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Christian Pulisic voted U.S. Soccer’s top men’s player for 2023
AC Milan's American star Christian Pulisic has been voted U.S. Soccer's male player of the year for 2023, the federation announced on Thursday.
It's the fourth time the Hershey, Pennsylvania native has won the award, equaling national team great Landon Donovan's record. Pulisic, 25, previously took home the honor in 2021, 2019 and 2017.
Pulisic led the USMNT to its second consecutive CONCACAF nations league title last June before moving to Italy from England's Chelsea. He has enjoyed a career-best half season in Milan, with seven goals and six assists in 26 Serie A and UEFA Champions League games. He's the Rossoneri's second-leading scorer this campaign, just behind veteran French striker and World Cup winner Olivier Giroud.
"It's an honor to win this award again for the fourth time," said Pulisic, who also led his country with six goals and three assists in 2023. "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."
The voters were U.S. national team coaches, players who earned a senior cap in 2023, members of the USSF board, U.S. Soccer Athletes' Council, coaches and sporting directors from the county's professional leagues and select media members, former players and administrators. Pulisic took more than half of all votes collected, with 53% of the total. Yunus Musah, Pulisic's AC Milan teammate, finished second. PSV Eindhoven's Ricardo Pepi was third.
"Any of the nominees could have won it," Pulisic said. "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."
"Ted Lasso" star Brendan Hunt, who plays Coach Beard on the award-winning Apple TV series, surprised Pulisic with the news via video. Donovan then congratulated Pulisic on a Zoom call.
"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."
Kevin Paredes, 20, was voted U.S. Soccer young male player of the year — a distinction Pulisic earned in 2016. The Wolfsburg winger/fullback made his USMNT debut in September, and in November, started the first leg of the 2023-24 Nations League quarterfinal against Trinidad and Tobago. Musah (2022) and Pepi (2021) were the last two winners of the young male player of the year award.
"It's an honor," Paredes said of the young player award, which was first presented in 1998. "Looking at past winners, I know how privileged I am to be named among some of the greatest to ever play for our country."
U.S. Soccer has recognized its top male player every year since 1984. There have been 26 recipients over the last four decades, with Pulisic, Donovan and Clint Dempsey the only nominees to be honored three or more times.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men's and women's national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
