LOS ANGELES, CA (Oct 7, 2008) Fútbol de Primera -- Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Tim
Howard have been selected by 213 sports journalists from across the nation as the three finalists for the 2008 Honda Player of the Year Award, widely recognized as the most prestigious award a US National Team player can receive.
The winner will be announced during the special award luncheon celebrating the 18th Honda Player of the Year Award on Tuesday, November 11 at The Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The winner of the Honda Player of the Year Award will receive a new Honda automobile.
Clint Dempsey, winner of the 2006 Honda Player of the Year Award, has consistently been one of the best players on the U.S. National Team since his debut in 2004. Playing in his first FIFA World Cup in Germany 2006, Dempsey was the only player to score for the U.S. at the tournament. Since then, the 25-year old has continued to lead the team, scoring four goals during this year's World Cup Qualification matches,* including the lone goal in the historic U.S. vs. Cuba game played in Havana. The midfielder began his professional club career with the New England Revolution in 2004 then transferred to Fulham of the English Premier League in 2006 where he's become a regular member of the starting team, making 36 appearances and scoring six goals in the last season.
Landon Donovan, the only four-time winner of the Honda Player of the Year Award, reached another milestone with this year's nomination by tying Kasey Keller as the only other player to be a finalist six times. Earlier this year, Donovan scored a record-breaking 35th goal during the game against Sweden, making him the all-time goalscorer for the U.S. National Team. Since then, the 26-year old scored at the World Cup Qualifying match against the Barbados, bringing his career total to 36 goals during his 104 games with the team.* Donovan began his professional career with the San Jose Earthquakes then played for Bayer Leverkusen in Germany before joining his current team, the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Tim Howard, a finalist for the Honda Player of the Year award for the second year in a row, has become the U.S. National Team's first choice goalkeeper, appearing in eight of the eleven matches played so far this year.* With 34 caps, Howard has an impressive 15 career shutouts, including five in this year's World Cup qualifying appearances.* The 29-year old began his professional career with the MetroStars before transferring to Manchester United in 2003. In 2007, Howard moved to his current club, Everton of the English Premier league, where he's continued to excel. Though his 2007-2008 season with the team was cut short by a finger injury, Howard still finished it only one short of the league's shutout record of 15.
The previous winners of the Honda Player of the Year Award are: Landon Donovan (2007, 2004, 2003 and 2002), Clint Dempsey (2006), Kasey Keller (2005, 1999), Earnie Stewart (2001), Claudio Reyna (2000), Cobi Jones (1998), Eddie Pope (1997), Eric Wynalda (1996, 1992), Alexi Lalas (1995), Marcelo Balboa (1994), Thomas Dooley (1993) and Hugo Perez (1991). In 2000, Eric Wynalda was named the Honda Player of the Decade.
Courtesy of Fútbol de Primera
