CHRIS ALBRIGHT
Age: 27
Position: Defender
Club: L.A. Galaxy (MLS)
Scouting report: Albright was named to the U.S. team as the first alternate in place of Frankie Heyduk, who discovered a torn ligament in his knee a day after the squad was named. A sporadic contributor for the U.S. before 2001, Albright fell out of the mix for three years before reappearing in 2004. Valuable offensively but lacks the natural speed to hang with strikers from nations such as Italy.
DaMARCUS BEASLEY
Age: 24
Position: Midfielder
Club: PSV Eindhoven (Dutch first division)
Scouting report: The 2002 World Cup was a coming-out party for Beasley, who signed a big-money deal with one of the Europe’s top clubs soon after helping the U.S. reach the quarterfinals. He remains one of the world’s fastest players and a legitimate scoring threat from the wing position, but rumored hamstring problems, as well as a lackluster training camp, could limit his role.
GREGG BERHALTER
Age: 32
Position: Defender
Club: Energie Cottbus (German second division)
Scouting report: Second alternate called up when a knee injury claimed Cory Gibbs during camp, Berhalter was abused repeatedly during a 4-1 exhibition loss at Germany earlier this year. The performance initially cost the 2002 World Cup vet a place on the ’06 roster. Now it means he probably won’t contribute much.
CARLOS BOCANEGRA
Age: 27
Position: Defender
Club: Fulham (English Premier League)
Scouting report: In looking to bolster a shaky defense, the U.S. could do much worse than Bocanegra, who takes some of the world’s top strikers each week in England’s top division. He’s a former two-time MLS defender of the year yet can be surprisingly adept on the offensive end.
STEVE CHERUNDOLO
Age: 27
Position: Defender/Midfielder
Club: Hannover 96 (German Bundesliga)
Scouting report: Cherundolo is a seven-year national-team veteran who won’t be awed by a trip to the World Cup, especially since he plays professionally in Germany. He stands only 5-foot-6, 145-pounds, which could hamper him greatly against big teams such as the Czech Republic.
BRIAN CHING
Age: 28
Position: Forward
Club: Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Scouting report: Scored seven goals through his first six MLS games this season, making the U.S. team simply by playing well at the right time. A strong, blue-collar type, he lacks the skill or international experience to do much for the U.S. front line in Germany.
JIMMY CONRAD
Age: 29
Position: Defender
Club: Kansas City Wizards (MLS)
Scouting report: Conrad didn’t debut for the U.S. national team until July 2005, but somehow played himself onto the World Cup team. While not quite first-string caliber, he’s one of the better defenders in MLS and a solid option in the central defense.
BOBBY CONVEY
Age: 23
Position: Midfielder
Club: Reading (English Championship)
Scouting report: Two seasons in the English lower division has done wonders for Convey, who was arguably the team’s most impressive player during three pre-World Cup exhibitions. He’s deceptively fast and excels at crossing passes into the opponent’s box. Occasional carelessness and an unrefined scoring punch could cost him playing time.
CLINT DEMPSEY
Age: 23
Position: Midfielder
Club: New England Revolution (MLS)
Scouting report: Originally from Nacogdoches, Texas, Dempsey played at Furman before blossoming into the 2004 MLS Rookie of the Year. He has good size and speed, a knack for finishing goals and great one-on-one moves comparable to a freestyle basketball player. He’s sure to be eyed closely by the European leagues this summer, and a good World Cup could mean millions.
LANDON DONOVAN
Age: 24
Position: Midfielder/Forward
Club: L.A. Galaxy (MLS)
Scouting report: Easily the best American field player, Donovan presents the most alarm for opponents with his speed and skills. Will lure plenty of defensive attention and has the ability to create scoring chances for teammates. As international clubs are well aware, Donovan didn’t win the top rookie honor at the 2002 World Cup by accident.
MARCUS HAHNEMANN
Age: 35
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Reading (English Championship)
Scouting report: With six career international games for the U.S. and a strong reputation in England, Hahnemann made the roster as the third-string goalkeeper.
TIM HOWARD
Age: 27
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Manchester United (English Premier League)
Scouting report: It speaks to the depth of American goalkeeping that Howard, a former EPL goalkeeper of the year, will be the backup in Germany. Consider him the front-runner for the starting job in 2010.
