As the engine of Columbus Crew SC's attack from 2022-2024, Cucho Hérnandez never got the opportunity to be crowned MLS MVP.
Instead, there was his constant rivalry with then-FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta, now playing with FC Dallas, and in 2024, he lost out to Lionel Messi, who led Inter Miami CF to an MLS points record of 74 in the regular season.
Yet, the lack of an individual coronation doesn’t matter too much to Hérnandez, now playing football in La Liga with Real Betis, after leaving Columbus just weeks before the 2025 MLS season.
He reached his goals, won an MLS Cup, Leagues Cup and made a run to the Concacaf Champions Cup Final. Meanwhile, the Crew have continued to thrive without him, getting elevated play from Diego Rossi and Jacen Russell-Rowe, while adding Daniel Gazdag.
After landing in MLS in 2022, Hérnandez played a role in one of the best teams of the modern era and also helped push Messi and Inter Miami through several contests, elevating the league into the global spotlight, which led to his move back to Europe.
