year, United States men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino decided to call up the struggling Zack Steffen over the NYCFC shot-stopper. "Freese was the team’s best player and deserves much more recognition and appreciation for his outstanding performances every game," Mangam wrote. "He’s consistently impressive and plays for the badge; he puts the team first and displays captain-like qualities." Mangam
Mangam gave Freese an A+ for the season in his Final Report Card. Now Freese can add to that this MVP, which might be the first of many individual awards for the goalkeeper.
Matthew Mangam
Matthew Mangam
