Eligible Players

David Beckham | Gregg Berhalter | Carlos Bocanegra | Shannon Boxx | Edson Buddle | Rachel Buehler Van Hollebeke | Lori Chalupny | Lauren Cheney Holiday | Steve Cherundolo | Brian Ching | Kenny Cooper | Jeff Cunningham | Todd Dunivant | Kevin Hartman | Frankie Hejduk | Thierry Henry | Stuart Holden | Eddie Johnson | Chris Klein | Karina LeBlanc | Amy LePeilbet | Eddie Lewis | Lori Lindsey | Stephanie Lopez Cox | Pablo Mastroeni | Clint Mathis | Heather Mitts | Jaime Moreno | Ben Olsen | Pat Onstad | Heath Pearce | Troy Perkins | Steve Ralston | Cat Reddick Whitehill | Donovan Ricketts | Leigh Ann Robinson Brown | Tony Sanneh | Homare Sawa | Kate Sobrero Markgraf | Bakary Soumare | Taylor Twellman | Aly Wagner | Abby Wambach | Josh Wolff

Eligible Veterans

Chris Armas | Mike Burns | John Doyle | Lorrie Fair | Linda Hamilton | Mary Harvey | Chris Henderson | Lori Henry | Dominic Kinnear | Shep Messing | Tiffany Roberts | Mike Sorber | Greg Vanney | Tisha Venturini – Hoch

Eligible Builders

Joe Cummings | Sunil Gulati | Sandra Hunt | Tim Leiweke | Francisco Marcos | Thom Meredith | Lothar Osiander | Kevin Payne | George Strawbridge

Player Candidate Bios

Players who last played in 2009 (last year of eligibility is 2019)

Ben Olsen - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2007; last played in MLS in 2009).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both his MLS seasons and his U.S. National Team caps.

A midfielder who played in MLS and the U.S. National Team for more than a decade, Olsen played for D.C. United throughout his MLS career, which lasted from 1998 to 2009. He was selected to the MLS postseason Best XI in 2007 and was the MLS Rookie of the Year in 1998. He won two MLS titles with D.C. United, in 1999 and 2004, and was runner-up in the U.S. Open Cup in 2009. He was a member of the D.C. teams that won the Concacaf Champions Cup and the Inter-American Cup in 1998. Olsen played 221 MLS regular-season games and 22 MLS playoff games.

Olsen played 37 full internationals for the United States, the first against Australia in 1998 and the last against Paraguay in 2007. Those 37 caps included one World Cup qualifier in 2000 and one World Cup game in 2006. In addition to the 2006 World Cup, Olsen also played for the United States in the 1999 Confederations Cup, the 2000 Olympic Games, the 2000 Concacaf Gold Cup and the 2005 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Tony Sanneh - (Last played in the USISL in 1995; last played in the NPSL in 1995; last played professionally outside the United States in 2004; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2005; last played in the USL in 2007; last played in MLS in 2009).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his U.S. National Team caps.

A defender who starred in the U.S. National Team and MLS, reaching his peak during the United States’ successful run at the 2002 World Cup, Sanneh played 43 full internationals for the United States, the first against China in 1997 and the last against Costa Rica in 2005. Those 43 caps included all five of the United States games at the 2002 World Cup. Sanneh was one of only three U.S. players to play every minute of each of those games, and it was his cross that Brian McBride headed home for the third goal of the United States’ victory over Portugal. He also played 15 World Cup qualifiers in 2000, 2001 and 2004.

Sanneh played eight seasons in MLS between 1996 and 2009 for D.C., Columbus, Chicago, Colorado and Los Angeles, and was a member of the D.C. United teams that won the first two MLS titles in 1996 and 1997. He also won the U.S. Open Cup twice, in 1996 with D.C. and 2006 with Chicago, and played six seasons in German professional leagues, two seasons in the APSL and USL, two seasons in the USISL and one season in the NPSL. During his MLS career he played 130 regular-season games and 20 playoff games.

Taylor Twellman - (Last played professionally outside the United States in 2002; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2008; last played in MLS in 2009).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both his MLS seasons and his U.S. National Team caps.

A forward who starred in MLS and the U.S. National Team, Twellman played eight seasons in MLS between 2002 and 2009, all of them with New England. He was chosen to the MLS Best XI in 2002 and 2005, the latter a season in which he was named the league’s most valuable player. He played 174 MLS regular-season games and 21 MLS playoff games. During those 195 games, he scored a total of 111 goals. His best goal scoring season was 2002, when he scored 23 regular-season goals and added two more in the playoffs.

Twellman was one of the leading stars of the New England teams that reached the MLS final four times in six seasons, in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007. He also won a U.S. Open Cup title with the Revolution, in 2007. Before joining the Revolution in 2002, he had played two seasons in the German second division.

