Antonee Robinson named U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year

Antonee Robinson’s stellar 2024 has earned him his first major honor with U.S. Soccer.

Robinson was named Male Player of the Year for 2024, U.S. Soccer announced Sunday. The Fulham left back capped off a stellar individual year, which also seen him named Fulham’s Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season.

He is the first defender to win the award since Oguchi Onyewu did in 2006.

“It’s an incredible honor,” said Robinson. “Representing our country isn’t something you do for individual accolades. It’s always about putting the team first and trying to do my best for the boys and for the country, so to be rewarded for that is an amazing feeling.”

Robinson started in all 11 USMNT matches for which he was available for last year. He recorded the game-winning assist against Jamaica in the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals, helping the Americans advance to the semifinals of the competition.

At club level, Robinson was the only Premier League defender to register 10 or more assists in the 2024 calendar year. He has remained a key starter for the Cottagers this season, missing just one match to date.

Robinson, a former Everton academy player, is now on the reported radars of Liverpool, Manchester City and others after his rise to stardom in England.

Robinson edged Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic and Tim Ream for the award, earning 55% of the votes. He is the third player with Fulham ties to win the award, joining Clint Dempsey and Kasey Keller on that growing list.

His next USMNT opportunity will come in March when Mauricio Pochettino’s squad face Panama in the Nations League semifinals.