FORMER JUVENTUS PLAYER Sebastian Giovinco has been crowned Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Player for 2015.
The diminutive Italian experienced a remarkable debut MLS season with Toronto FC and single-handedly pushed his side to the play-offs for the very first time in their history.
Eyebrows were raised when the 28-year-old swapped the Old Lady for one of the most underwhelming and frustrating soccer franchises in North America.
But, he received a handsome salary ($7.11 million US) – more than Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard – and took to the job with gusto.
In 33 appearances, he racked up 22 goals but added a further 16 assists too. Prior to the MVP award, Giovinco had already won the Golden Boot.
There were numerous pieces of magic throughout the campaign but two stand out.
Firstly, there was the magnificent goal that was ‘stolen’ from him by team-mate Jonathan Osorio against the Chicago Fire.
And there was the superb moment he conjured against the New York Red Bulls too. Having played for the Azzurri in a Euro 2016 qualifier on the Tuesday, he stepped off a plane just hours before kick-off on Wednesday evening.
He was sprung from the bench with twenty minutes left in the game and promptly produced this goal.
Toronto may have been eliminated at the first stage of the post-season but Giovinco was still the star of the MLS season, without any doubt.
