2025 was filled with many positive moments for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Team and their players.
From Chris Richards’ trophy lifts with Crystal Palace, to Catarina Macario’s consistent production for Chelsea and the USWNT, to Lily Yohannes’ emergence as one of the world’s best young talents, there was little for American soccer fans to be disappointed this year.
Alex Freeman has impressed for his club and country, boosting his chances of potentially making the USMNT squad for the World Cup next summer. Alyssa Thompson continues to be an impactful player for WSL giants Chelsea, something that USWNT head coach Emma Hayes hopes translates into an impactful 2026 for the national team.
In a similar vein to US Soccer’s annual awards, here are the 2025 SBI award winners:
Men’s Player of the Year – Chris Richards
It didn’t take much time to refine this selection.
Chris Richards excelled for both Crystal Palace and the USMNT, taking further steps in his development as a professional and international player.
He made 61 appearances for club and country last year and helped Crystal Palace win their first two trophies in club history (FA Cup and FA Community Shield). In addition, Richards has played a large part of Palace’s UEFA Conference League schedule this autumn/winter, helping them progress to the knockout stages.
For the USMNT, Richards played twelve games for his country and quickly became one of the first names on the team sheet. Along with Tim Ream, Richards helped the US bounce back from a tough spring and finish the year with a five-match unbeaten streak.
He was injured at this time, but expects Richards to be fit again in early 2026.
Women’s Player of the Year – Catarina Macario
This selection was a little more difficult to narrow down, but Catarina Macario was given an edge over other deserving candidates.
Macario made 42 appearances for club and country in 2025, leading the USWNT with eight goals in ten games. She scored against several of the best countries in the world, including Brazil, Colombia, China and Italy.
At club level, Macario completed a domestic treble last spring, helping Chelsea win the WSL title, FA Cup and Women’s League Cup. Despite scoring just two club goals this season, Macario has remained a key part of the Blues squad, working alongside fellow USWNT players Alyssa Thompson and Naomi Girma this season.
With Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith missing significant time on the USWNT this year, Macario has emerged as the team’s top attacking threat.
Men’s Breakout Player of the Year – Max Arfsten
Max Arfsten may have completed his third MLS season with the Columbus Crew, but that didn’t stop him from impressing.
Arfsten made 53 appearances between the Crew and the USMNT, making a big jump in production on both fronts. The 24-year-old scored seven goals and added six assists for the Crew under Wilfried Nancy, becoming one of the better left-backs in the league.
After making his debut for the USMNT in January, Arfsten quickly grabbed the starting job in Mauricio Pochettino’s backline. He registered a program-high five assists in 16 appearances, while also scoring one goal.
Antonee Robinson is back and playing regularly for EPL side Fulham, but I could easily pencil Arfsten in as the USMNT’s No. 2 on the depth chart.
Women’s Breakout Player of the Year: Lily Yohannes
18-year-old Lily Yohannes is quickly becoming one of the faces of the USWNT for the future.
Yohannes has made 35 appearances for club and country this year and moved from Dutch club Ajax to European giants Lyon in the summer. After scoring three goals and providing two assists in Ajax’s second half of the season, Yohannes moved to Lyon and has since recorded a total of three goals and four assists for the French club.
She played eleven games for the USWNT this year and provided two assists.
Yohannes should get the chance to reach the top with Lyon this spring, capping off a productive first year in France
Men’s Moment of the Year – USMNT defeat of Uruguay
The USMNT’s 2025 schedule concluded with a win against one of South America’s best.
In a 5–1 defeat to Uruguay in Tampa, Florida, three players scored their first international goals, including Alex Freeman who scored twice. Sebastian Berhalter delivered one of the goals of the year with a rocket free-kick from the right post, while Tanner Tessmann and Diego Luna also found the back of the net.
Although Uruguay played the final 25+ minutes with 10 men, the USMNT led 4-1 at halftime and added an insurance goal later in the second half.
It was an all-around dominant win for the program, which finished the year with 11 total wins (10 regular, 1 shootout).
Women’s Moment of the Year – USWNT win over Brazil
One of the USWNT’s 12 wins in 2025 was against one of the best in the world.
In a 2-0 friendly home win over Brazil in April, Trinity Rodman and Lindsey Heaps both found the back of the net. It was Rodman’s only cap for the USWNT in the calendar year, as she continued to battle injury issues along the way.
The result also marked a fantastic debut for goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who made six saves to earn a clean sheet at the SoFi Stadium.
Although Brazil would bounce back with a 2–1 win three days later in San Jose, the USWNT would ultimately go on a five-match winning streak over the summer months.
Men’s 2025 Transfer to watch in 2026 – Malik Tillman
Malik Tillman’s productive two seasons at PSV earned him the biggest step of his club career to date.
Tillman joined German club Bayer Leverkusen last summer in a deal worth approximately $41 million. The talented midfielder has struggled to get going due to fitness issues, but has since scored three goals in 17 appearances for the club.
Erik Ten Hag’s dismissal at the beginning of the season led to Kasper Hjulmand taking over as club manager.
Bayer Leverkusen is twelve points behind Bayern Munich for first place in the Bundesliga, but remains active in the DFB Pokal and UEFA Champions League competitions.
Tillman will be one to keep an eye on this winter/spring, especially given his status with the USMNT.
Transfer women 2025 to watch in 2026 – Alyssa Thompson
Alyssa Thompson became the newest face at WSL side Chelsea last summer and has quickly adapted to life in the English top flight.
Thompson made 16 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, scoring four goals and two assists. She scored in draws against Arsenal and Liverpool, while also finding the back of the net against Paris FC in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
The 21-year-old’s durability and versatility are clearly on display, working alongside the aforementioned Macario and Girma in multiple competitions.
If Chelsea are to repeat as WSL champions and potentially become European winners, having Thompson in the mix will help immensely.
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