Men’s nominees for the 2020 Canada Soccer Player Awards

Tesho Akindele | #CANMNT | USA / Orlando City SC

Tesho Akindele helped Orlando City SC finish as runners up in the MLS is Back Tournament, notably scoring the winning goal in the Round of 16. In his second season in Orlando, he helped the team progress into December in the 2020 MLS playoffs. From January through November 2020, he featured in 22 matches and scored four goals across all competitions.

Scott Arfield | #CANMNT | SCO / Rangers FC

Scott Arfield featured for Glasgow Rangers FC in the Scottish Premiership and UEFA Europa League in 2020. He helped the team finish second in the league standings in 2019-20 and run out in first place from the first four months of the 2020-21 season. From January through November 2020, he scored 10 goals and six assists in 32 matches across all competitions. He also won Canada Soccer Player of the Month honours in October.

Milan Borjan | #CANMNT | SRB / Red Star Belgrade

Milan Borjan won his third Serbian SuperLiga title with Red Star Belgade in 2019-20, also his sixth consecutive league title in Europe since 2014-15. The team won the league by 14 points in 2019-20 and have run out in first place after the first four months of the 2020-21 season. He also featured in UEFA Champions League Qualifying and UEFA Europa League action. From January through November 2020, Borjan posted 16 clean sheets in 33 matches across all competitions.

Jonathan David | #CANMNT | BEL / KAA Gent & FRA / Lille OSC

Jonathan David made the move to Lille OSC in 2020 where he became the first Canadian player to score in France’s Ligue 1. He finished the 2019-20 as the joint top scorer in Belgium and was named the KAA Gent Player of the Year. He then joined Lille OSC on a record transfer deal for a Canadian player of more than €30 million. He won Canada Soccer Player of the Month honours in February. From January through November 2020, he scored 11 goals and three assists in all competitions.

Alphonso Davies | #CANMNT | GER / FC Bayern München

Alphonso Davies won five trophies with FC Bayern München and was part of the club’s 23-match win streak across all competitions from 16 February to 24 September. He won 2019-20 Bundesliga Rookie of the Season honours and set a record as the fastest player in league history (36.5 km/h). He was Bayern’s Player of the Month in May and Canada Soccer’s Player of the Month three times. He is the first Canadian player to win the men’s UEFA Champions League title.

Stephen Eustáquio | #CANMNT | POR / FC Paços de Ferreira

Stephen Eustáquio has returned from injury in 2020 and has starred with FC Paços de Ferreira in the Portuguese Primeira Liga. The Canadian midfielder helped newly-promoted FC Paços de Ferreira finish 13th in the league standings in 2019-20. From January through November 2020, Eustáquio featured in 23 matches in all competitions and scored in back-to-back Primeira Liga matches for the first time in his career.

Junior Hoilett | #CANMNT | WAL / Cardiff City FC

Junior Hoilett helped Cardiff City FC finish fifth in England’s Championship and reach the playoff semi-final at the end of the 2019-20 season. From January through November 2020, Hoilett scored five goals and one assist in 37 matches across all competitions.

Atiba Hutchinson | #CANMNT | TUR / Beşiktaş JK

Atiba Hutchinson continues to star with Beşiktaş JK in Turkey and has now featured in UEFA club competitions for 15 consecutive seasons through 2020-21, also wearing the captain’s armband for UEFA Champions League Qualifying in August. In 2019-20, Beşiktaş finished third in the league standings for the second year in a row. From January through November 2020, Hutchinson featured in 25 matches and scored four goals and six assists in all competitions.

Mark-Anthony Kaye | #CANMNT | USA / Los Angeles FC

Mark-Anthony Kaye has worn the captain’s armband in 2020 as Los Angeles FC reach the playoffs for the third year in a row in Major League Soccer. He also helped the team reach the Quarter-finals in Concacaf Champions League, with the last three rounds to be played in December. From January through November 2020, he featured in 21 matches across all competitions and scored three goals and four assists.

Cyle Larin | #CANMNT | TUR / Beşiktaş JK

Cyle Larin split the year between SV Zulte Waregem in Belgium and Beşiktaş JK in Turkey. In August and September, he returned to continental competition for the first time in two years, featuring in both UEFA Champions League Qualifying and UEFA Europa League Qualifying and scoring one goal. From January through November 2020, he scored six goals and three assists in 19 matches across all competitions.

Richie Laryea | #CANMNT | CAN / Toronto FC

Richie Laryea finished second among all Canadian players in MLS minutes as Toronto FC finished second in the league standings and made the playoffs for the second year in a row. From January through November 2020, Laryea scored four goals and four assists and featured in 22 matches across all competitions. He won Canada Soccer Player of the Month honours in September.

Jonathan Osorio | #CANMNT | CAN / Toronto FC

Jonathan Osorio wore the captain’s armband in 2020 for both Canada and Toronto FC, helping his club finish second in the league standings and reach the MLS playoffs for the second year in a row. He became the fourth Canadian to make more than 200 MLS appearances and feature in more than 15,000 minutes over the course of his MLS career. From January through November 2020, Osorio featured in 19 matches and scored a goal and three assists across all competitions.

Samuel Piette | #CANMNT | CAN / Impact de Montréal

Samuel Piette wore the captain’s armband in 2020 for both Canada and the Impact de Montréal, helping his club reach the MLS playoffs for the first time in four years. He led all Canadian players in MLS minutes for the second time in three year. He also helped the team reach the Quarter-finals in Concacaf Champions League, with the last three rounds to be played in December. From January through November 2020, Piette featured in 26 matches across all competitions, scored his first MLS goal on 13 September, and played in his 100th match for the Impact on 27 October.