Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga was named the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League MVP on Friday, one day ahead of the league’s championship match.
Chawinga set a new single-season NWSL record with 20 goals this year for the Current.
She also scored the lone goal in the team’s quarterfinal victory and both goals in the championship of the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup last month.
“From the moment Temwa came to Kansas City, we knew she was capable of playing at an MVP level,” general manager Caitlin Carducci said in a statement.
“Not only has she been an incredible player on the pitch, she’s also been an incredible teammate and representative of the organization off it. Temwa laid an incredible foundation with her play in 2024, and we’re so excited for what’s to come in the years ahead.”
Chawinga is the eighth NWSL Golden Boot winner to also win MVP in the same season since the league’s launch in 2013. She is the first African international to win either award.
The 26-year-old Malawi international arrived in Kansas City this year from the Chinese Super League and took the league by storm in the first season with her eye for goal and her game-changing speed.
Chawinga scored in 13 of the Current’s final 14 matches of the regular season, including goals in eight straight games, which was a first in league history.
She also scored a goal against all 13 other NWSL teams this season, another first, and she added five assists to the Current’s league-record 57 goals this season.
Chawinga’s 20 goals broke Sam Kerr’s previous record of 18 in a season, which Kerr scored in 21 games.
Chawinga played in 25 regular-season games this year.
The next closest scorer in the regular season was Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda, who finished with 13 goals.
Banda scored in last week’s semifinal to help Orlando eliminate Kansas City from the playoffs.
Orlando takes on the Washington Spirit on Saturday in the NWSL Championship at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City.
History of NWSL MVPs
2013: Lauren Holiday, FC Kansas City midfielder
2014: Kim Little, Seattle Reign FC midfielder
2015: Crystal Dunn, Washington Spirit forward
2016: Lynn Williams, Western New York Flash forward
2017: Sam Kerr, Sky Blue FC forward
2018: Lindsey Horan, Portland Thorns FC midfielder
2019: Sam Kerr: Chicago Red Stars forward
2021: Jess Fishlock, OL Reign midfielder
2022: Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns FC forward
2023: Kerolin, North Carolina Courage forward
