Portland Timbers Darlington Nagbe named 2015 MLS Individual Fair Play Award winner

PORTLAND, Ore. – Major League Soccer today announced that Portland Timbers midfielder Darlington Nagbe is the recipient of the 2015 Individual Fair Play Award.

The Fair Play Award is selected by MLS based on objective criteria such as fouls committed, cards received, games and minutes played, as well as subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior.

Nagbe, 25, appeared in 33 games (all starts) for the Timbers during the 2015 regular season, moving into a tie for the club’s all-time career record in appearances (160) across all eras. Logging five goals and five assists in his fifth MLS campaign, Nagbe was the second-most fouled player (87) this season behind only Toronto FC forward Sebastian Giovinco (90). Nagbe, who earned NASR MLS Player of the Week honors for Week 34 of the regular season after registering a brace and an assist in a 4-1 win against the Colorado Rapids on Oct. 25, was not issued a yellow card in 2,842 minutes this season. Earning his American citizenship in September, Nagbe received his first call-up to the U.S. Men’s National Team on Friday for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Nov. 13 and Trinidad and Tobago on Nov. 17.

The honor marks the second time in the last three seasons that Nagbe has received the MLS Individual Fair Play Award, also winning in 2013. He is the fifth MLS player to win the award multiple times since 1997.

Other finalists for the 2015 Individual Fair Play Award included Timbers defender Nat Borchers and San Jose Earthquakes defender Marvell Wynne.

Individual Fair Play Award - Individual Winners
2015: Darlington Nagbe – Portland Timbers
2014: Michael Parkhurst – Columbus Crew SC
2013: Darlington Nagbe – Portland Timbers
2012: Logan Pause – Chicago Fire
2011: Sébastien Le Toux – Philadelphia Union
2010: Sébastien Le Toux – Philadelphia Union
2009: Steve Ralston – New England Revolution
2008: Michael Parkhurst – New England Revolution
2007: Michael Parkhurst – New England Revolution
2006: Chris Klein – Real Salt Lake
2005: Ronald Cerritos – San Jose Earthquakes
2004: Eddie Pope – MetroStars
2003: Brian McBride – Columbus Crew
2002: Mark Chung – Colorado Rapids
2001: Alex Pineda Chacon – Miami Fusion
2000: Steve Ralston – Tampa Bay Mutiny
1999: Steve Ralston – Tampa Bay Mutiny
1998: Thomas Dooley – Columbus Crew
1997: Mark Chung – Kansas City Wizards