By Esmerelda Emerald Espino

Acosta earns his third career Player of the Month honors and his second since 2022

NEW YORK (Friday, July 21, 2023) – FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Month for July 2023.

In just four matches, Acosta led MLS with seven goal contributions (three goals, four assists) during the month of July, contributing to 78 percent of the club’s goals during the month. The midfielder recorded multiple goal contributions in three of the four matches during the month, while helping Cincinnati to a 2-0-2 record in the month.

Acosta is having a sensational season for the Supporters’ Shield leading FC Cincinnati, recording a career-high 12 goals and adding eight assists for the club. Acosta’s 20 goal contributions are the second-most in MLS, trailing only fellow All-Star midfielder Hany Mukhtar (21). Earlier this season, the 29-year-old midfielder became the only active MLS player to reach 70 career assists (72) and 50 career goals (53). He was also voted the captain of the 2023 MLS All-Star Game and started the contest.

This is the third time in his career that Acosta has garnered Player of the Month accolades and he joins Mukhtar as the only players to have earned the distinction in both the 2022 (June) and 2023 seasons. Acosta also won the award in September 2018 while starring with D.C. United. FC Cincinnati has taken home three of the 12 Player of the Month awards since the start of the 2022 season (Acosta, June 2022 and July 2023; Brenner, September/October 2022).

FC Cincinnati opens up play in Leagues Cup 2023 on Sunday, July 23 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass), as they welcome Sporting Kansas City to TQL Stadium, before facing off against LIGA MX’s Guadalajara on Thursday, July 27 (8 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).

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