EDDIE JOHNSON
Age: 22
Position: Forward
Club: Kansas City Wizards (MLS)
Scouting report: The fastest player on the U.S. team and one of the fastest strikers on the globe, Johnson set himself up as the next American star with goals in his first four appearances for the U.S. Like Reggie Bush on a soccer field, Johnson tends to play at a different pace than everyone else and knows how to finish. Though young, Johnson has shown the potential to be the best player this nation has produced.
KASEY KELLER
Age: 36
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Borussia Moenchengladbach (German Bundesliga)
Scouting report: Veteran Keller is the unquestioned No. 1 heading into Germany and, barring injury, will be in the nets every minute. He’ll have home-turf advantage given that he resides in a castle near the Black Forest in Germany. For a nation that values using hands in sports, the U.S. has traditionally turned out world-class keepers. Keller may be the best of them all.
EDDIE LEWIS
Age: 32
Position: Defender/Midfielder
Club: Leeds United (English Championship)
Scouting report: Good on the flanks, Lewis is one of the few Americans who are just as good on the attack as on defense. A defender unafraid to venture forward, Lewis will fill the gap left by the knee injury to speedy Frankie Heyduk.
PABLO MASTROENI
Age: 29
Position: Midfielder
Club: Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Scouting report: The Argentine-born Mastroeni moved to the States at age 4 and has been a national-team regular since 2001. An aggressive defensive midfielder, Mastroeni earned international acclaim for shutting down Portuguese star Rui Costa during the 2002 World Cup. Mastroeni is expected to play a key role for the U.S. squad again this time.
BRIAN McBRIDE
Age: 33
Position: Forward
Club: Fulham (English Premier League)
Scouting report: Considered the top current American pro, McBride is peaking in status near the end of his career. He starred this past season in the esteemed EPL, scoring nine goals to steer Fulham clear of relegation. A top-notch tactician for nearly a decade, McBride is most dangerous on balls in the air.
JOHN O’BRIEN
Age: 28
Position: Midfielder
Club: ADO Den Haag (Dutch first division)
Scouting report: One of the heroes of 2002, O’Brien played every minute of the U.S. World Cup run and scored the first goal of the opening upset over Portugal. Since then, a rash of injuries cost him nearly all of 2003 and 2004. He was good enough to make the ’06 team anyway. The reason: If healthy, O’Brien is as skilled a passer and ball-handler as any American.
BEN OLSEN
Age: 29
Position: Midfielder
Club: D.C. United (MLS)
Scouting report: Lingering ankle injuries have hampered the career of Olsen, who was once considered one of the brightest stars in the U.S. youth system. As is, Olsen has become a physical midfielder whose specialty is defense. He isn’t afraid of contact or yellow cards.
OGUCHI ONYEWU
Age: 24
Position: Defender
Club: Standard de Liege (Belgium)
Scouting report: At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds with cornrows in his hair, young Onyewu looks more like an NFL free safety than a soccer player. He tends to play that way, too, and is the kind of intimidating defensive presence never enjoyed by a U.S. squad. Another who could become a newfound international star before this tournament ends.
EDDIE POPE
Age: 33
Position: Defender
Club: Real Salt Lake (MLS)
Scouting report: As one of the more accomplished defenders in U.S. history, Pope is sure to see plenty of the action during his final World Cup hurrah. During the past 10 years, Pope played in 73 national team games, starting each one. That experience will be useful to a player who seems to have lost a step these past few years.
CLAUDIO REYNA
Age: 32
Position: Midfielder
Club: Manchester City (English Premier League)
Scouting report: The U.S. captain and three-time World Cup veteran is roundly regarded as the most accomplished American player in history. While important to U.S. chances this summer, Reyna is no longer the lifeblood he once was for this squad. Injuries decimated his latest pro season, and a strained hamstring suffered May 23 in Nashville threatens his status for the opening match.
JOSH WOLFF
Age: 29
Position: Forward
Club: Kansas City Wizards (MLS)
Scouting report: Originally from Stone Mountain, Ga., Wolff played at the University of South Carolina and is one of the few Southerners to catch on with the U.S. squad. Despite being high on the scouting list for many European clubs, Wolff remains often overwhelmed at the international level and unlikely to play much at forward behind the likes of Eddie Johnson and Brian McBride.
