Landon Donovan wins 4th Honda Player of the Year Award

U.S. national team striker Landon Donovan added to a history making year by becoming the first-ever four-time winner of the Honda Player of the Year award. The 25-year-old was voted as the USA’s best player in 2007 in a ballot of 203 journalists across the United States, beating out fellow finalists Tim Howard and Carlos Bocanegra.

“It certainly is a great honor,” said Donovan. “We can’t forget that soccer is a team sport, and I am very proud of the team’s performance this year, particularly in defending the Gold Cup title. I also want to congratulate both Tim and Carlos. They are both equally deserving of this award as well.”

Donovan has had a banner year for the U.S., scoring a team high nine goals, including a hat trick against Ecuador and the game-tying goal against Mexico in the 2007 Gold Cup final. That goal moved Donovan into a first-place tie on the USA’s all-time goalscoring chart with 34 career tallies. Already the U.S. leader in assists, his 22 points in 2007 broke the record set by Cobi Jones for most points in one year.