Year 2 bump: 10 MLS stars who can level up in 2024
An MLS truism: International signings often experience a much-improved second season in the league.
Updated through 2022
Los Angeles Football Club (2020): In the 2020 MLS season, Rossi appeared in 19 matches, all starts, logging 1,698 minutes. Rossi notably scored 14 goals and added four assists. MLS regular season & MLS is Back Best XI, MLS regular season & MLS is Back Best Young Player, MLS regular season & MLS is Back Best Golden Boot winner.
At 22, became the youngest-ever MLS Golden Boot winner.
Earned MLS Player of the Week honors for week 9.
Los Angeles Football Club (2019): In the 2019 MLS season, Rossi started 33 of 34 regular season matches, adding 16 goals and seven assists in 2,899’ minutes played. Notably, Rossi played 90’ at forward during the Club’s first ever MLS Cup Playoff win, a 5-3 victory against the LA Galaxy on October 24; tallied one goal and two assists. Furthermore, Rossi started and played a full 90’ for the Club’s 3-1 Western Conference Final loss against the Seattle Sounders on October 29. That season, the Uruguayan international earned MLS Player of the Week honors in week’s four (bench), six and 27. Rossi was also named to 2019 MLS All-Star Game.
Los Angeles Football Club (2018): In the 2018 MLS season, Rossi started 30 of 32 regular season appearances, scoring 12 goals and adding seven assists (total minutes played 2,608). The Uruguayan international scored Club’s first-ever goal on the 11th minute in 1-0 victory at the Seattle Sounders (March 4). Rossi tallied first five-point-game in MLS since 2008 in a 5-1 win at Real Salt Lake (March 10). Rossi ended season as the Club’s top scorer across all competitions, with 17 goals and 10 assists. At the end of the season, Rossi finished Top 3 in MLS’s “22 Under 22”. Rossi was also named the MLS Player of the Week in week two.*
Club Atlético Peñarol*
'15-'17: The Montevideo, Uruguay native made his First Team regular season debut in April, 2016. Rossi appeared in nine matches, scoring two goals in all competitions. Rossi also part of the Peñarol squad that won the Uruguayan Primera División Championship for the 2015-16 season. Rossi went on to appear in 42 matches, recording 11 goals with 11 assists, logging 2,580 total minutes played across all competitions. Rossi was again part of the Peñarol squad that won the Uruguayan Primera División.