Kansas City Comets forward Rian Marques wins MASL MVP after career year

Rian Marques’ rise from a promising piece to the centerpiece of the Kansas City Comets’ offense has reached a new peak.

The 30-year-old forward was named the 2025-26 Most Valuable Player in the Major Arena Soccer League, capping a dominant season in which he emerged as the league’s most complete attacking force.

Marques becomes the sixth MVP in more than four decades of professional indoor soccer in Kansas City and the fourth in the modern Comets era, joining a group that includes Leo Gibson (2014-15), Geison Moura (2011-12), Byron Alvarez (2010-11) and Dino Delevski (2001-02 and 2002-03).

In his sixth season with the Comets, Marques delivered the most productive campaign of his career. The Brazil native led the MASL with 52 points (29 goals, 23 assists) across 21 games, earning the league’s scoring title while averaging a league-best 2.5 points per game.

“It was a challenging season for me personally, dealing with a tough injury,” Marques said. “It feels good to receive this award as a result of a lot of hard work. I put a lot of work into each season, always trying to get better than the previous one, and I can say I have been able to do that.”

Marques also showcased his versatility as a goalscorer and facilitator by sharing the Passmaster Award for most assists, in addition to finishing first in points and second in goals. The 2025 MASL All-Star became the Comets’ first 50-point scorer in more than half a decade.

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Marques has long been a physical presence with remarkable skills in hold-up play, but this season brought the best of his efficiency and overall influence. Marques converted 33% of his shots and was directly involved in 42% of the Comets’ goals, the highest mark in the league.

The MVP honor headlines a strong showing for Kansas City in the league’s postseason awards, with Marques also earning a selection to the MASL Elite Six.

Defender Chad Vandegriffe earned All-MASL First Team honors after leading the league in blocks for the second straight season and becoming the MASL’s all-time leader in the category. Forward Zach Reget also landed on the first team after producing 43 points, including a career-high 16 assists.

Goalkeeper Phillip Ejimadu was named to the All-MASL Second Team following a career-high 232 saves this season, while defender Lesia Thetsane joined him after a breakout year that featured 19 goals and 32 blocks.

The Comets’ season concluded in heartbreaking fashion, losing the Knockout Game to the St. Louis Ambush earlier this month. Still, with an MVP and five All-MASL selections, the Comets’ mark on the season was indelible.

“I believe that as a team, we were very inconsistent throughout the season and definitely far away from our goal,” Marques said. “We just have to learn from it and get better.”

For Marques, the award represents the culmination of all his growth since joining the Comets in 2021 out of Central Methodist University. After earning All-Rookie Team honors and helping Kansas City to multiple deep playoff runs, he initially took a significant leap last season before injuries plagued his MVP candidacy, only for the veteran to return and power through a lingering back injury to complete the job this season.

Now, Marques sits alongside some all-time greats, both on the Comets and in the MASL. His impact on the Comets’ attack has never been greater.