Seven months ago it seemed like Sebastian Giovinco would not be able to make his MLS debut until the midseason transfer window opened on July 8th. Instead, Toronto FC hammered through a deal with Juventus, that saw the 28-year-old Italian arrive at the Canadian club in February. If the assumed details of Giovinco’s contract are correct, he has the potential to be the highest paid player in the MLS this season, and the success we have witnessed from him recently suggests Toronto FC knew what they were doing. How Juventus fans wish that the “Atomic Ant” had displayed the type of goal scoring prowess in the Serie A that we have become accustomed to in the MLS.
So far Giovinco has made 22 appearances; scoring 16 goals and providing 11 assists. If he keeps his strike rate up, there is no doubt he will have a shot at breaking the record of 27 goals scored by a player in a single MLS season. This fantastic rate of one goal every 120 minutes is not a feat the diminutive player ever managed during his time in the Italian league. Though Giovinco did not start as many games for Juventus as he would have liked in the 2013-14 season, he only managed 2 goals in 10 starts and 22 appearances from the bench. In fact, the only season he’s had any sort of prolific scoring rate was when he was top dog during his loan at Parma,netting 15 goals and serving up 11 assists in 36 appearances for the Italian club. His next season was his most productive for Juventus, but managed 11 goals and 6 assists in all competitions, a season in which he was handed 31 competitive starts for The Old Lady. What Giovinco’s scoring record has made clear is that he thrives when he is the star player of the front line but falters when his starting role is under threat.
What sets the 5’5” Giovinco apart from other designated players signed to MLS clubs is that he arrived with a chip on his shoulder- hungry to prove that he is a top class talent who can carry a team. When examining the likes of Thierry Henry,David Beckham, Kaka or even the most recent bunch of summer signings which include Premier League duo Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, what stands out is that unlike Giovinco, they come to the MLS at the tail end of exemplary playing careers. 28 year old Giovinco, on the other hand, is entering his prime. The explosive start to Giovinco’s season can be explained as a player trying to prove his critics wrong after failing to perform for his hometown club, who selected him for their academy at the tender age of 9, but only handed him his professional debut in 2007.
Barring serious injury, Giovinco is the front-runner for the MLS Landon Donovan MVP award this season and deservedly so. His skill on the ball combined with blistering pace has been turning defenders inside out all season long, and hisaptitude for shooting from distance has been mesmerizing. Giovinco has also taken on the responsibility as the club’s dead ball specialist, repaying the faith with some spectacular strikes from range. It is clear that Greg Vanney, the Toronto FC coach, has given Giovinco a free reign, as the Italian has attempted 124 shots this season, as compared to the next highest shot taker on the team, Michael Bradley, with just 30 attempts. Giovinco is also helped off the ball by the high quality talent surrounding him; with Michael Bradley behind him and Jozy Altidore at his side, there are plenty of opportunities to add to his already impressive statistics.
As an American hoping for a league that could someday rival the top European counterparts in terms of talent and competition, the success of Giovinco is exhilarating. The fact that a player in his prime who has a point to prove has been rewarded with an extremely lucrative contract should prove tempting for other players in Europe, pointing to a bright future for the MLS.
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