June 17, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Cincinnati News Release
FC Cincinnati’s Yuya Kubo was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday for Matchday 20, the league announced Monday.
Kubo earned his first MLS Player of the Matchday honor and earned the seventh MLS Player of the Week/Matchday honor in FC Cincinnati history. Following Luca Orellano’s Matchday 16 Player of the Matchday recognition less than a month ago, he becomes the fourth different player to earn the award (Orellano, Luciano Acosta, Brenner).
Additionally, Kubo and Luciano Acosta were named to MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 20.
In Saturday’s 4-2 win over the San Jose Earthquakes, Kubo netted the fifth hat trick in club history, the first since Brandon Vazquez’s three-goal performance against Chivas last July in Leagues Cup. Kubo, who entered the match in the 64th minute, scored all three goals in the span of nine minutes and 10 seconds which was the second-fastest hat trick scored in MLS play in the last 20 years.
Kubo’s hat trick was the eighth by a substitute in MLS history. With his equalizing and game-winning goals in the 78th and 80th minutes, he helped propel FCC to the club’s third-ever win when trailing at the 75th minute. With the win, the Orange and Blue became the seventh team in MLS history to win at least five consecutive road matches in a single season (excluding the shootout era).
Kubo became the first Japanese player in MLS history to win a Player of the Matchday honor. The Orange and Blue will look to make it nine wins in 10 matches Wednesday against Philadelphia Union. Kickoff from TQL Stadium is set for 7:45 p.m. ET (FS1 | MLS Season Pass on Apple TV | ESPN 1530).
The MLS Player of the Matchday is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while an X (formerly known as Twitter) fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.
All-Time FC Cincinnati Player of the Matchday Winners
Matchday / Year
Player
17 / 2022
Brenner
30 / 2022
Brenner
34 / 2022
Brenner
14 / 2023
Luciano Acosta
34 / 2023
Luciano Acosta
16 / 2024
Luca Orellano
20 / 2024
Yuya Kubo
2024 MLS Player of the Matchday Winners
Matchday
Player
Club
Matchdays 1 and 2
Christian Benteke
D.C. United
Matchday 3
Luis Suárez
Inter Miami CF