SEATTLE - With the European leagues coming to an end, The Latin Times takes a look at five players of Latin American descent that stood out from the rest during the 2023-24 season.
Lautaro Martínez - Inter Milan
The Inter Milan captain had his best year yet with the 'Neroazzurri.' Martínez helped Inter secure its 20th league title by scoring a league-high 24 goals, three more than his previous best campaigns.
After spending six seasons with the club, Lautaro finally secured his first "Capocannoniere" award, becoming the ninth different Argentine player to lead the Italian league in goals joining legends such as Gabriel Batistuta, Hernán Crespo and Diego Maradona.
If we include all competitions, Martínez scored a total of 27 goals including two in the UEFA Champions League. It is the third season in a row in which the Argentine scores 20+ goals in all comps.
Vinícius Júnior - Real Madrid
What else can be said about Real Madrid's electric winger?
Vinícius Júnior had yet another spectacular season as he helped Real Madrid to the LaLiga title and another Champions League final.
The Brazilian reached double-figure goals in LaLiga for a third straight season, scoring 15 and setting up five more for his teammates.
He will finish the season among the best and most dangerous dribblers in the league, ranking first in high-impact carries with 18, which are dribbles that help the team gain yards in the final third of the pitch. He also ranks among the top three in terms of total dribbles with 153.
In addition to his 15 league goals, Vini Jr. scored five more in the Champions League and three in the Spanish Super Cup. Out of his 23 goals this season, four of them were against Barcelona including a first-half hat trick in the Super Cup final.
Alexis Mac Allister - Liverpool
The Argentine midfield maestro had a fantastic first season with Liverpool playing in a position that is not his strongest suit. Despite being the deepest player in a midfield of three, Mac Allister was still able to shine and contributed to some big moments for Liverpool throughout the year.
The 25-year-old played in 33 of the team's 38 PL games this season and sored five league goals, out of which four of them were either game-winning or game-tying goals.
His screamer against Fulham in December earned the Argentine the Premier League's Goal of the Month award.
Known for his ability on the ball, Mac Allister wasn't shy of putting his foot across for a challenge. His 99 tackles in league play led all Liverpool players and only three midfielders had more than Mac Allister across the entire league.
Piero Hincapié - Bayer Leverkusen
The young Ecuadorian defender was a key member of Bayer Leverkusen's perfect Bundesliga season. The German club became the third team in Europe's top five leagues this century to finish a league campaign without a loss, joining Arsenal and Juventus.
Hincapié has played in 41 games across all competitions this season, including 26 appearances in the Bundesliga. Out of those, Hincapié started 16 games and Leverkusen kept a clean sheet in 11 of his 16 starts.
His only goal of the season came at a crucial moment for Leverkusen. With the game tied 2-2 against RB Leipzig, Hincapié's left-footed shot in stoppage time gave Leverkusen the win and put them seven points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga table.
Yan Couto - Girona
Along with Leverkusen, Catalan team Girona has been one of the big surprises in Europe this season. The Brazilian Yan Couto was one of the team's best players, racking up eight assists in LaLiga.
Couto played in 33 LaLiga games this season either as a right back or as an advanced midfielder. The 21-year-old ranks among the top three in progressive carries (147) and is one of only two defenders this LaLiga season with more than 100 dribbles attempted (115).
Couto helped Girona qualify to the Champions League for the first time in club history as they are set to finish the season in third place. Such has been his form that Couto earned a spot in Brazil's 26-man list for the upcoming Copa América 2024. His three caps for Brazil have all come since the start of the 2023-24 season.
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