World Cup 2014 Groups and Analysis: Breaking Down Best Players on Team USA Roster
Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann recently named his official 23-man roster, and it's a pretty impressive group.
By far the biggest surprise was 32-year-old Landon Donovan was not included. A risky move by Klinsmann, considering Donovan is one of the best American soccer players of all time. Fans have already voiced their displeasure for the decision and have questioned why the German coach chose to pick so many German players. Regardless of the choice these 23 players will be playing in Brazil at the World Cup.
So let's meet the team.
Goalkeepers (3)
Tim Howard is the starting goalie for Team USA. Howard hails from New Jersey and has played for Manchester United and Everton. He's 35 years old, the oldest of the three goalies, but he may be the best player on the team. The two other goaltenders are Brad Guzan and Nick Rimando. Both have seen playing time overseas in multiple leagues and will serve as the backups.
Defenders (8)
Many people believe the weakness of Team USA is their defense. Their most experienced defender for is DeMarcus Beasley. Beasley is 32 years old and hails from India. He most recently played for the Pueblo FC in Mexico. Other defenseman include Matt Besler, John Brooks, Omar Gonzales, Timothy Chandler, Geoff Cameron, Fabian Johnson, and 20-year-old DeAndre Yedlin. Yedlin is the youngest defender on the team.
Middle Fielders (8)
The middle fielders are led by Michael Bradley, who was also born in New Jersey. Amazingly, the second most common location amongst these players is New Jersey. Other middlefielders include Mikkel Diskerud, Alejandro Bedoya, Jermaine Jones, Brad Davis, Kyle Beckerman, Julian Green, and Graham Zusi. Green is the youngest player on the team, just 18 years old.
Forwards (4)
Clint Dempsey is the team captain, hoping to provide a spark to this offense. Helping him will be Aron Johannsson and Jozy Altidore. Altidore recently played for the English club Sunderland. He's a Jersey boy as well. Chris Wondolowoski, who last played for the San Jose Earthquakes, will also be playing offense.
If America can win this year's World Cup, it would be the equivalent to the 1980 Miracle On Ice at Lake Placid. The odds are heavily stacked against them, but anything is possible.
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