Riley Johnson – Power Soccer Player of the Year
Co-captain of the U.S. side at the 2023 FIPFA Powerchair Football World Cup, Riley Johnson (Saint Cloud, Minn.) is the first winner of U.S. Soccer’s Power Soccer Player of the Year award. The veteran appeared in nine of 11 matches at his second World Cup, finishing tied for second with five goals while adding one assist. After tallying in the opening 5-0 win against Australia and 3-0 victory against Northern Ireland, Johnson scored the USA’s first two goals and earned Player of the Match honors in the 3-1 victory against England, a result that propelled the team to a second-place group finish. Johnson again scored in the 2-0 win against Uruguay, and showed his leadership qualities on the final day. After a disappointing 1-0 defeat to England in the semifinal, he refocused the squad ahead of the Third-Place Match and provided the opening third minute assist to Lexi Heer, spurring the USA to a 2-1 win against Argentina to claim the Bronze Medal in Sydney.
“It’s an honor to receive this award, but the biggest honor is that I get to be part of a team that has my back on and off the court,” Johnson said. “U.S. Soccer has already had a big impact on the Power Soccer National Team and it’s only going to get better. I’m excited for the opportunities that lie ahead for future athletes and teams.”
Johnson claims the first Power Soccer Player of the Year award with 37 percent of the weighted vote.
About the U.S. Soccer Federation
Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer has been the official governing body of the sport in the United States for more than 100 years. As U.S. Soccer looks toward the future amid an unprecedented moment of opportunity, we’ve aligned our efforts around five strategic pillars: Grow the game by increasing youth and adult participation and accessibility to the sport; Foster the best playing environments through quality of referees and coaches, increase DEIB and participant safety; Develop winning teams through solidified pathways and success of professional leagues; Grow the soccer economy to fuel reinvestment by increasing membership, fandom and commercial success; and Create a world-class organization through revitalized structure and culture, best-in-class talent, progress in DEIB, and more. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/ourvision.
