Nominees announced for 2024 U.S. Soccer End of Year Awards

CHICAGO – U.S. Soccer has announced the nominees for its 2024 end of year awards, which recognize top performers across all its National Teams.

In addition to players honored for outstanding performances representing the United States throughout the year, U.S. Soccer will recognize the Game of the Year, and for the first time the Federation will celebrate outstanding officiating with the Male and Female Referee of the Year awards.

Fans have the opportunity to vote for all end of year awards on ussoccer.com and at the links below. The fan vote will account for 15 percent of the overall vote tally, with the rest coming from National Team players, coaches, media, and other constituents.

Voting opens on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 9 a.m. CT and concludes on Friday, Dec. 13 at 11:59 p.m. CT. The winners will be announced in January 2025.

The 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year nominees are goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher, defender Naomi Girma and forwards Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson. U.S. Men’s National Team defenders Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson plus forwards Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Christian Pulisic compose the field for Male Player of the Year.

The Young Female Player of the Year nominees are defenders Trinity Armstrong and Jordyn Bugg, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Claire Hutton and forward Ally Sentnor. For Young Male Player of the Year, midfielders Gianluca Busio, Tanner Tessmann and Niko Tsakiris plus forwards Mathis Albert and David Vazquez are the nominees.

Five exhilarating U.S. Soccer matches are in the running for the second annual Game of the Year – the USWNT’s 1-0 victory against Brazil to clinch its record fifth Olympic gold medal, the USWNT’s 4-1 win against Germany in the Olympic group stage, the USMNT’s 2-0 Dos a Cero triumph vs. Mexico to claim its third-straight Concacaf Nations League title and the U.S. Women’s Deaf National Team’s 11-0 dominant dub against Australia in a June friendly. Rounding out the field is the thrilling extra time Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, a dramatic 3-1 victory for LAFC against Sporting Kansas City.

FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

All five USWNT nominees played crucial roles in the USA’s return to the top of the podium at the 2024 Paris Olympics, clinching the team’s fifth gold medal and first since 2012.

After becoming the first defender to win Female Player of the Year in 2023, Naomi Girma put together another excellent campaign leading the back line for the red, white and blue. She was the only field player to play every minute for the U.S. at the Olympics, anchoring the steely U.S. defense, and also added her first two international goals. In November, ESPN FC named her the world’s second-best women’s player of 2024.

Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher backstopped the USA to the gold medal with a number of remarkable performances at the Paris Olympics, allowing just two goals and preserving 1-0 victories for the U.S. in all three of its knockout round games. With her shutout of Brazil in the gold medal game, Naeher became the first goalkeeper to keep clean sheets in a World Cup Final and Olympic Final.

All three members of the vaunted “Triple Espresso” attacking line are also nominated for Player of the Year. Forward Trinity Rodman scored one of the most memorable goals in U.S. history with her overtime wonder strike against Japan in the Olympic quarterfinals, one of four goal contributions at the Games. Forward Sophia Smith led the USA in scoring on the year with nine goals and four assists, while also leading the Portland Thorns in both categories. She netted three goals in two games against Germany at the Olympics, including the semifinal winner. Forward Mallory Swanson is the final nominee and led the U.S. in scoring at the Olympics with four goals and two assists, none more important than the gold medal-clinching goal against Brazil in the Olympic final on the day that she earned her 100th cap.

MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

The five finalists for Male Player of the Year shone as the USMNT secured its third-straight Concacaf Nations League title and started its final march on the road to hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

In just his second year of eligibility, forward Folarin Balogun finds himself nominated for the U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year Award for the second time.  Balogun, 23, was a standout performer during the USMNT’s matches at the 2024 Copa América, scoring goals in back-to-back matches to open the tournament. Balogun also picked up two assists in 2024 to match his two goals. He finished the 2023-24 Ligue 1 season for Monaco with eight goals and seven assists across all competitions, and had three goals and an assist across all competitions to begin the 2024/25 season prior to suffering an injury in October.

