PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC midfielder Lindsey Horan has been voted the 2021 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, it was announced today.Â
This marks the first time Horan has won the award. She is the 18th different WNT player to win this award. Horan is also just the third player to win both U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year (which she won in 2013) and U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year, joining Tobin Heath and Julie Ertz.
The Golden, Colo., native was named to NWSL Best XI Second Team for her play during the 2021 season with Thorns FC. During her sixth season with the club, Horan tallied two goals and finished tied for the team lead with three assists in 14 matches (14 starts). She helped lead Portland to its second NWSL Shield, the NWSL Challenge Cup and the Women’s International Champions Cup.Â
In 22 games with the USWNT, Horan made 18 starts and led the USA in minutes played, logging 1,707 minutes. She finished the year tied for fourth in goals (6) and tied for second with five assists. Horan won a bronze medal at the Olympics, starting in five of six games in which she played, while tallying one goal.
She also reached several notable milestones during the 2021 calendar year with the USA. Horan earned her 100th cap during the group stage of the Olympics against New Zealand. During the 2021 SheBelieves Cup, Horan brought her career assist total with the USWNT to 31, making her the 18th player to record 30 or more assists. Against Australia on Nov. 27, Horan captained the USWNT for a second time in her career and scored her 25th career goal to become the 24th player in USWNT history to score 25 or more goals.
For the first time, fans were able to vote for this award with those votes weighted at 15% of the total. Of the five finalists for the Female Player of the Year Award, Horan garnered 36 percent of the overall tabulated votes, followed by Carli Lloyd (29%) and Rose Lavelle (19%).
Votes for U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year awards are collected from respective National Team coaches, National Team players who earned a cap in 2021, members of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors, U.S. Soccer Athletes’ Council, National Women’s Soccer League head coaches and select media members, administrators and college coaches.
