Just like the top four teams in the NWSL were vastly superior to the rest of the pack this season, there are (in this humble writer’s opinion) a few obvious choices for individual awards.
That has been the story of this campaign: Last year’s historic parity was replaced by a landscape in which the best teams just kept winning and the bad teams couldn’t keep up. Top individual performers were also clearly superior to their peers in several cases.
With the regular season complete and the playoffs just days away, here are ESPN’s picks of the best players in the NWSL for 2024.
Most Valuable Player
Temwa Chawinga, Kansas City Current
I am one of the first people to argue that the Golden Boot winner should not automatically win the MVP award, and I’ve previously cast my votes with care to recognize players who consistently deliver in midfield and defense. This is not the year for that: Chawinga is the league MVP, and there is no argument.
Chawinga scored 20 goals in her first season in the league, breaking Sam Kerr‘s previous mark of 18. The Malawi star proved to be an electric forward from her debut in March, adapting quickly to read defenses and time her runs accordingly. Her speed is as unmatched as her work ethic, and she uses both skills to get behind defenses…
