[U.S. SOCCER] Landon Donovan was voted 2008 Honda Player of the Year, winning the award for a record fifth time. Donovan, of the Los Angeles Galaxy, was MLS's leading scorer in the 2008 regular season with 20 goals. He also played nine games for the U.S. national team, scoring three and notching five assists during a year that saw the USA advance to the semifinal round of 2010 World Cup qualifying.

Donovan, 26, received 297 points in voting by 213 journalists, finishing ahead of 29-year-old goalkeeper Tim Howard (249 points) and 25-year-old attacker Clint Dempsey (176 points).

Donovan became the U.S. national team's all-time leading scorer this year when he notched his 35th goal in a 2-0 win over Sweden in January, and added to the record with goals in World Cup qualifying against Barbados and Cuba.

Honda Player of the Year Award Winners
2008 Landon Donovan
2007 Landon Donovan
2006 Clint Dempsey
2005 Kasey Keller
2004 Landon Donovan
2003 Landon Donovan
2002 Landon Donovan
2001 Earnie Stewart
2000 Claudio Reyna
1999 Kasey Keller
1998 Cobi Jones
1997 Eddie Pope
1996 Eric Wynalda
1995 Alexi Lalas
1994 Marcelo Balboa
1993 Thomas Dooley
1992 Eric Wynalda
1991 Hugo Perez