Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher has been awarded the 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year after a standout year. The award is based on a weighted vote from National Team coaches, National Team players who earned a cap in 2024, members of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors, U.S. Soccer Athletes’ Council, National Women’s Soccer League head coaches, select media members and administrators, and fans. Naeher garnered the majority of the vote (40.8%), followed by defender Naomi Girma (32.2%).
“This is an incredible honor, to cap off what has been a very special year with this team,” said Naeher, “This team is made up of a special group of players, coaches and staff and all year you could feel that energy and that we had the opportunity to achieve something great. I was inspired all year long by my incredible teammates; the work we put in, the commitment to the team and our goals, and all of their love and support.”
Naeher recently retired from the international stage and played her final games with the senior team during a pair of friendlies in Europe against England and the Netherlands. She will continue to play at the club level and is currently signed with Chicago Stars FC.
She was also voted The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year for 2024. The U.S. Soccer award has historically been won by attacking players, but more recent years have seen the award go to players who operate lower on the pitch. Girma, a center back, received the award in 2023, and defensive midfielder Julie Ertz won in 2017 and 2019.
The goalkeeper had a remarkable 2024, where she delivered in multiple penalty shootouts during the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup and 2024 SheBelieves Cup, and helped the team win the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics. She is the first goalkeeper to ever earn a shutout in a FIFA Women’s World Cup final and Olympic gold medal game.
She is the 21st player to receive the honor, and only the second goalkeeper to win in the 40-year history of the award. Hope Solo won the individual accolade in 2009. Naeher stepped into the starting goalkeeper role in 2017 following a long history of hall-of-fame caliber goalkeepers Briana Scurry and Solo. She leaves the game with two World Cup titles, a gold medal, and a slew of historic highlight saves.
