ATLANTA (Dec. 1, 2025) – U.S. Soccer has announced the nominees for its 2025 End of Year Awards, which recognize top performers from its Women's and Men's National Teams as well as Referees. The honors include Female and Male Player of the Year, as well as Young Female and Young Male Player of the Year, presented by Henkel, Game of the Year, presented by Michelob Ultra, and Female and Male Referee of the Year.
U.S. Soccer will announce the finalists for its Extended National Team Player of the Year awards on Monday, Dec. 8.
Fans have the opportunity to vote for all Player of the Year and the Game of the Year awards on ussoccer.com. The fan vote will account for 15 percent of the overall vote tally, with the rest coming from National Team players that earned a cap in 2025, professional league coaches, media, U.S. Soccer Board of Directors and the Athletes’ Council. All Player of the Year finalists were selected based on performance in 2025, with emphasis placed on play with their respective National Team.
The Referee of the Year awards will be determined via vote from Professional Referee Organization (PRO) leadership, U.S. Soccer National, Professional and International Referees, Referee Committee Members, National Referee Coaches, U.S. Soccer Board of Directors, Athletes’ Council and U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Team players that earned a cap in 2025.
Voting is now open and concludes on Friday, Dec. 12 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The winners will be announced in January 2026.
The 2025 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year nominees are defender Emily Fox, midfielders Sam Coffeyand Rose Lavelle, forward Alyssa Thompson and Catarina Macario. U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper Matt Freese, defenders Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman and Chris Richards and midfielder Malik Tillmancompose the field for Male Player of the Year.
The Young Female Player of the Year nominees are defenders Jordyn Bugg, Pearl Cecil and Lilly Reale andforwards Micayla Johnson and Riley Tiernan. For Young Male Player of the Year, defender Josh Wynder, midfielders Benjamin Cremaschi, Brooklyn Raines and Cavan Sullivan and forward Mathis Albert are the finalists.
Five exhilarating U.S. Soccer matches are in the running for the third annual Game of the Year, presented by Michelob Ultra – Portland Hearts of Pine’s dramatic shootout win against Hartford Athletic in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the USWNT’s 3-0 triumph against Canada in the Allstate Continental Clásico, the Cerebral Palsy MNT’s 4-1 win against Argentina to claim its first major trophy in the IFCPF Copa América Final, the USMNT’s 5-1 rout of Uruguay in its final match of 2025 and the Power Soccer National Team’s 1-0 win against Argentina in the APFC America’s Cup Final.
The 2025 Female Referee of the Year nominees are Referees Tori Penso, Alyssa Pennington and Natalie Simon, and Assistant Referees Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt. The Male Referee of the Year finalists are Referees Joe Dickerson and Rosendo Mendoza and Assistant Referees Logan Brown, Cory Richardson and Nick Uranga.
FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
In a year full of increased opportunities at each position at the start of the run up to 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the five USWNT nominees shone for club and country in 2025.
Sam Coffey has become a mainstay in the USWNT midfield. The New Yorker scored four times in three FIFA windows, quadrupling her USWNT goal production from her three previous years. She had an excellent year as captain of Portland Thorns FC and scored two goals with four assists to help her club to the NWSL playoff semifinal. Coffey was also nominated for the inaugural Lauren Holiday Impact Award in 2024 for her work with Helping Hands.
Emily Fox was a consistent force at right back for the USWNT this year. The Arsenal defender was nominated for the 2025 Concacaf Player of the Year award and the Ballon d’Or. She was also named to the 2024/25 PFA WSL Team of the Year and played a key role in Arsenal’s magical run to the 2025 UFEA Women’s Champions League title. Her performance earned UEFA Women’s Champions League Team of the Season recognition.
While injury delayed her season, Rose Lavelle made the most of her minutes since returning to the pitch in June. Lavelle started and scored in her first USWNT match back and buried two more goals across six matches this year. She famously scored the game-winning goal during the 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit in the 2025 NWSL Championship Game, which helped her earn game MVP honors. Lavelle is the newest addition to the USWNT 50+ club with over 50 combined international goals and assists.
Catarina Macario leads the USWNT in scoring in 2025 with seven goals and two assists. In her best year for the U.S. since coming back from a major injury, she has started nine games and has scored against Colombia, Brazil, China PR, New Zealand and Italy. This season she’s off to a good start for Chelsea with a pair of assists across eight league matches so far. Macario buried two goals in Chelsea’s UEFA Women’s Champions League 6-0 win over St. Polten, a match she started for the Blues.
Alyssa Thompson has been a consistent presence in the U.S. attack in 2025, playing in all but two matches, scoring two goals with one assist. She started 2025 with Angel City FC in the NWSL before a September transfer to Chelsea FC in England. The forward finished second in scoring for the LA side despite not playing the full season.
MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The five finalists for Male Player of the Year shone bright as the USMNT advanced to the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Final and finished the year with five matches unbeaten against top 40 FIFA-ranked and World Cup-qualified opponents. Goalkeeper Matt Freese, defenders Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman and Chris Richards and midfielder Malik Tillman all received first-time nominations.
A USMNT debutant in 2025, defender Max Arfsten was paramount in the Concacaf Gold Cup run, notching three total goal contributions, including a goal and assist in a highly contested penalty shootout victory against Costa Rica. He’s become a critical player for MLS side Columbus Crew, earning him his first selection to the MLS All-Star Game in 2025.
Fellow defender Alex Freeman has been in flying form in his first year with the USMNT, playing a major role in defense, starting every game in the USMNT’s road to the 2025 Gold Cup Final and contributing to three shutout victories. The 21-year-old ended his debut international campaign with his first goals, scoring a brace in a 5-1 demolition of Uruguay. Freeman’s stunning displays for Orlando City led to a first-time MLS All-Star appearance in addition to being named 2025 MLS Young Player of the Year and his inclusion in the 2025 MLS Best XI.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese seized the starting role for the final 12 games of the year. After making his debut for the U.S. in an international match against Türkiye, Freese was instrumental in the run to the 2025 Gold Cup Final, starting every game. He was the hero in the quarterfinal penalty shootout against Costa Rica, where he saved three penalty kicks to deliver the USMNT the victory. Starting in 35 total games for MLS side NYCFC, Freese kept 11 clean sheets and recorded 108 saves in the regular season.
Defender Chris Richards, made 12 appearances for the USMNT in 2025, starting every game for the U.S. in the center of defense on the way to the 2025 Gold Cup Final. He scored twice in the tournament, including a header in the final against Mexico. Richards' strong performances led to his inclusion in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Best XI. He’s become a crucial player for historic English side Crystal Palace in a season where they defeated Manchester City in the 2025 FA Cup Final to earn a place in the Europa Conference League, and then Premier League defending champion Liverpool in the Community Shield.
Midfielder Malik Tillman played in nine games for the USMNT leading the charge for the U.S. attack, netting three times in the group stage and provided two assists across two knockout stage games, helping the U.S. reach the 2025 Gold Cup Final. Tillman was named to the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Best XI for his performances. He’s also taken a leap at the club level, tallying 16 goals and five assists for PSV Eindhoven across all competitions leading to his inclusion in the 2025 Eredivisie Team of the Season in a campaign where PSV won the league title. Tillman’s stellar displays earned him a move to German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.
YOUNG FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR, PRESENTED BY HENKEL
Nineteen-year-old Jordyn Bugg played with the U.S. U-23s and trained with the U.S. U-20 WNT this year as she is age-eligible for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Bugg made her first senior appearance and first senior start in back-to-back 4-0 wins over Ireland — the first of four shutouts to which Bugg has contributed. She was a staple for the Seattle Reign this season, earning NWSL Best XI Second Team honors. She scored a screamer from distance for Seattle early in the season, which earned a FIFA Marta Award nomination.
Pearl Cecil, 17, was a key contributor for the U.S. U-17 WNT this year. She started all 15 matches she played for the U-17s, helping earn eight shutouts and providing one goal and one assist. As a true freshman at Virginia, she helped UVA to the NCAA tournament, provided an assist in their 5-0 first-round shutout win over High Point and played in the second round in a 2-0 win over Penn State.
Lilly Reale solidified herself on the left flank for club and country in 2025. She scored the first goal in a 2-1 win over Germany for the U-23 WNT. During the following FIFA window, Reale was called up to the USWNT and, in her senior team debut, played the full 90 while also earning an assist. Reale, 22, won 2025 NWSL Rookie of the Year, earned a place on the 2025 NWSL Best XI Second Team and helped Gotham FC to the NWSL title, her first and the club’s second.
Micayla Johnson appeared in 10 matches for the U.S. U-17 WNT and had as many scoring contributions as games played (seven goals and three assists). She scored in all three Concacaf qualifiers and had the lone U.S. goal in the U-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup quarterfinals vs. Netherlands on a world class strike before the USA fell in penalty kicks. At 17, Johnson made her debut for the Chicago Stars on March 14 and scored her first professional goal on Oct. 5.
Twenty-three-year-old Riley Tiernan started every match for Angel City FC this season and three matches into the season she buried her first professional goal. Her first assist came in the very next match. Tiernan’s eight goals were most for a rookie and tied for second-most of any American in the NWSL. Tiernan has been in four U.S. U-23 WNT training camps on the year including the two matches in Germany and the current trip to Europe for matches against the Slovakia WNT and England U-23s.
YOUNG MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR, PRESENTED BY HENKEL
All five finalists played crucial roles in the U.S. efforts at this fall’s FIFA Youth World Cups, with three finalists from the U-20 MNT side that ran to the quarterfinals in Chile and two from the U-17 MNT that won all three group-stage matches in Qatar.
