Part 5: Dev. backgrounds of the U.S. 23

by J.R. Eskilson

June 13, 2014

Ed. note: This is the final installment in a five-part series on the youth and development tracks of the U.S. 23-man roster.

GK Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake
Date of birth: June 17, 1979 (34)
Pre-professional club: R.C. United (Cal South)
YNT History: U.S. U17 MNT (1995), U.S. U18 MNT (1997), U.S. U20 MNT (1998-1999)
College history: UCLA (1997-1999)
First professional appearance: May 10, 2000

Notes: Nick Rimando was a talented athlete growing up in Montclair, California. Along with an impressive youth soccer career, he was a star running back and linebacker at Montclair High School. Out side of his scholastic accomplishments, the goalkeeper climbed the ranks within the U.S. youth national teams with stops at the U17 and U20 World Cups. Rimando started three games between the events in Ecuador and Nigeria respectively. He made the jump into the full national team on November 17, 2002 against El Salvador, which was his reward for his two standout seasons with the Miami Fusion. The call-ups escaped Rimando following that debut and he only has 14 caps in his decorated career due to the depth at the position.

Chris Wondolowski, Chico State, college soccer

Wondolowski (Courtesy of Chico State)

This is his first World Cup.

MORE: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

F Chris Wondolowski, San Jose Earthquakes
Date of birth: January 28, 1983 (31)
Pre-professional club: Diablo Valley Soccer Club, Danville Mustang Soccer Association
YNT History: N/A
College history: Chico State (2001-2004)
First professional appearance: September 10, 2005

Notes: From obscurity and perseverance, Chris Wondolowski made his first World Cup roster in 2014. The San Jose Earthquakes striker came from way outside the beaten path into the national team picture over the last decade. Wondolowski did not attract attention outside of his local area. Wondolowski and friend Brad Davis are the only two members of the U.S. World Cup squad who were born in the U.S. but did not play for ODP. Given the lack of exposure, Wondolowski ended up at Chico State for his college career. He scored 39 goals in 84 games while playing with the Wildcats. He slipped into the fourth round of the MLS Supplemental Draft in 2005. As the 86th overall selection, there were long odds against Wondolowski. His hard work and determination were rewarded. In 2011, he made his international debut against Chile. Since then, he scored nine goals in 21 appearances and earned a spot on the 2014 World Cup squad.

D DeAndre Yedlin, Seattle Sounders
Date of birth: July 9, 1993 (20)
Pre-professional clubs: Emerald City FC, Northwest Nationals, Crossfire Premier, Seattle Sounders Academy
YNT history: U.S. U18 MNT (2011), U.S. U20 MNT (2013)
College history: Akron (2011-2012)
First professional appearance: March 2, 2013

Notes: Yedlin’s big break came at a U.S. U18 MNT camp when former Akron head coach Caleb Porter switched him from center midfield to right back. Porter and the Seattle Sounders Academy groomed Yedlin into a right back where he excelled at the collegiate level with Akron and then at the professional level with the Sounders for the past two seasons. Yedlin’s youth national team career started at a very young age, but he didn’t catch on until the U18 camp. He was a fixture with the U20 squad during the World Cup last year and likely going to feature with the Olympic squad in a couple of years. His international debut came on February 1, 2014 against South Korea.

M Graham Zusi, Sporting KC
Date of birth: August 18, 1986
Pre-professional clubs: FC America (Orlando, Florida)
YNT history: N/A
College history: Maryland (2005-2008)
First professional appearance: March 21, 2009

Notes: Like Wondolowski, Graham Zusi emerged from the shadows of the development ladder in the U.S. to carve out a significant career in the sport. He holds the distinction as the first athlete who graduated from high school in the Orlando-area to make a World Cup roster. His youth career was blessed with a father that guided him, but his national team exposure waited until post-college. After a few solid seasons with Sporting KC, Zusi made his international debut on January 21, 2012. His goal against Panama in October earned him sainthood in Mexico.