Alonso Martínez led New York City FC to a historic Hudson River Derby win in Matchday 35 to earn MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra honors.
Martínez scored twice as the Cityzens routed the New York Red Bulls 5-1 at Red Bull Arena, clinching a spot in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs with the most lopsided victory ever over their crosstown rivals.
The Costa Rican international's brace was his fourth multi-goal game of the season, giving him 14g/3a in just 1,262 minutes of action. Among all qualifying players (minimum five goals), Martínez’s 1.00 goals per 90 minutes average this season ranks second in the league, behind only Inter Miami CF’s Lionel Messi (1.01).
Martínez is the first New York City FC player to be named MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra since Valentín ‘Taty’ Castellanos in Matchday 7 of 2022. Martínez and Nashville SC’s Randall Leal (Matchday 22, 2023) are the only Costa Rican players in the last decade to receive the award.
New York City FC continue their chase for a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference when hosting FC Cincinnati Wednesday night in Matchday 36 (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra 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.
