Could Christian Pulisic be unseated as U.S. Soccer’s Male Player of the Year?
The Chelsea man has claimed the honor in two of the last three years, a run interrupted only by Zack Steffen in 2018.
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No men’s player has won the award in three of four seasons, and no one’s claimed the honor in consecutive seasons since Clint Dempsey in 2011 and 2012 followed up Landon Donovan’s wins in 2009 and 2010.
Here are the nominees for Male, Female, Young Male, Young Female, and Player of the Year With a Disability.
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2020 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year
- Pulisic became a Premier League star at Chelsea, scoring as recently as this weekend.
- Tyler Adams, who scored a decisive goal for RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals versus Atletico Madrid
- Sergino Dest, who shone for Ajax before sealing a big money move and regular minutes at Barcelona.
- Weston McKennie, who was a mainstay for Schalke before moving to Juventus, where he’s scored in consecutive matches versus Torino and Barcelona.
- Jordan Morris, perhaps the top player in Major League Soccer this season and an MLS Cup finalist
- Gyasi Zardes, also an MLS Cup finalist who scored a boatload of goals in 2020.
Pulisic’s two wins already have him in lofty company at age 22. Multiple winners include Donovan (4), Dempsey (3), Kasey Keller (3), Tim Howard (2), Jozy Altidore (2), and Marcelo Balboa (2).
2020 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year
On the women’s side, Julie Ertz will not claim her third honor in four years. The USWNT defender is not one of five finalists for Female Player of the Year.
The nominees are:
- Abby Dahlkemper, who played the most USWNT minutes for the second-straight year.
- Crystal Dunn, who started every USWNT game in 2020
- Lindsey Horan tied for the team lead in goals.
- Sam Mewis, who plays for Man City along with USWNT star Rose Lavelle
- Christen Press, who moved to Manchester United with teammate Tobin Heath
None of the nominees have previously won the award.
2020 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year
- Brenden Aaronson, Philadelphia Union
- Mark McKenzie, Philadelphia Union
- Chris Richards, Bayern Munich
- Giovanni Reyna, Borussia Dortmund
- Yunus Musah, Valencia
2020 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year
- Mia Fishel, UCLA and U-20 YNT
- Naomi Girma, Stanford University and U-20 YNT
- Trinity Rodman, Washington State University and U-20 YNT
2020 U.S. Soccer Player of the Year With a Disability
- Adam Ballou, U.S. Para 7-a-Side National Team
- CP youth soccer
- Jordan Dickey, U.S. Power Soccer National Team