The 2012 MLS MVP Award went to what San Jose star?

The 2012 MLS MVP Award went to San Jose star Chris Wondolowski.

Wondolowski won the Volkswagen MLS Most Valuable Player award after a remarkable 2012 season with the San Jose Earthquakes. He scored 27 regular-season goals, tying the league’s single-season scoring record at the time, and won his second MLS Golden Boot as the league’s leading scorer.

His scoring helped San Jose finish first in the regular-season standings and claim the Supporters’ Shield. Wondolowski also set an MLS record with 11 game-winning goals that season. The award made him the first player in Earthquakes history to win the league’s top individual honor.

The main possible confusion is with the MLS Cup, which is awarded to the playoff champion rather than the regular-season MVP. Wondolowski’s 2012 honor recognized his individual performance across the league season. He later became one of MLS’s most productive and recognizable American forwards.