Tim Howard has been named the US Soccer Male Athlete of the Year for 2014.
The 35-year old Everton goalkeeper has been rewarded for his brilliant national team form during the calendar year to land the prize for the second time in his career.
Howard, who won the award in 2008, attracted 64% of the votes to easily beat New England Revolution's Jermaine Jones (19%) and Real Salt Lake midfielder Kyle Beckerman (11%).
The other three candidates were Seattle Sounders star Clint Dempsey, Borussia Monchengladbach full-back Fabian Johnson and Nantes midfielder Alejandro Bedoya.
"It's an honor. I know the winners on the list who have come before me, so it's special to have my name up there with the greats," Howard said on ESPN's SportsCenter.
"The whole ride with the team for about a month and a half, when we got together for training camp and we flew down to Brazil, we had a really good time and that made 2014 so special to me."
Howard becomes just the fifth player in US history to secure multiple awards following dual winner Marcelo Balboa, three-time victor Kasey Keller, four-time hero Landon Donovan and the treble-winning Dempsey.
Congratulations to Tim Howard: the @ussoccer Male Athlete of the Year: http://t.co/GlhjHJmqp1#USMNTpic.twitter.com/NZi719c0Cm
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) November 20, 2014
