Landslide vote hands Sebastian Giovinco Major League Soccer's Most Valuable Player award

Photo credit: AFP.

Italian striker Sebastian Giovinco, a former Juventus star who scored 22 goals for Toronto this past season, was named Wednesday as Major League Soccer’s 2015 Most Valuable Player.

The 28-year-old from Turin was the league’s joint-top scorer and laid on a league-best 16 assists for the Canadian club in his debut season, leading Toronto FC to its first playoff appearance.

Giovinco also captured the MLS Golden Boot and Newcomer of the Year awards and was named to the North American league’s Best 11 all-star squad.

In voting from players, team executives and a media panel, Giovinco received 258.97 points to 13.06 for runner-up Kei Kamara of Columbus.

Giovinco scored 42 goals in Serie A matches with Juventus, Empoli and Parma and netted his lone international goal for Italy against Japan in a 4-3 win at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.

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