Twellman played 30 full internationals for the United States, the first against El Salvador in 2002 and the last against Sweden in 2008. Those 30 caps included five World Cup qualifiers in 2004 and 2005. He was a member of the United States team at the 2003 Confederations Cup and the United States team that won the 2007 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Players who last played in 2010 (last year of eligibility is 2020)

Chris Klein - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2006; last played in MLS in 2010).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his U.S. National Team caps.

A midfielder who played in the National Team and was a longtime star in MLS, Klein played 22 full internationals for the United States, the first against Mexico in October 2000 and the last against Germany in March 2006. Those 22 caps included two World Cup qualifiers in 2000 and 2001.

He played 13 seasons in MLS between 1998 and 2010 for Kansas City, Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles, winning an MLS championship in 2000 with Kansas City. He also reached the MLS title game in 2009 with Los Angeles. During those 13 seasons, he played 333 MLS regular-season games and 20 MLS playoff games.

Eddie Lewis - (Last played professionally outside the United States in 2008; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2008; last played in MLS in 2010.)

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both his U.S. National Team caps and his MLS seasons.

A midfielder who starred in MLS, the U.S. National Team and English leagues, Lewis played 82 full internationals for the United States, the first against Peru in October 1996 and the last against Trinidad in September 2008. More than a quarter of those 82 games came in World Cup play, five in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and 21 in World Cup qualifiers in 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2008. Perhaps Lewis’ most famous moment in a U.S. uniform came in 2002, when his perfect cross from the left wing was headed into the net by Landon Donovan for the second goal of the United States’ World Cup upset over Mexico. In addition to his World Cup play, Lewis was a member of the United States teams at the 1999 and 2003 Confederations Cups and the U.S. team that won the 2002 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Lewis played seven seasons in MLS between 1996 and 2010 for San Jose and Los Angeles, and was chosen to the MLS post-season Best XI in 1999. He played 163 MLS regular-season games and nine MLS playoff games. Between 2000 and 2008, Lewis played nine seasons in English professional leagues, becoming a regular at several different clubs.

Kate Sobrero Markgraf - (Last played in the WUSA in 2003; last played professionally outside the United States in 2005; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2010; last played in WPS in 2010.)

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via her U.S. National Team caps.

A defender who was a regular in the U.S. team that won the 1999 Women’s World Cup, Markgraf played 201 full internationals for the United States between 1998 and 2010. Those included 16 games in the 1999, 2003 and 2007 World Cups, five World Cup qualifiers in 2002 and 2006, and 16 games in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. In addition to the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, Markgraf played in victorious efforts in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic finals. She started five of the United States six games at the 1999 World Cup, including playing every minute of the quarterfinal, semifinal and final victories.

Markgraf played three seasons in the WUSA, all of them for Boston, and one season in WPS, for Chicago. She also played one season in the Swedish first division. During her WUSA and WPS seasons she played a total of 76 regular-season games and one playoff game.

Clint Mathis - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2005; last played professionally outside the United States in 2008; last played in MLS in 2010.)

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both his MLS seasons and his U.S. National Team caps.

A midfielder who played 12 seasons in MLS and played in the 2002 World Cup, Mathis played in MLS from 1998 to 2010, for Los Angeles, New York, Salt Lake and Colorado. He was chosen to the MLS Best XI in 2000, won an MLS title in 2009 with Salt Lake and played in 258 MLS regular-season games and 29 MLS playoff games. He holds the MLS record for goals in a single game with five, for the Metro Stars against Dallas in 2000.

Mathis played 46 full internationals for the United States between 1998 and 2005, including seven World Cup qualifiers in 2000, 2001 and 2004 and three World Cup games in 2002. The 12 goals that he scored in those 46 games included a crucial one against South Korea in the 2002 World Cup, when the United States reached the quarterfinals. He also played for the United States at the 2002 Concacaf Gold Cup and the 2003 Confederations Cup.

In addition to his MLS years, Mathis also played two seasons in the German first division and one season in the Greek first division.

Jaime Moreno - (Last played in MLS in 2010.)

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

A forward who starred in MLS for 15 years, The Bolivian National Team star played the bulk of his pro soccer career in MLS, and all but one of his 15 MLS seasons were with D.C. United. He played 372 MLS games, which at the time he retired placed him third on the all-time list of games played in first-division United States leagues. He also was briefly MLS’ all-time leading goal scorer, finishing his career with 145 goals in MLS regular-season and playoff games. Moreno won four MLS championships with D.C. United, in 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004, and played in the title game in each of those seasons. He was named to the MLS Best XI five times, in 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005 and 2006, won the U.S. Open Cup with D.C. United in 1996 and 2008, and won the Concacaf Champions Cup with D.C. United in 1998.

