Making the Case: Tyler Adams for BioSteel U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year

In a year where he captained the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, midfielder Tyler Adams put together another excellent campaign for club and country and has been named as one of five finalists for the 2022 BioSteel U.S. Soccer Male Player of Year.

• READ MORE: 2022 BioSteel Male Player of the Year Nominees

For the second year in a row, fans will have the opportunity to vote on select Player of the Year Awards, with the fan vote comprising 15% of the total vote. Nominees for all awards are selected by U.S. Soccer’s technical staff. Voting for the awards starts Thursday, Dec. 15 at 11:00 a.m. ET and closes on Dec. 22 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The winners will be announced in the weeks that follow.

• VOTE NOW: Fan Voting for Player of the Year Awards
  
  

Let’s take a look at some of Adams’ highlights from 2022:

• Led the team with 14 starts and 1,131 minutes played, and tied for the team lead with 14 appearances.

• Chosen by his teammates to captain the side at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the 23-year-old was the youngest player across all 32 teams to wear the armband in Qatar, was the youngest USMNT player to wear the armband at the tournament since 1950, and became the youngest American to captain the team in a Knockout Round match when he led the side out against Netherlands.

• Voted Man of the Match in the team’s first two games in Qatar – the 1-1 draw against Wales and 0-0 deadlock against No. 5-ranked England.

• One of only three U.S. players to feature in every minute of the tournament.

• The central midfield stalwart twice covered more ground than any other player on the field, running 8.2 miles against Wales and 8 miles against IR Iran.

• On the club front, Adams has been a revelatory signing for Leeds United this season after joining on a $24 million transfer from RB Leipzig during the summer. Prior to the World Cup break, Adams had appeared in 13 of 14 matches for the Premier League side.

• In the first half of the year, Adams completed his three-and-a-half year stay with German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, appearing in 17 matches and registering one assist, while helping the club claim its first DFB-Pokal title in what would be his last appearance.

This is the third nomination for Adams for U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year. He was previously nominated in 2018, when he finished as runner-up, and again in 2020. Adams was also a finalist for Young Male Player of the Year in 2017.