MLS San Jose Earthquakes

Landon Donovan, Jeff Agoos Named to the 2002 United States World Cup Roster

Published on April 22, 2002 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Jose Earthquakes News Release


San Jose, Calif. (April 22, 2002) - The defending MLS Cup Champion San Jose Earthquakes' 20-year old striker Landon Donovan and captain Jeff Agoos have been named to the World Cup roster by U.S. National Team Head Coach Bruce Arena for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan, while Richard Mulrooney has been chosen as an alternate for the squad. Donovan and Agoos will join their teammates for a 10-day training camp at the State Capitol Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina beginning on Wednesday, May 1 after which they will compete in "The Nike Road to Korea", a series of three international friendlies. The U.S. commences World Cup play on June 5 in Suwon, Korea versus Portugal.

The last game Donovan and Agoos will play for the Earthquakes before they report to camp is Saturday, April 27 at Giants Stadium against the MetroStars. The earliest the pair could return to the Earthquakes roster is June 22 versus the Colorado Rapids, missing at least seven MLS games. "This is quite a bit different this time around. For me this really isn't the culmination of four or eight years, this is a culmination of 14 for me," said Agoos. "While 1998 was a disappointing time for us during the World Cup, we look forward to doing some special things two months from now."

Agoos will be making his second consecutive World Cup appearance after being a member of the squad at the 1998 World Cup in France. A veteran of the U.S. national team since 1988, Agoos currently stands at 127 caps, one shy of former U.S. defender Marcelo Balboa for second all-time in U.S. Men's National Team history. A stalwart in the United States' defense, he has had a strong year for the U.S. in 2002, as he has started and played in ten games. The 33-year old defender also played in every minute of every match for the U.S. to help them capture the 2002 Football Confederation Gold Cup Championship and scored the second goal in the Americans' 2-0 win over Costa Rica in the Gold Cup Final.

Donovan has currently played in 16 consecutive matches for the U.S., including playing the full 90 minutes in the team's 1-0 victory over Mexico in Denver, Colorado on Wednesday, April 3. In 2002, Donovan has played a key role in helping the Americans to a 7-3-1 record. The young striker has scored three goals and registered one assist and has been named the Chevrolet Man of the Match on three separate occasions. Overall, in his national team career, Donovan has made 20 appearances and scored four goals. Mulrooney, a strong midfielder who has earned four caps for the U.S. National Team, was chosen as an alternate for the team.

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