CHRISTIAN PULISIC VOTED 2023 U.S. SOCCER MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR;
KEVIN PAREDES VOTED 2023 CHIPOTLE U.S. SOCCER YOUNG MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Pulisic Ties USMNT Legend Landon Donovan with Fourth Player of the Year Award, Wins After Outstanding Year for USMNT and Strong Club Performances Following Move to Italian Powerhouse AC Milan;
Paredes Wins Following First USMNT Appearances and Breakout Campaign with Wolfsburg in German Bundesliga
CHICAGO (Jan. 18, 2024) – U.S. Men’s National Team forward Christian Pulisic has been voted the 2023 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year for a record-tying fourth time after an outstanding year in which he led the USA in goal contributions, was named Best Player of the 2022-23 Concacaf Nations League as the U.S. won its second-straight title, and got off to a roaring start with Italian power AC Milan following a high-profile summer transfer move.
This is Pulisic’s fourth U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award after winning in 2017, 2019 and 2021, tying Landon Donovan (2003, 2004, 2009, 2010) for the all-time record. First recognized in 1984, 26 players have won the award and just four have done so three times or more: Pulisic, Donovan, Clint Dempsey (2007, 2011, 2012) and Kasey Keller (1997, 1999, 2005). The 25-year-old Pulisic is the youngest to win the award at least three times and was the youngest-ever winner in 2017 at 19-years-old.
USMNT forward Kevin Paredes has been voted the 2023 Chipotle U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year after a breakout campaign at the international and club level, earning his senior USMNT debut, making his mark with Wolfsburg in the German Bundesliga and shining for the U-20 Men’s Youth National Team.
Of the five finalists for Male Player of the Year, Pulisic took 53 percent of the overall total, followed by AC Milan teammate Yunus Musah (21.5%) and Ricardo Pepi (12.9%). For Young Male Player of the Year, Paredes took 59 percent of the overall total, followed by Benjamin Cremaschi (12%) and Gianluca Busio (10.8%).
Votes for U.S. Soccer Male and Young Male Player of the Year Awards are collected from National Team coaches, USMNT players who earned a cap in 2023, 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.
After first breaking out for the USMNT at age 17 in 2016, Pulisic has consistently been one of the USA’s top performers and made a high-profile transfer this summer to AC Milan, one of Italy’s most successful clubs.
“It’s an honor to win this award again for the fourth time,” Pulisic said. “It was an incredible season for me. I always enjoy playing with the National Team and winning more trophies with the National Team. Of course, coming here to AC Milan, it’s been just a really exciting year. I’ve enjoyed it so much, so I’m really grateful to win an award like this.
“Any of the nominees could have won it, and not even just those guys, names outside of that as well who have been putting in such strong performances on the club level and with the National Team. I’m really proud of how far this group has come and looking forward to some really big events coming up in the next years.”
Pulisic was informed after being surprised with a special Emmy-style video from Ted Lasso star and U.S. Soccer super supporter Brendan Hunt, who plays Coach Beard on the hit show. Following the surprise reveal, USMNT legend Landon Donovan congratulated Pulisic on tying his record via a Zoom call hosted at the AC Milan training facility.
“If you’re joining Landon on anything regarding the National Team, you’re doing something right,” Pulisic said. “He’s a legend. I looked up to him, so I’m grateful to be in that conversation. I’m hoping to continue to push, and hopefully it will not be the last.”
Pulisic’s six goals and three assists in 2023 made him the USMNT’s leading goal contributor on the year. Two of those goals came in clutch moments as he helped lead the U.S. to its second-straight Concacaf Nations League title in dominant fashion this summer, continuing to menace Mexico as the “Man in the Mirror” with goals on either side of halftime in 3-0 triumph over El Tri in the CNL Semifinal on June 15. The Pennsylvania native was named the tournament’s Best Player and selected to the Best XI for the second-straight Nations League campaign as he captained the U.S. in both the semifinal and championship match. During the CNL group stage, Pulisic set up the first two goals in the USMNT’s 7-1 rout of Grenada on March 24 before adding one of his own after halftime.
The 25-year-old forward continued to put the ball in the back of the net during the USMNT’s series of fall friendlies, scoring against Uzbekistan, Germany and Ghana. One of his most spectacular strikes yet for the USA came as the opener vs. Die Mannschaft, a rocket from outside the box on Oct. 14 in East Hartford. The three tallies put him at 28 career goals for the U.S., just two behind Brian McBride for fifth on the all-time scoring list.
At the club level, Pulisic made an immediate impact at Italian giant AC Milan following a $20 million move this July. Through the fall half of the 2023-24 campaign, Pulisic helped the Rossoneri to third place in the Serie A table, netting six goals and adding three assists in 13 league appearances. He tallied in his Serie A debut at Bologna on Aug. 21, scored the late game-winner vs. Genoa on Oct. 14 by finishing off a cross from U.S. teammate Yunus Musah, and also finished an impressive sequence with a goal vs. Frosinone on Dec. 2.
Pulisic also played in all six games of AC Milan’s UEFA Champions League campaign, tallying against Newcastle United on Dec. 13 to become the first U.S. player to score for three different clubs in the UCL. It marked his eighth career Champions League goal, double the next leading American.
Paredes made major strides for both club and country in 2023. After eight appearances during the 2022-23 U-20 MYNT cycle, he earned his first senior USMNT call-up in September and was a part of all three fall training camps with the full team. The 20-year-old made his senior international debut on Sept. 13 vs. Oman and then made his first start in the Concacaf Nations League Quarterfinal vs. Trinidad and Tobago on Nov. 17, helping the U.S. book its place in the CNL Finals for the third-straight tournament.
“It’s an honor to be named Young Male Player of the Year and I’m truly happy to be able to play for the country that gave me and my family so many opportunities,” Paredes said. “Looking at past winners, I know how privileged I am to be named amongst some of the greatest to ever play for our country. I enjoy every moment wearing the red, white and blue and I look forward to continuing to represent the United States at a high standard.”
During his time with the U-20s, Paredes scored two goals and added three assists, including an impressive scissor-kick goal and a well-played helper vs. England on March 25 as part of the USA’s World Cup preparations. He featured in both knockout stage matches for the U.S. at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina, as the red, white and blue became the only nation to reach the quarterfinals of the last four U-20 World Cups.
At the club level, Paredes grew into a consistent contributor for Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, appearing in 15 of 19 matches to help Die Wölfe finish in eighth place and just one point out of qualification to European competition. After making his debut the previous fall, the Virginia native added one goal and three assists, including two late set-ups to earn draws for Wolfsburg vs. Union Berlin on March 12 and Augsburg on April 1. During the first half of this season, Paredes played in 13 of 16 matches for Wolfsburg, scoring vs. Werder Bremen on Nov. 5 and sending the club into the holiday break in seventh place.
First awarded in 1998, a total of 25 of the 26 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year winners have earned caps with the full USMNT, and 11 have represented the USA at a FIFA World Cup. Three winners have gone on to win U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year, including Pulisic, who was named Young Male Player of the Year in 2016.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