Moreno had played for clubs in Bolivia, Colombia and England before signing with D.C. in 1996, when he was 22. He played 75 games for the Bolivian National Team between 1991 and 2008, including the 1994 World Cup, the 1997 Copa America and the 2007 Copa America.

Steve Ralston - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2007; last played in MLS in 2009; last played in the USSF second division in 2010.)

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both his MLS seasons and his U.S. National Team caps.

A midfielder who was one of the leading stars in MLS throughout his long career, Ralston became the all-time leader in games played in United States first-division leagues in 2008, although he no longer holds that distinction. He retired from MLS the following year after having played 411 MLS games. Ralston played 14 seasons in MLS, six with Tampa Bay and eight with New England, was named to the MLS Best XI in 1999, 2000 and 2002 and retired as MLS’ all-time assist leader. He won a U.S. Open Cup with New England and 2007 and was a member of all four New England teams that reached the MLS final. After retiring from MLS, he played one season in the USSF second division.

Ralston played 36 full internationals for the United States between 1997 and 2007, including eight World Cup qualifiers in 2004 and 2005. He was a member of the United States teams that won the Concacaf Gold Cup in 2005 and 2007.

Players who last played in 2011 (last year of eligibility is 2021)

Gregg Berhalter - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2006; last played professionally outside the United States in 2009; last played in MLS in 2011.)

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his U.S. National Team caps.

A defender who played for the United States in two famous cup runs, at the 1999 Confederations Cup and the 2002 World Cup, Berhalter played 44 full internationals for the United States between 1994 and 2006, including games against Mexico and Germany at the 2002 World Cup and games against Brazil, Mexico and Saudi Arabia at the 1999 Confederations Cup. It was Berhalter’ s header that was controversially kept out of the net by a German defender’s arm in the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals. Berhalter’ s 44 caps also included 14 World Cup qualifiers in 2000, 2001 and 2004, and he was a member of the United States teams at the 2006 World Cup and the 2003 Confederations Cup.

Berhalter’ s three seasons in MLS, all with the Los Angeles Galaxy, came at the end of a club career that was spent mostly in Europe. Earlier, he had played seven seasons in Germany, six in Holland and one in England, mostly at the second-division level. He was team captain at both Energie Cottbus and Munich 1860, leading Cottbus to promotion in the 2005-06 season. He played 52 MLS regular-season games and five MLS playoff games.

Frankie Hejduk - (Last played professionally outside the United States in 2002; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2009; last played in MLS in 2011.)

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his U.S. National Team caps.

A defender who was a key man in the United States’ run at the 2002 World Cup and had a long career in MLS, Hejduk played 85 full internationals for the United States, the first against El Salvador in 1996 and the last against Denmark in 2009. He started four of the United States’ five games at the 2002 World Cup, missing one game because of a yellow-card suspension. He also played in three games at the 1998 World Cup and 26 World Cup qualifiers in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009. In addition to those two World Cups, he was a member of the United States teams at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games and the 1999 and 2003 Confederations Cups. He was a regular in the United States teams that won the 2002 and 2005 Concacaf Gold Cups, playing in both finals.

Hejduk played 12 seasons in MLS between 1996 and 2011, for Tampa Bay, Columbus and Los Angeles, playing a total of 203 MLS regular-season games and 17 MLS playoff games. He was the captain of the Columbus team that won the MLS championship in 2008 and was a runner-up in the U.S. Open Cup with Columbus in 2010. In between his two stretches in MLS, he played four seasons in the German first division and one season in the Swiss first division.

Pat Onstad - (Last played in the NPSL in 1999; last played in the A-League in 2002; last played in MLS in 2011.) Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

A Canadian goalkeeper who had a successful career in MLS, including three league championships, despite not breaking into that league until he was 32 years old, Onstad played nine seasons in MLS between 2003 and 2011 for San Jose, Houston and D.C., and was chosen to the MLS postseason Best XI in 2003 and 2005. He won MLS championships in 2003 with San Jose, 2006 with Houston and 2007 with Houston. During his MLS seasons, he played a total of 223 regular-season games and 17 playoff games. He was named the MLS goalkeeper of the year in 2003 and 2005.

Prior to beginning his MLS career, Onstad played three seasons in the NPSL and eight seasons in the A-League. He was the goalkeeper for the Rochester team that in 1999 became the only non-MLS team to win the U.S. Open Cup since the start of MLS.

Players who last played in 2012 (last year of eligibility is 2022)

Jeff Cunningham - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2010; last played in MLS in 2011; last played professionally outside the United States in 2012; last played in the NASL II in 2012).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

A forward who was among the all-time leading goal scorers in Major League Soccer, Cunningham played 14 seasons in MLS between 1998 and 2011 for Columbus, Salt Lake, Toronto and Dallas. When he retired, he held the MLS career record for regular-season goals, with 134. He also scored five playoff goals. He was chosen to the MLS postseason Best XI in 2002, 2006 and 2009, and was the league’s leading scorer in the last two of those seasons. He won a U.S. Open Cup championship in 2002 with Columbus and was MLS runner-up in 2010 with Dallas.