Fellow striker Ricardo Pepi has been red-hot this fall to earn his second-straight Male Player of the Year nomination. The Texas native netted in both legs of the Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinal matches vs. Jamaica last month, becoming the fourth player to net 12 goals for the U.S. before turning 22 years old. He’s also taken a leap at the club level with 10 tallies so far this year for PSV Eindhoven across all competitions, averaging 1.55 goals per 90 minutes in the Dutch Eredivisie which includes a hat trick against Groningen.

A four-time winner of Male Player of the Year, forward Christian Pulisic could make history with another win after another year leading the charge for the U.S. attack. His seven goal contributions – four goals and three assists – led the USMNT in the year he reached 75 international caps at the age of 26. He’s become a critical player for Italian power AC Milan, finishing the 2023-24 season with 15 goals and 10 assists and starting this campaign with five goals and four assists through 13 matches in Serie A and three goals in the Champions League.

Defender Tim Ream captained the U.S. in all four of its matches under Pochettino this fall, including two victories in the CNL Quarterfinals, and finished second in minutes among field players in 2024 having made the second-most appearances in his 12-year international career. Moving from a storied career at Fulham back to MLS, he led Charlotte FC to the playoffs in their third season in the league.

Fellow defender and former club teammate Antonee Robinson rounds out the list of nominees. “Jedi” started all 11 matches for which he was available, playing the second-most games and minutes of his career in a calendar year. A starter in all four of the USA’s shutouts in 2024, he recorded the game-winning assist when he set up Ricardo Pepi for the third goal in the 4-2 win against Jamaica in the Nations League Quarterfinals. Robinson has become one of the top outside backs in the English Premier League with Fulham, winning 2023-24 Player of the Year for the club. 

YOUNG FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

It was a banner year for the Women’s Youth National Team program, as both the U-20 and U-17 WYNTs reached the podium as bronze medalists at their respective World Cups. Defender Trinity Armstrong was a leader for the U.S. at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the Dominican Republic, playing every minute as part of a back line that allowed just one goal over the final five games of the tournament. Jordyn Bugg was similarly steely for the USA defense at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia, playing all but four minutes at the tournament despite playing an age group up.

Midfielder Kennedy Fuller starred for the U.S. at the Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship and the U-17 World Cup, winning the Golden Ball at World Cup qualifying as the tournament’s best player. At the World Cup, her four goals and three assists led the team in scoring and she took home the Silver Boot as second-best scorer, captaining the U.S. for three of six matches.

Midfielder Claire Hutton held down the middle of the park for the U.S. at the U-20 World Cup, starting five games while playing up an age group. She also put together a strong club season as one of the best American teenagers in the National Women’s Soccer League, starting consistently for Kansas City Current during the club’s stellar campaign.

Forward Ally Sentnor finished 2024 by earning her first senior USWNT call-up after one of the most decorated WYNT careers in recent history, scoring at almost every youth level. She captained the U.S. at the U-20 World Cup and took home the Bronze Ball as the tournament’s third-best player, scoring three goals, and is a finalist for NWSL Rookie of the Year after being drafted No. 1 overall earlier this year. 

YOUNG MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

As the U.S. men returned to the Olympics for the first time in 16 years, midfielders Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann led the charge for the team’s best finish since Sydney 2000. Tessmann captained the U.S. at Paris 2024, playing every minute for the U.S. in France, while Busio started two matches, adding a goal in the group stage against New Zealand. The duo helped lead Venezia back to the Italian top flight after playing key roles throughout the 2023-24 season and have been a part of all four games under new USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino this fall.

Two nominees come from the USA’s impressive runner-up finish at the Concacaf U-20 Championship, clinching qualification to the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Midfielder Niko Tsakiris won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player while also installing himself as a regular presence with the San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer. Forward David Vazquez won the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer with three goals and two assists after signing as a Homegrown Player with the Philadelphia Union earlier this year.

