Antonee Robinson 'in disbelief' after winning USA men's Player of the Year

New Delhi, Jan 5 U.S. Men’s National Team defender Antonee Robinson has been voted the 2024 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year after an outstanding year in which he started all 11 matches for which he was available, started in all four of the USA's shutouts in 2024, and recorded the game-winning assist against Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinals.

Robinson has become one of the top full-backs in the English Premier League with Fulham FC, winning the 2023-24 Player of the Year award for the club.

This is Robinson’s first U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award, having previously been nominated in 2022. First recognized in 1984,a total of 27 players have won the award.The 27-year-oldRobinson becomes the first defender to earn this recognition since Oguchi Onyewu 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.”

“Jedi” was surprised with the news during an interview with U.S. Men’s National Team legend and two-time U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award winner Tim Howard, which aired first on the Premier League Morningsshow and then La Liga Premier: Extraprior to the Fulham-Ipswich Town match today. In addition to being fellow National Team players, they share a history of being a part of Everton Football Club.

“I probably looked a little silly because I was shocked!,” Robinson said.“I thought it was just a random interview with Tim about how the season was going, so when he told me I’d won I was just in disbelief because it was the last thing I expected. Obviously, Tim had an incredible career with the National Team and throughout his club football so it was a thrill to have that news delivered by him.”

In a list of nominees including Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic and Tim Ream, Robinson won with 55 percent of the weighted total. In addition to fan voting, votes for U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year are collected from National Team coaches, USMNT players who earned a cap in 2024, members of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors, U.S. Soccer Athletes’ Council, professional league head coaches and sporting directors, select media members and former players and administrators.

A dual citizen of the United States and England, in 2024 Robinson played the second-most games and minutes of his career in a calendar year. The U.S. recorded all four of its clean sheets this year with Jedi patrolling the left flank, including the “dos a cero” win against Mexico in the 2024 Concacaf Nations League Final and the critical 1-0 shutout on the road against Jamaica in the quarterfinal of the 2025 edition of the tournament.

At the club level, Robinson has established himself as one of the outstanding performers in the Premier League at his position. Having won the Fulham 2023-24 Player of the Year award, he finished this calendar year with 10 assists across 37 games played, four more than any other defender in the league and in the top 10 of players across the board. Now wearing the captain’s armband, he’s already delivered seven assists in 19 matches during the current campaign – tied for the third amongst all Premier League players - two of which came in the thrilling 2-2 draw away to league leaders Liverpool on Dec. 14. Robinson is the third player with ties to Fulham to earn the honor, joining Clint Dempsey (2007, 2011, 2012) and Kasey Keller (1997, 1999, 2005).

Source: IANS