Holy crap, I picked a winner not named Dempsey.

This is something that has not occurred since the third time I voted for Landon Donovan to win nearly a decade ago. The official release...

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Jozy Altidore, a forward for the US National Team, has won the “2013 Player of the Year Award”, presented by Fútbol de Primera for the last 23 years and chosen by journalists from across the nation from all platforms.

This is the first time Jozy Altidore (24) wins the most prestigious honor given to an US National Team member. Altidore received a total of 233 points, while Michael Bradley (26) finished second with 176 points and Landon Donovan (31) placed third with 127 points.

A player receives three points for each first-place vote, two points for each second-place vote, and one point for each third-place vote. In order to be eligible for the Player of the Year Award, a player must have played in a minimum of three (3) games for the U.S. National Team during the calendar year.

Jozy Altidore has fourteen caps this year in which he scored eight goals. He has consistently been one of the best players on the U.S. National Team since his debut in 2007, with 21 goals in 66 games. This is the second time he has been a finalist for the Futbol de Primera Player of the Year Award.

Altidore started his professional soccer career in 2006 at the age of 16 with the MLS’s New York Red Bulls. In 2008, he went on to play for Villarreal (Spain). Then he played with Xerez (Spain), Hull City (England), Bursaspor (Turkey) and AZ Alkmaar (Holland). This year he signed a four year contract with Sunderland of the English Premier League.

Michael Bradley has established himself as a key player for the U.S. National Team with 82 caps and 11 goals since 2006.  He is currently playing with AS Roma in Italy.  This is the third time, since 2010, Bradley has been a finalist for the Futbol de Primera Player of the Year Award.

Landon Donovan is the U.S. player with most caps (154) with the National Team, in which he has scored 57 goals. This is the 10^th time since 2002 that Donovan has been a finalist of the Award, having won it seven times, an all-time record in its history. Since 2005, Donovan has been playing with MLS’s Los Angeles Galaxy.

Created by Fútbol de Primera, the Player of the Year Award has honored 13 different players in its 23 years history:

Landon Donovan (2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2004, 2003 and 2002), Clint

Dempsey (2012, 2011 and 2006), Kasey Keller (2005, 1999), Earnie Stewart (2001), Claudio Reyna (2000), Cobi Jones (1998), Eddie Pope (1997), Eric Wynalda (1996, 1992), Jozy Altidore (2013), Alexi Lalas (1995), Marcelo Balboa (1994), Thomas Dooley (1993) and Hugo Perez (1991).

- Greg Seltzer