The youngest nominee for Young Male Player of the Year is 15-year-old forward Mathis Albert. The attacker bagged braces for both the U-16 and U-17 MYNTs this year in big moments and made a move to German giant Borussia Dortmund over the summer, netting seven goals for the club’s U-19 and U-17 squads. 

GAME OF THE YEAR

The USMNT clinched its third-straight Concacaf Nations League title with its latest Dos a Cero triumph against Mexico on March 24, marking its 10th continental championship and seventh-straight victory versus its archrival. Tyler Adams scored a spectacular opening goal and Gio Reyna netted on the other side of halftime.

On June 1, the U.S. Women’s Deaf National Team played the first-ever Extended National Team matchup to be broadcast on television and showed out in a 11-0 victory against Australia. Emily Spreeman’s six goals were the most ever by a senior National Team player in an 11-a-side match.

The USWNT took a major step towards its gold medal hopes on July 28 in its group stage showdown against world No. 4 Germany, a dominant 4-1 victory for the Americans. Sophia Smith bagged a brace while Mallory Swanson and Lynn Williams also added goals to clinch a spot in the knockout rounds.

After two 1-0 extra time victories in the Olympic quarterfinals and semifinals, the U.S. secured its fifth gold medal and first since 2012 with a dramatic 1-0 win against Brazil on July 28. Playing in her 100th match, Swanson netted the game-winning goal in the 57th minute while goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher put on another stellar performance, making four saves as she became the first netminder in women’s soccer history to record a clean sheet in both the World Cup Final and Olympic Final.

It took extra time to determine the winner of the 109th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a thrilling 3-1 result for LAFC to take home its first title on Sept. 25. Omar Campos broke the 1-1 deadlock late in the first period of added extra time, while MLS legend Kei Kamara put an exclamation point on things for LAFC.

MALE AND FEMALE REFEREES OF THE YEAR

For the first time in 2024, U.S. Soccer will recognize Male and Female Referees of the Year. The nominees work at the highest levels of American soccer, officiating on the domestic professional circuit, as well as high-profile international matches as members of the FIFA Panel.

FIFA Assistant Referee Kyle Atkins has been a member of the FIFA Panel since 2018. This year, he ran the sideline for matches at the Copa América, FIFA World Cup qualifying, the Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinals and more in addition to 23 MLS games. Professional Referee Organization (PRO) Referee Guido Gonzalez Jr. has overseen 24 MLS matches this season, plus the 2024 MLS All-Star Game. Longtime FIFA Panel Assistant Referee Corey Parker had a busy year, officiating at the Copa América, FIFA World Cup qualifying, the Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinals and other international competitions plus 23 MLS games.

PRO Referee Ismir Pekmic has been an MLS Referee since 2020 and has been on call for 18 matches this season, including two MLS Cup Playoff games. Veteran FIFA Referee Armando Villarreal oversaw the action at the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final in addition to 17 MLS matches and assignments at the Copa América, Concacaf Nations League, Concacaf Champions Cup and more.

A number of top American female referees had the opportunity to shine at continental and world championship competition in 2024. FIFA Assistant Referees Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt plus FIFA Referee Tori Penso worked the 2024 Women’s Olympic Soccer Tournament, Concacaf Nations League, the Concacaf W Gold Cup Semifinals and more. Mayo ran the sideline for 20 MLS matches, Nesbitt officiated 18 and Simon oversaw nine.

Now in her second year on the FIFA Panel, Alyssa Nichols officiated at the Concacaf Caribbean Cup and Concacaf W Champions Cup in addition to the NWSL Championship, one of 13 league matches she oversaw this year. Rounding out the nominees, FIFA Referee Natalie Simon oversaw seven top-flight professional matches between MLS and NWSL, while also officiating games at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, FIFA World Cup qualifying, the Concacaf W Gold Cup and more.