U.S. Soccer Player of the Year

{{short description|Award given by the United States Soccer Federation}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2017}}

File:Abby Wambach USA vs Can Sep17.jpg has won the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year Award a record six times.]]

File:Clint Dempsey 20110622.jpg won the U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year Award in 2011]]

The U.S. Soccer Player of the Year is given by the United States Soccer Federation to the American soccer players judged best in the calendar year. It is considered the highest accolade for American soccer players.{{cite news|last=Di Veronica|first=Jeff|title=Wambach wins record 6th U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year award|url=http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/direct-kicks/2013/11/27/wambach-wins-6th-us-soccer-female-athlete-of-the-year/3772275/|access-date=March 21, 2014|newspaper=Democrat and Chronicle|date=November 29, 2013}}

The U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award originated in 1984, followed by the Female Player of the Year in 1985. Awards for Young Male and Young Female Players were added in 1998.{{cite web |title=About – U.S. SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/history/awards/player-of-the-year/about |publisher=US Soccer |access-date=19 December 2020}} An award for Player of the Year with a Disability was added in 2012{{cite web|title=Colorado Rapids defender Shane O'Neill a finalist for US Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year|url=http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2013/11/colorado-rapids-defender-shane-oneill-finalist-us-soccer-young-male-athlete-year|publisher=Colorado Rapids|access-date=March 21, 2014|date=November 19, 2013}} but discontinued after 2020 and replaced with the non-player-specific "ADAPTandTHRIVE Disability Award," which "recognizes an individual making an impact in the United States' broad landscape of disability soccer."{{Cite web|url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2021/12/nominees-set-for-2021-us-soccer-player-of-the-year-awards|title=Nominees Set For 2021 U.S. Soccer Player Of The Year Awards|website=www.ussoccer.com}} In 2021, awards for female and male beach soccer as well as futsal are added.

Public voting for the awards account for 50 percent of the results. The other 50 percent are voted by members of the national media and U.S. Soccer representatives (from national team coaches to the National Board of Directors).{{cite web|last=U.S. Soccer Federation|title=Voting Underway for 2011 Best of U.S. Soccer and Athlete of the Year Awards|url=http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Articles/2011/12/Voting-Underway-for-2011-Best-of-US-Soccer-Awards.aspx|publisher=www.ussoccer.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817204025/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Articles/2011/12/Voting-Underway-for-2011-Best-of-US-Soccer-Awards.aspx|archive-date=2012-08-17}}