Alyssa Naeher crowns stellar profession with US participant of 12 months award

Alyssa Naeher crowns stellar profession with US participant of 12 months award

January 22 – For under the second time in 40 years, a goalkeeper has been voted the 2024 U.S. Soccer Feminine Participant of the 12 months. Alyssa Naeher follows within the steps of the nice Hope Solo, who took dwelling the award in 2009.

It’s been a giant 12 months for Naeher, who was additionally voted The Greatest FIFA Girls’s Goalkeeper of the 12 months and was chosen to The Greatest FIFA Greatest Girls’s 11, turning into the twenty first completely different participant to win this award.

Naeher, who not too long ago introduced her worldwide retirement on November 25, performed her ultimate two video games for america Girls’s Nationwide Staff (USWNT) on November 30 vs. England in London and November 3 vs. the Netherlands in The Hague.

Throughout this momentous 12 months, Naeher, hit the 100-cap mark, and performed each minute of the 2024 Olympics, permitting simply two targets on the way in which to the gold medal.

The USA received all three knockout video games on the Olympics by 1-0 scores – two of which went into additional time – and along with her shutout of Brazil within the gold medal recreation, she grew to become the primary goalkeeper in ladies’s soccer historical past to maintain clear sheets in a World Cup Closing and an Olympic Closing.

“That is an unbelievable honour, to cap off what has been a really particular 12 months with this staff,” mentioned Naeher.

“This staff is made up of a particular group of gamers, coaches, and workers and all 12 months you possibly can really feel that power and that we had the chance to attain one thing nice. I used to be impressed all 12 months lengthy by my unbelievable teammates; the work we put in, the dedication to the staff and our targets, and all of their love and assist.”

For the third time, followers have been capable of vote for the U.S. Soccer Participant of the 12 months Award with these votes weighted at 15% of the overall. Of the 5 finalists for the Feminine Participant of the 12 months Award, Naeher garnered 40.8% p.c of the weighted vote, adopted by defender Naomi Girma (32.2%).

The U.S. Soccer Feminine Participant of the 12 months has been awarded since 1985, when midfielder Sharon Remer earned the primary Feminine Participant of the 12 months honour. Abby Wambach has received it six occasions, essentially the most of any participant.

Contact the author of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1737525133labto1737525133ofdlr1737525133owedi1737525133sni@o1737525133fni1737525133