Resurgent Inter Miami forward Gonzalo Higuain voted MLS Comeback Player of the Year

Gonzalo Higuain got one final award to end his illustrious career.

The Inter Miami forward, who retired at the conclusion of the season, was voted the 2022 MLS Comeback Player of the Year. Higuain, 34, overcame personal adversity and injury to lead the team to the playoffs, scoring 16 goals. He struggled early, was benched by coaches and booed by the fans, but had a resurgence in mid-July and scored 14 goals in the final 16 games.

“Thank you to everybody who voted for me, this is a symbol of my career: fight, fight, and fight some more to achieve my goals,” said Higuaín after being surprised with the news at home by his partner Lara, his daughter Alma and his father Jorge.

Higuaín hit a rough patch during the 2021 season following the loss of his mother, and he suffered a slow start and injuries to begin 2022.

But he worked extra hard to get in peak fitness and was motivated by the addition of playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo. On July 13, he came on as a second-half substitute and scored a sensational goal against eventual Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia Union. His 14 goals over the last half of the season were second only to Philadelphia’s Daniel Gazdag (15). Higuain said he rediscovered his love for the sport this season.

His 0.82 goals per 90 minutes average was the best in MLS among players to log at least 1,500 minutes. He also scored game-winning goals in three consecutive matches during Miami’s playoff push in September.

Higuain’s career spanned nearly 18 years, three World Cups, and stints at River Plate, Real Madrid and Juventus. He scored over 350 goals. He said he plans to stay in the Miami area and study mental health in the hopes he can someday become a mental health/sports psychology coach for soccer players.