Overview
- U.S. Soccer announced the award Wednesday, with Richards taking 48.6% of the weighted vote over finalists Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman, Matt Freese and Malik Tillman.
- The voting pool included fans, coaches, players, sporting directors, federation board members, the Athletes' Council, media, and former USMNT players and administrators.
- At club level, Richards played every minute of Crystal Palace’s FA Cup run, capped by a 1–0 final win over Manchester City.
- For the USMNT, he scored two goals at the Gold Cup, earned a place in the tournament’s Best XI, and netted the opener in the final against Mexico.
- It is his first Player of the Year honor, revealed to him live on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show, and it marks a second straight year a defender has won after Antonee Robinson in 2024.