Premier League star beats USMNT favorites to claim Player of the Year award | OneFootball

In 2024, Antonee Robinson became a historic left-back for the United States Men's National Team, impressive on the pitch for Premier League club Fulham. He was named USMNT Male Player of the Year-the first defender to do so since Oguchi Onyewu in 2006, capping off a brilliant season with both club and country.

Wearing the USMNT jersey is always a challenge. Doing so consistently and with quality over 11 matches in a year, starting all of them, is something few players achieve. Robinson was a key player in 2024, especially in the four matches where the U.S. kept clean sheets. The left-back also shone in the 1-0 victory over Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, delivering a decisive assist that secured the win.

It was a culmination of it all in that final against Mexico, a match in which another title was conquered with the fabled "dos a cero" score. With Robinson down that left side, the United States was solid in defense and feisty in spirit, a joy to watch. Jedi, as he's known, epitomized the balance between defense and attack so valued in the modern game.

Shining at Fulham: consistency and leadership

If 2024 was outstanding for Robinson with the USMNT, his year with Fulham was even more impressive. It started with winning Fulham's Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 season. Robinson posted numbers that ranked him among the best defenders in the Premier League, finishing the calendar year with 10 assists in 37 matches.

This season, with the captain's armband on his arm, his importance to the team has been underlined. He is still one of the leaders of Fulham, dictating the rhythm of the squad with high-quality performances; with seven assists in 19 matches, the thrilling 2-2 against Liverpool, where Robinson provided two assists, underlined his impact in high-level games.

Deserved recognition?

The USMNT Male Player of the Year award is not handed out willy-nilly. Robinson beat out a strong field that included Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Tim Ream, taking an impressive 55% of the vote. That's not only a reflection of his consistency on the pitch but also of the respect he has gained from fans, coaches, and journalists.

It was news that even Robinson himself did not expect, as announced by USMNT legendary goalkeeper Tim Howard in an interview on Premier League Mornings. "I probably looked a bit silly because I was shocked," Jedi said, still sounding in disbelief at the recognition.

It's not as if Antonee Robinson's path to this position came without its fair share of obstacles. A dual citizen, he opted for the United States, and he's now one of the key men in the team. Improvement in the Premier League sealed his status as one of the best left-backs in the league, with the recognition first from Fulham and then the USMNT only consolidating that position.