Frank Lampard has been short-listed for the MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award, after a fantastic season with New York City. His fellow nominees are Kevin Molino and Chris Pontius from Orlando City SC and Philadelphia Union respectively. The award will be announced on 16 November. Here’s the full list of nominations on the Major League Soccer (MLS) website.
Former Chelsea midfielder Lampard has scripted quite a story in the United States. His stint with New York City has been eventful right from the get-go. After signing in 2014, he spent the whole of the next season on loan at Premier League side Manchester City. He opted to stay on for the second half even when an option to return presented itself.
Needless to say, that didn’t endear him to the New Yorkers too much. This season, a calf injury delayed his first appearance, and the Englishman was booed by his own fans when making his bow against city rivals New York Red Bulls in May. He was labeled the “worst signing in MLS history” by Bob Williams from the Telegraph.
Since then, Lampard has gone on a run that not silenced all his critics, but also forced them to stand and applaud. He has scored 12 goals for New York City this season, helping them make the play-offs. The 38 year-old has proven that he still has it in him to make those trademark late runs into the box and get on the end of crosses. This is what defined his illustrious Premier League career, where he scored a total of 177 goals, the highest number for a midfielder.
A turning point in his career in the US was the hat-trick he scored against the Colorado Rapids in July. This was not only Lampard’s first treble for the club, but the first ever in the club’s history. “Super Frank” hasn’t looked back since, and continues to defy the odds and scale greater heights.
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