Andrew Carleton nominated for U.S. Soccer’s Young Male Player of the Year award

Let’s get this out of the way now. Andrew Carleton probably isn’t going to win the U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year award. However, to be nominated alongside such a star-studded group as he has is incredible.

U.S. Soccer announced the finalists for all of their end of the year awards on Monday with the Atlanta United Homegrown Player showing up as a candidate for the award for the best young male athlete in the program.

While it may just be my natural pessimistic side talking, the company he keeps in the finalists list is probably too much to overcome. First and foremost, the clear winner, Christian Pulisic, is the headliner of the nominee list. Then you have the likes of MLS Rookie of the Year Jordan Morris, Tottenham Hotspur’s Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Carleton’s U-17 teammate Josh Sargent also on the list.

While I hope I’m completely wrong and Carleton does come away with the award, it doesn’t look very likely. It’s pretty amazing to see his name alongside those other stars, though. It just goes to show you how big of a talent Atlanta United have.