LOS ANGELES (Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018) – Major League Soccer announced today that LA Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimović has earned the 2018 AT&T MLS Goal of the Year for his debut goal, a 40-yard strike at StubHub Center. He becomes the third LA Galaxy player to win the award, joining Carlos Ruiz (2002) and Landon Donovan (2009).
The winners were unveiled on a special MLS ExtraTime Live awards show on MLSsoccer.com. Fans selected from 16 Goal of the Year nominees and 16 Save of the Year nominees via online voting.
Sweden icon Ibrahimović’s LA Galaxy debut on March 31 at StubHub Center was one for the storybooks. Down by a goal in the 77th minute against LAFC, Ibrahimović unleashed a 40-yard, right-footed equalizer over goalkeeper Tyler Miller and into the back of the net to create a frenzy at StubHub Center. The wondergoal tied the score at 3-3, and it was only the beginning as he then headed home the winner in stoppage time for a 4-3 victory. Also among the MLS Goal of the Year nominees was Ibrahimović’s 500th career goal (combining professional and international tallies), a martial-arts-like sweeping kick against Toronto FC on Sept. 15.
The AT&T Goal of the Year was determined by fan votes on MLSsoccer.com. The Goal of the Year has been awarded since the league’s inaugural 1996 season.
All-time MLS Goal of the Year winners:
2018: Zlatan Ibrahimović – LA Galaxy | 3/31/18 vs. Los Angeles Football Club, 77th minute
2017: Héctor Villalba – Atlanta United | 7/21/17 vs. Orlando City SC, 86th minute
2016: Shkëlzen Gashi – Colorado Rapids | 9/24/16 vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 75th minute
2015: Krisztián Németh – Sporting Kansas City | 10/4/15 vs. Portland Timbers, 83rd minute
2014: Obafemi Martins – Seattle Sounders FC | 5/23/14 vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 8th minute
2013: Camilo Sanvezzo – Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 10/6/13 vs. Portland Timbers, 78th minute
2012: Patrick Ianni – Seattle Sounders FC | 6/20/12 vs. Sporting Kansas City, 15th minute
2011: Darlington Nagbe – Portland Timbers | 7/2/11 vs. Sporting Kansas City, 45th minute
2010: Marco Pappa – Chicago Fire | 4/10/10 vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 52nd minute
2009: Landon Donovan – LA Galaxy | 8/8/09 vs. New England Revolution, 21st minute
2008: Will Johnson – Real Salt Lake | 10/18/08 vs. FC Dallas, 54th minute
2007: Cuauhtémoc Blanco – Chicago Fire | 8/18/07 vs. Real Salt Lake, 43rd minute
2006: Brian Ching – Houston Dynamo | 9/30/06 v D.C. United, 86th minute
2005: Dwayne De Rosario – San Jose Earthquakes | 10/15/05 vs. LA Galaxy, 45th minute
2004: Dwayne De Rosario – San Jose Earthquakes | 8/7/04 vs. D.C. United, 82nd minute
2003: Damani Ralph – Chicago Fire | 8/13/03 vs. Columbus Crew SC, 90th minute
2002: Carlos Ruiz – LA Galaxy | 7/27/02 vs. Columbus Crew SC, 75th minute
2001: Clint Mathis – MetroStars | 4/28/01 vs. Dallas Burn, 60th minute
2000: Marcelo Balboa – Colorado Rapids | 4/22/00 vs. Columbus Crew SC, 55th minute
1999: Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United | 5/22/99 vs. Miami Fusion, 90th minute
1998: Brian McBride – Columbus Crew | 7/9/98 vs. Chicago Fire, 68th minute
1997: Marco Etcheverry – D.C. United | 8/27/97 vs. New England Revolution, 39th minute
1996: Eric Wynalda – San Jose Clash | 4/6/96 vs. D.C. United, 88th minute
