LA Galaxy Announce 2025 Team Awards  

Diego Fagúndez awarded Galaxy Player of the Year; Joseph Paintsil wins Golden Boot; John Nelson claims Defender of the Year honors; Mauricio Cuevas named Humanitarian of the Year

LOS ANGELES (Monday, Oct. 27, 2025) – Following the conclusion of the 2025 season, the LA Galaxy announced the recipients of the club’s 2025 team awards. Diego Fagúndez was named the 2025 LA Galaxy Player of the Year, Joseph Paintsil won the club’s Golden Boot, John Nelson was voted Defender of the Year and Mauricio Cuevas claimed Humanitarian of the Year honors. In the Academy ranks, Dylan Vanney was named the 2025 LA Galaxy Academy Player of the Year.

LA Galaxy Player of the Year: Diego Fagúndez – Midfielder

In his third season with the Galaxy and 15th in the MLS, Fagúndez totaled nine goal contributions (6 goals, 3 assists) in 32 matches played (29 starts) across the MLS Regular Season 2025 campaign. Fagúndez led the club in key passes (51), crosses (23), and earned a 90% accurate pass percentage. Fagúndez also joined the 75/75 club with 75 career goals and 75 career assists, making him just the eighth player in league history to reach the 75-goal, 75-assist landmark. With his start on May 14 against Philadelphia, Fagúndez became the youngest player to make 300 MLS regular season starts.

LA Galaxy Defender of the Year: John Nelson – Defender

In his second season with the club, Nelson appeared in a career-high 31 matches with 24 starts. A defensive mainstay, Nelson won 36 aerial duels and 22 clearances. He also recorded a career-high three assists. Nelson had a season-high of three aerial duels in the Galaxy’s wins over Sporting Kansas City and Minnesota United FC while ending the season on back-to-back two-clearance games against FC Dallas and Minnesota. He was also a starter in two of the Galaxy’s four shutout wins in 2025 across all competitions.

LA Galaxy Humanitarian of the Year: Mauricio Cuevas – Defender

Cuevas has been consistent in his support of the community alongside the LA Galaxy Foundation. Among his many contributions to the community, Cuevas visited and spoke to Coachella Valley Unified School District Migrant students while in Coachella for preseason soccer at the Coachella Valley Invitational. He also donated $5,000 to their programming. Additionally, Cuevas passed out clothing and goods at the Fanatic’s Fire Relief event at Dodgers Stadium, helped donate new gear to Palisades High School soccer team, and attended Special Olympics Signing Day to welcome our new 2025 team. Furthermore, Cuevas assisted the LA Galaxy Foundation in donating new soccer equipment to Para Los Ninos Charter Middle School soccer teams and funding their programming for the next five years through the Campeones Cup Legacy project. This offseason, the LA Galaxy Foundation unveiled a futsal court in his name at his elementary school in South LA.

Golden Boot: Joseph Paintsil – Forward

Paintsil led the LA Galaxy with 10 goals scored in 25 matches played (22 starts) during the 2025 MLS Regular Season. On Sept. 22, Paintsil scored his first MLS career hat trick against Sporting Kansas City at home. Paintsil became just the third player in LA Galaxy history to produce a first half hat trick, joining Robbie Keane (May 26, 2013) and Alejandro Moreno (May 19, 2004).

LA GALAXY ACADEMY

Academy Player of the Year: Dylan Vanney - Midfielder

Vanney, 17, was named the 2025 LA Galaxy Academy Player of the Year after helping the LA Galaxy Academy U-19s defeat Cedar Stars Academy Bergen 3-1 in the final of the 2025 U-19 MLS Next Cup on June 22. He scored three goals in the tournament, including one in the final, and was named the 2025 MLS NEXT Cup MVP. Vanney is part of the age group that completed a three-peat in the MLS Next Cup over the last three seasons. At the international level, Vanney was recently called up by the U.S. U-19 Men’s National Team for a training camp in Spain. For Ventura County FC this season, Vanney scored 5 goals and 3 assists in 26 matches (25 starts).

The LA Galaxy Player of the Year and Defender of the Year winners were selected via media voting conducted by LA Galaxy Communications. The LA Galaxy Golden Boot is awarded to the player who scores the most goals during the MLS Regular Season, with the tie-breaker going to the player who scores the most amount of goals across all competitions in a single campaign.