In Chile, midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi recorded five goals and two assists in the team’s five matches, becoming just the second U.S. player to claim the Golden Boot at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Joining him on the list is fellow midfielder Brooklyn Raines, who did well to patrol the center of the park and tallied a goal and assist of his own during the quarterfinal run, while center back Josh Wynder also appeared in all five matches, contributing to clean sheets in the 3-0 wins against France and Italy.
At the U-17 World Cup in Qatar, midfielder Cavan Sullivan played a part in four of the five U.S. goals. Sullivan provided game-winning goals in the team’s first two matches against Burkina Faso and Tajikistan, respectively. He also added assists against Tajikistan and Morocco in the Round of 32. Sixteen-year-old Mathis Albertappeared in all four matches in Qatar and scored the winner in the 1-0 victory against Czechia to ensure the team finished on top of the group.
GAME OF THE YEAR, PRESENTED BY MICHELOB ULTRA
Portland Hearts of Pine, of Division III USL League One and playing only their second game in their first season as a club, scored a stoppage-time goal to force extra time and eventually fended off the visiting Division II pros of Hartford Athletic in penalty kicks in the Second Round of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
On July 2 in the nation’s capital, the U.S. Women's National Team put on an entertaining and dynamic performance to roll past Canada, 3-0, in front of more than 19,000 fans. Sam Coffey, Claire Hutton and Yazmeen Ryan scored as the USA played a lineup featuring quite a few inexperienced players combined with some well-known veterans. The USA out-shot Canada, 22-7.
On Oct. 18, the U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy National Team utilized a brace from Jonah Meyer-Crothers and goals from Jacob Crumbley and John Sullivan to defeat Argentina 4-1 in the 2025 IFCPF Copa América Final in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The trophy was the first in the team’s 33-year history.
The U.S. Men's National Team closed out 2025 with a capstone 5-1 win against South American powerhouse Uruguay on Nov. 18 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Three different goalscorers put their name on the scoresheet for the first time in their international careers, including a brace by defender Alex Freeman. Matching the largest margin of victory against a top-15 ranked opponent in team history, the victory extended the USMNT’s current unbeaten run against World Cup-qualified opponents to five consecutive matches.
Utilizing a patented set piece delivered by free-kick specialist Pete Winslow to team captain Riley Johnson, the U.S. Power Soccer National Team grinded out a 1-0 win against Argentina in the 2025 APFC America’s Cup Final on November 19, claiming its third-straight confederation crown and qualifying for the 2026 FIPFA Powerchair Football World Cup.
MALE AND FEMALE REFEREE OF THE YEAR
For the second year, U.S. Soccer will recognize Male and Female Referees of the Year. The nominees work at the highest levels of American soccer, officiating on the domestic professional circuit, as well as high-profile international matches as members of the FIFA Panel.
A number of top American female referees had the opportunity to shine at continental and world championship competition in 2025. FIFA Assistant Referees Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt plus FIFA Referee Tori Penso were appointed to the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, as well as Concacaf Final Round World Cup Qualifiers, Concacaf Champions Cup and were the first female crew to work the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final. Mayo ran the line in 24 MLS matches, Nesbitt officiated in 26 and Penso held the whistle in 18 games.
A member of the FIFA panel since 2022, Natalie Simon oversaw the 2025 NWSL Final, as well as working the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, Concacaf Second Round World Cup Qualifiers, Concacaf W Qualifiers and the 2025 Leagues Cup. She officiated seven top-flight matches between MLS and NWSL and 15 USL Championship contests. Alyssa Pennington was appointed to the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup where she officiated the semifinal match. Pennington was the center referee for Concacaf W Qualifying, Concacaf W Champions Cup, Concacaf Central American Cup, Leagues Cup and Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship. She officiated six top-flight matches between MLS and NWSL and 12 in the USL Championship
Referee Joe Dickerson and Assistant Referee Logan Brown were both appointed to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile. The duo also worked matches in the Concacaf Gold Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup, Concacaf Final Round World Cup Qualifying and the Leagues Cup. Dickerson held the whistle in 15 MLS matches, while Brown ran the line in 22 contests.
Both members of the FIFA Panel, Assistant Referees Cory Richardson and Nick Uranga ran the line in the Concacaf Gold Cup, Concacaf Final Round World Cup Qualifying, Concacaf Champions Cup, Concacaf Central American Cup and Leagues Cup. Already named MLS Assistant Referee of the Year, Richardson worked 25 MLS games in 2025, while Uranga officiated 21. An MLS Referee since 2018, Rosendo Mendoza officiated 15 MLS games in 2025 and also served as Referee for the MLS All-Star Game and as Fourth Official for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.
