Defender Chris Richards Voted 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year

CHRIS RICHARDS VOTED 2025 U.S. SOCCER MALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Richards Claims Award after Stellar Display in 2025 for Country and Club, Including Concacaf Gold Cup Best XI Nomination; Becomes Second-Consecutive Defender to Win Award after Antonee Robinson in 2024; Birmingham, Ala., Native Won Two Domestic Trophies with Crystal Palace During Outstanding 2025 Campaign

ATLANTA (Jan. 14, 2026) – U.S. Men’s National Team defender Chris Richards has been voted the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year after an outstanding year in which he started 11 of 12 matches for which he was available for the USMNT and all six matches leading to the 2025 Gold Cup Final, a tournament in which he recorded two goals and earned a spot on the Best XI. 

The Birmingham, Ala., native has become a staple in the English Premier League with Crystal Palace FC, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in both domestic trophy wins, the FA Cup and Community Shield. 

This is Richards' first U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award and it comes in his first year being nominated. First recognized in 1984, a total of 28 players have won the award. The 25-year-old becomes the second consecutive defender to earn this recognition after Antonee Robinson won the award in 2024, marking the first time two defenders have won the award consecutively since Marcelo Balboa and Alexi Lalas in 1994 and 1995.

“It means a lot to me to join a very prestigious list of players,” Richards said. “This has been a big year, and we have an even bigger year coming up.  This shows how well we’ve done as a team and the momentum we are building towards the World Cup.”

Richards was surprised with the news during an interview with Pat McAfee on the eponymous The Pat McAfee Show, which aired on ESPN earlier this afternoon.

"It was sick. I see Pat all the time on College Game Day. It was cool for him to announce this on his show and to give a shoutout,” Richards added. “It just shows how much the game is growing in the U.S., how much respect there is for the sport, and how much the excitement is building for the World Cup this summer.”

In a list of nominees that included defender Max Arfsten, defender Alex Freeman, goalkeeper Matt Freese and midfielder Malik Tillman, Richards won with 48.6 percent of the weighted total, followed by Tillman (21.7%) and Freeman (13%).

In addition to fan voting, votes for U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year are collected from National Team coaches, USMNT players who earned a cap in 2025, 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.

In 2025, Richards played the most games (12) and minutes (1004) of his career in a calendar year. The 25-year-old started at the center of defense for the U.S. in every game on the way to the 2025 Gold Cup Final, a tournament that he scored twice, including a header in the final against Mexico. A combination of leadership and strong performances led to his inclusion in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Best XI.

At the club level, Richards has established himself as a key fixture within the Crystal Palace defense. Throughout the 2024-25 season with The Eagles, he made 32 total appearances in all competitions, registering a goal and assist. Richards backstopped Crystal Palace to a trophy at the end of the season, defeating Manchester City 1-0 in the 2025 FA Cup Final to collect the first FA Cup trophy in the club’s history which dates back to 1861. Later that summer, Richards and Palace opened the 2025-26 season with a victory over Liverpool in penalty kicks in the 2025 Community Shield, with Richards once again going the distance. 

PREVIOUS WINNERS

Year	Male Player of the Year
2025	Chris Richards
2024	Antonee Robinson
2023	Christian Pulisic (4)
2022	Tyler Adams
2021	Christian Pulisic (3)
2020	Weston McKennie
2019	Christian Pulisic (2)
2018	Zack Steffen
2017	Christian Pulisic
2016	Jozy Altidore (2)
2015	Michael Bradley
2014	Tim Howard (2)
2013	Jozy Altidore
2012	Clint Dempsey (3)
2011	Clint Dempsey (2)
2010	Landon Donovan (4)
2009	Landon Donovan (3)
2008	Tim Howard
2007	Clint Dempsey
2006	Oguchi Onyewu
2005	Kasey Keller (3)
2004	Landon Donovan (2)
2003	Landon Donovan
2002	Brad Friedel
2001	Earnie Stewart
2000	Chris Armas
1999	Kasey Keller (2)
1998	Cobi Jones
1997	Kasey Keller
1996	Eric Wynalda
1995	Alexi Lalas
1994	Marcelo Balboa (2)
1993	Thomas Dooley
1992	Marcelo Balboa
1991	Hugo Perez
1990	Tab Ramos
1989	Mike Windischmann
1988	Peter Vermes
1987	Brent Goulet
1986	Paul Caligiuri
1985	Perry Van der Beck
1984	Rick Davis