By Mariana Smithfield

Hernández becomes the third player in Crew history to win multiple MLS Player of the Month honors

NEW YORK (Friday, July 26, 2024) – Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Month for July 2024.

Hernández led MLS with seven goal contributions during the month of July (three goals, four assists) and his four assists were tied for the second most in MLS. The Colombian forward provided either the game-winning goal or game-winning assist in all three of Columbus’ victories during July. Hernández had a standout performance in the 2023 MLS Cup presented by Audi rematch on July 13, as he contributed one goal and one assist in Columbus’ 5-1 victory over LAFC at BMO Stadium. With a goal and an assist in that match, he joined Jeff Cunningham (2001-02) and Stern John (1998-99) as the only players in club history with 20 goal contributions in consecutive seasons.

Later in July, Hernández totaled his 80th goal contribution over the past three seasons, becoming the first player in Crew history to accomplish the feat. One of the leading Landon Donovan MLS MVP candidates, Hernández has scored 13 goals and added eight assists in just 18 appearances this season. The dynamic forward has also scored six game-winning goals in 2024, which is tied for the third most in the league, trailing only Luciano Acosta (seven) and Denis Bouanga (seven). Hernández capped off his month by scoring in the 2024 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target, marking the sixth different major competition or match in the last 12 months that he has scored a goal in – MLS regular season, 2023 Leagues Cup, 2023 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, 2023 MLS Cup presented by Audi, 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, and the 2024 MLS All-Star Game.

This is the second time that Hernández has been named MLS Player of the Month after winning the honor in September 2023. Hernández joins Guillermo Barros Schelotto (three) and Brad Friedel (two) as the only players in Crew history to win MLS Player of the Month multiple times.

Hernández and the Crew will play a Leagues Cup Showcase match against Aston Villa on Saturday, July 27 (8 p.m. ET) before entering the official competition in the Round of 32, where they will host the second-place finisher from West 4 (Chicago Fire FC, Sporting Kansas City, and Toluca) on August 9 at Lower.com Field (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).

MLS Player of the Month is voted upon by a panel of select national media members in a process conducted by MLS Communications.

COURTESY MLS COMMUNICATIONS