Antonee Robinson has been recognized as U.S. Soccer’s male player of 2024, according to the federation’s announcement on Sunday.
Affectionately known as “Jedi,” Robinson stands out as the first defender to claim this prestigious award in 18 years, following Oguchi Onyewu’s win in 2006. The Fulham left back, who was also a nominee in 2022, surpassed notable U.S. teammates Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, and Tim Ream to achieve this honor.
Expressing his gratitude, Robinson remarked, “It’s an incredible honor. Representing our country isn’t something you do for individual accolades. It’s always about putting the team first and trying to do my best for the boys and for the country, so to be rewarded for that is an amazing feeling.”
Over the past year, Robinson has solidified his reputation as one of the premier fullbacks in the English Premier League. He leads all defenders with seven assists, contributing significantly to Fulham’s ninth-place standing as they prepared for a match against Ipswich Town — a performance that has attracted interest from top club Liverpool.
In a delightful twist, U.S. Men’s National Team legend Tim Howard, now a commentator for NBC, surprised Robinson with the news just before the match in London.
Robinson shared his shock, stating, “I thought it was just a random interview with Tim about how the season was going, so when he told me I’d won, I was just in disbelief because it was the last thing I expected. It was a thrill to have that news delivered by him.”
In 2024, Jedi made 11 appearances for the national team, playing a pivotal role in securing a third consecutive Concacaf Nations League title while helping advance to the semifinals of the 2025 tournament.
With this achievement, he becomes the 27th American to be honored as U.S. Soccer’s player of the year since the award’s inception in 1984.
