New York City FC forward Valentin Castellanos has been voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Month by members of the media for August of the 2021 MLS season.
Castellanos scored four goals and added two assists in August, and was involved in each one of NYCFC’s goals over the month as they won two games and drew two others. Castellanos finished the month tied for sixth place in the standings for the MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi, with 10 goals on the season, while also tied for 10th place in the MLS assist standings with six in 2021.
Castellanos recorded either a multiple-goal or multiple-assist game in each of his games on the scoresheet for the month. He started with assists on both NYCFC’s goals in a 2-2 draw vs. Toronto FC on Aug. 7.
Then on Aug. 14, Castellanos scored both goals in NYCFC’s 2-0 win against Inter Miami CF, both coming in the first half. Two weeks later, on Aug. 28, Castellanos again scored both NYCFC goals in a 2-0 win, this time vs. Eastern Conference leaders New England Revolution, the opener in the 31st minute and the second in the 55th. They were the fifth and sixth multiple-goal games of Castellanos’s MLS career.
Castellanos was named MLS Player of the Month for the second time, also garnering the honor in September/October 2020.
New York City FC will next be in action Saturday, Sept. 11, when they face the New England Revolution at Yankee Stadium (7 p.m. ET / ESPN+ and YES Network).
MLS Player of the Month is voted upon by a panel of select national media members in a process conducted by MLS Communications.
