Donovan, Adu earn year-end honors

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Landon Donovan, who led the U.S. national team in scoring and the San Jose Earthquakes to a second consecutive Major League Soccer title this season, was named U.S. soccer athlete of the year on Thursday.

Also receiving honours was Freddy Adu, the 14-year-old who signed a contract with DC United last year and will become the youngest professional athlete in more than 100 years of American team sports when he makes his debut in April.

Adu was voted U.S. soccer young male athlete of the year.

Balloting for the awards was divided equally between online votes and 100 members of the national media and U.S. soccer representatives.

Rated the best finisher in American soccer, Donovan had five goals and seven assists in international play for the U.S. last season.

The 21-year-old attacker also had 12 goals during the regular season for the Earthquakes. He then counted a crucial golden goal to advance San Jose to the MLS Cup Final where he had a pair of goals and earned MVP honors.

"It's been a great year for me, both with the National Team and winning another MLS Cup with the Earthquakes," said Donovan, who becomes the first player to have won both the young male award and top male award.

"It seems like just the other day that I received the youth award, so to be honored with such a major award is amazing."

Donovan said he discovered his passoin for the game last year.

"I was just burned out... I was getting tired of it," he said. "This past year, I just realized I love soccer."

Arguably the best young footballer in the world pursued by some of games most glamorous clubs, greatness has also been predicted for Adu who has been compared to soccer legend Pele.

Although he began the year as a relatively unknown 13-year-old forward, he ended as the most talked-about soccer talent in the country, scoring 13 goals in 16 matches for the U.S. under-17 team in international competition.

He also played for the U.S. team that finished fifth at the FIFA World Youth Championships.

Women's honors

Abby Wambach was voted Donovan's female counterpart.

Wambach, a 23-year-old forward, was a new star of the U.S. Women's National Team. At the FIFA Women's World Cup USA last year, she scored a team-leading three goals including the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Norway in the quarterfinals.

She also scored 13 goals for the WUSA's Washington Freedom to tie with Mia Hamm for the league lead.

"To even be considered for an award like this is an honor," Wambach said.

The award for young female athlete went to Cat Reddick, 21, who competed for the U.S. Women's National Team and the Under-21 team.

The honors, called the Chevrolet Athlete of the Year awards, were announced at U.S. Soccer's national training center.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.