Jeff Carlisle, U.S. soccer correspondentDec 3, 2024, 03:27 PM ET
- Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC.
The U.S. Soccer Federation announced its end of year awards for 2024, which in addition to player awards includes the Game of the Year, as well as Female and Male Referee of the Year awards.
It's the first time the USSF has included referees in its year-end awards.
The Female Player of the year nominees include all three members of the "Triple Espresso" attack comprised of Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, Portland Thorns forward Sophia Smith and the Chicago Red Stars' Mallory Swanson. Also included are last year's winner, San Diego Wave defender Naomi Girma as well as Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.
All five were part of the United States' successful run to the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The Male Player of the Year is headlined by four-time winner Christian Pulisic of AC Milan, AS Monaco forward Folarin Balogun, PSV Eindhoven's Ricardo Pepi, Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson.
Another triumph for Pulisic would see him set the record for most wins, a mark he currently shares with Landon Donovan. Fans will make up 15 percent of the vote, with the remainder taken up by national team players, coaches, media, and other constituents.
Fans will be able to vote online at ussoccer.com beginning on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 9 a.m. CT and ending on Friday, Dec. 13 at 11:59 p.m. CT.
The winners will be announced in January of 2025.
The Young Female Player of the Year nominees are University of North Carolina defender Trinity Armstrong and Seattle Reign defender Jordyn Bugg, Angel City FC midfielder Kennedy Fuller, Kansas City Current midfielder Claire Hutton and Utah Royals forward Ally Sentnor.
The Young Male Player of the Year nominees are Venezia midfielder Gianluca Busio, Lyon's Tanner Tessmann, San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Niko Tsakiris plus forwards Mathis Albert of Borussia Dortmund and the Philadelphia Union's David Vazquez .
Five U.S. Soccer matches are in the running for the second annual Game of the Year including 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 dominant 11-0 win against Australia in a June friendly.
Rounding out the field is the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final which saw LAFC claim a 3-1 victory in extra time over Sporting Kansas City.
The nominees for Male Referee of the Year are Kyle Atkins, Guido Gonzalez Jr., Corey Parker, Ismir Pekmic and Armando Villarreal. The nominees for Femae Referee of the Year are Brooke Mayo, Kathryn Nesbitt, Alyssa Nichols, Tori Penso and Natalie Simon.
