Ricardo Pepi’s breakout year added another highlight with the US Soccer Young Male Player of the Year Award.
A month after winning Major League Soccer’s young player award, El Tren beat out Valencia’s Yunus Musah in a vote of capped players, coaches, select media and former national team players, as well as a portion of the vote going to fans for the first time.
Pepi made his USMNT debut in the September window, recording a goal and two assists in Honduras. The Stars and Stripes knocked off Jamaica in Austin behind a Pepi brace, and the 18-year-old has featured in every national team game since.
Away from international duty, Pepi was MLS’ highest scoring American including a hat-trick against LA Galaxy – setting the record for youngest player in league history to score three in the process – and scored the winning penalty in the MLS All Star Game.
The El Paso native pulled in 60% of the vote, ahead of Musah (23%) and Venezia’s Gianluca Busio (11%).
Previous Winners
| Year | Young Male Player of the Year |
| 2021 | Ricardo Pepi |
| 2020 | Gio Reyna |
| 2019 | Sergiño Dest |
| 2018 | Alex Mendez |
| 2017 | Josh Sargent |
| 2016 | Christian Pulisic |
| 2015 | Matt Miazga |
| 2014 | DeAndre Yedlin |
| 2013 | Wil Trapp |
| 2012 | Rubio Rubin |
| 2011 | Brek Shea |
| 2010 | Gale Agbossoumonde |
| 2009 | Luis Gil |
| 2008 | Sacha Kljestan |
| 2007 | Michael Bradley |
| 2006 | Jozy Altidore |
| 2005 | Benny Feilhaber |
| 2004 | Eddie Johnson |
| 2003 | Freddy Adu |
| 2002 | Bobby Convey |
| 2001 | DaMarcus Beasley |
| 2000 | Landon Donovan |
| 1999 | Ben Olsen |
| 1998 | Josh Wolff |