July 5, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release
CHICAGO – Chicago Fire FC forward Hugo Kuipers was named Major League Soccer Gameday Player of the Week for Game 24 following the team’s win over the Philadelphia Union at Soldier Field on Wednesday night.
Cuypers scored his first two career goals, including the game-winning goal in the 90+2′ as part of the Fire’s dramatic 4-3 win over Philadelphia Union. In his debut MLS season, Cuypers leads the Fire with nine goals, and has scored six in his last six games. Among MLS players with at least nine goals this season, the Belgian forward is one of six who has not scored from the penalty spot.
The win also marks just the second time this season that the Fire have come from behind to win by two goals. Prior to this year, Chicago had not won a game by a two-goal margin since Aug. 23, 2009, and had not scored three goals after 80 minutes since July 4, 2001.
With Chicago down 3-1 late in the second half, Cuypers pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute when he headed Chris Mueller’s cross into an empty net. After Gastón Giménez equalized in the 89th minute, Chicago and Cuypers took all three points when they volleyed Maren Haile-Selassie’s looping cross into the net at 90+2′.
Cuypers is the first Chicago player to be named MLS Matchday Player of the Year since Jhon Durán on Matchday 20 in 2022. Along with D.C. United’s Christian Benteke (2), Belgians have won three Matchday Player of the Year awards this season, joining Argentina (4) and Colombia (4) as the only nations with at least three in 2024.
Chicago travels to Northern California to face the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday, July 7. Kickoff at PayPal Park is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass and locally on wlsam.com (English) and WRTO 1200 AM (Spanish).
The MLS Matchday Player of the Year is selected each matchday of the regular season by a media and fan vote conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Writers (NASR) makes up 75% of the vote, while X (formerly Twitter) fan votes make up the remaining 25%. The NASR is comprised of members from print, television, radio and online media.
2024 MLS Matchday MVP Award Winners
Match Day Players Club
1st and 2nd leg Christian Benteke DC United
Matchday 3 Luis Suarez Inter Miami CF
Matchday 4 Giorgos Giakoumackis Atlanta United
Matchday 5 Luis Suarez Inter Miami CF
Game 6 Lewis Morgan New York Red Bulls
Match Day 7 Chicho Arango Real Salt Lake
Matchday 8 Raúl Ruidíaz Seattle Sounders FC
Day 9 Lionel Messi Inter Miami CF
Match Day 10 Chicho Arango Real Salt Lake
11 games Lionel Messi Inter Miami CF
12th game Lionel Messi Inter Miami CF
13 games Christian Benteke DC United
Matchday 14 Dennis Buanga Los Angeles Football Club
Matchday 15 Federico Bernardeschi Toronto FC
Matchday 16 Luca Orellano FC Cincinnati
17 Saba Lobyanidze Atlanta United
Match Day 18 Chicho Arango Real Salt Lake
Matchday 19 Aljaž Ivačič New England Revolution
20th game Yuya Kubo FC Cincinnati
Matchday 21 Petar Musa FC Dallas
Matchday 22 Cucho Hernandez Columbus Crew
Match Day 23 Brian White Vancouver Whitecaps FC
24 games Hugo Kuipers Chicago Fire FC
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