U.S. Soccer announced its six nominees for the 2014 U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year and Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman is among three Major League Soccer players that made the list.
Beckerman is joined by Seattle Sounders FC forward Clint Dempsey and New England Revolution midfielder Jermaine Jones, along with Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard, Nantes midfielder Alejandro Bedoya and Borussia Monchengladbach defender Fabian Johnson.
Beckerman started in seven of his eight National Team appearances in 2014, including three starts in the Group Stage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, helping the U.S. through to the Round of 16 for the second consecutive World Cup tournament.
He now has 41 career caps, dating back to his first appearance in January of 2007 in a friendly against Denmark.
At the club level, Beckerman was named an MLS All-Star for the eighth consecutive season and led Real Salt Lake to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the seventh straight season. In 28 matches, he notched three goals and three assists, with RSL going 14-5-9 when he played and 1-3-2 in the six matches he missed while away for World Cup duties.
Dempsey and Howard have both won the honor before, with Dempsey winning in 2007, 2011 and 2012 and Howard taking home the award in 2008. Previously two players with Real Salt Lake connections won Young Male Athlete of the Year honors, with Freddy Adu winning in 2003 and Luis Gil being honored in 2009.
The winner of the 2014 U.S. Soccer Male Athlete of the Year will be announced on Thursday at 2 p.m. MT on ESPN’s SportsCenter.