The Jamaican-born forward played 12 full internationals for the United States between 2001 and 2010, including two World Cup qualifiers in 2005, and was a member of the United States team at the 2003 Confederations Cup. After retiring from MLS, he played one season in the Guatemalan first division and one season in the NASL II.

Heather Mitts - (Last played in the WUSA in 2003; last played in the W-League in 2005; last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2012).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via her U.S. National Team caps.

A defender who won three Olympic gold medals with the U.S. National Team, Mitts played 137 full internationals for the United States, the first against Finland in 1999 and the last against China in 2012. Those included seven World Cup qualifiers in 2006 and 2010 and nine games at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Injuries kept her out of the World Cup early in her career, but she was a member of the United States squad at the 2011 Women’s World Cup.

She played three seasons in the WUSA between 2001 and 2003, all for Philadelphia, and three seasons in WPS between 2009 and 2011, for Boston, Philadelphia and Atlanta. During her WUSA/WPS career, she played 94 regular-season games and five playoff games.

Aly Wagner - (Last played in the WUSA in 2003; last played professionally outside the United States in 2005; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2008; last played in WPS in 2009; last played in the WPSL in 2012). Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via her U.S. National Team caps.

A midfielder who played in two Women’s World Cups and two Olympic Games for the United States, Wagner played 131 full internationals for the United States, the first against Ukraine in 1998 and the last against South Korea in 2008. In between, she played seven World Cup qualifiers in 2002 and 2006, five World Cup games in 2003 and 2007, and five Olympic games in 2004 and 2008, winning Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2008.

She played one WUSA season, 2003, with San Diego and one WPS season, 2009, with Los Angeles, plus one season in the French first division and two seasons in the WPSL. She was a WUSA second-team all-star in 2003 and a runner-up for the WPS title in 2009.

Josh Wolff - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2008; last played professionally outside the United States in 2008; last played in MLS in 2012).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his U.S. National Team caps.

A forward who played in two World Cups and for 14 seasons in MLS, Wolf played 52 full internationals for the United States between 1999 the 2008, including 10 World Cup qualifiers in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005, and three World Cup games in 2002 and 2006. He also was a member of the U.S. teams that won the Concacaf Gold Cup in 2002 and 2005 and reached the semifinals of the 2000 Olympic Games. Perhaps his two most famous moments in a U.S. team came against Mexico, a breakaway goal in a 2001 World Cup qualifier and the cross that produced a goal by Brian McBride at the 2002 World Cup.

He played in MLS from 1998 to 2012, for Chicago, Kansas City and D.C., winning an MLS championship in 1998 with Chicago and U.S. Open Cups in 1998 and 2000 with Chicago and 2004 with Kansas City. He also played two seasons in the German second division. He played 267 MLS regular-season games and 14 MLS playoff games.

Players who last played in 2013 (last year of eligibility is 2023)

David Beckham - (Last played in MLS in 2012; last played outside the United States at the level required by the criteria for foreign players in 2013).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

An English midfielder who brought great publicity, along with some controversy, to American soccer during his time in MLS, Beckham played six seasons in MLS, all of them for the Los Angeles Galaxy, and helped his team to MLS championships in the last two of those seasons, 2011 and 2012. He earlier had been a member of the Los Angeles team that lost in the MLS title game in 2009. He was chosen to the MLS postseason Best XI in 2011.

Beckham was one of the most famous players in the world when he signed with the Galaxy in 2007. His arrival in the league, and the publicity that came with it, was a factor in increasing MLS crowds. Prior to joining the Galaxy, he had won league championships with Manchester United in England and Real Madrid in Spain. In the one season he played after leaving the Galaxy, he won a league title with Paris St.-Germain in France. He played 98 MLS regular-season games and 17 MLS playoff games.

Steve Cherundolo - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2012; last played professionally outside the United States in 2013). Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his U.S. National Team caps.

A defender who was honored as one of the U.S. National Team’s all-time greats and played his entire pro club career in Europe, Cherundolo played 15 seasons in German professional leagues, all of them for Hannover 96, between 1999 and 2013. The last 12 of those seasons were in the first division, after he helped Hannover to gain promotion in the 2001-02 season. At the time of his retirement, he was the longest-serving player in the Bundesliga and was Hannover’s all-time leader in Bundesliga appearances with 302. During his last four seasons with Hannover, he was the main captain of the team, a role that caused him to be nicknamed “The Mayor of Hannover” by American fans.

Cherundolo, who was elected in 2013 as the right back on the U.S. men’s National Team All-Time Best XI, played 87 full internationals for the United States between 1999 and 2012. Those included 26 World Cup qualifiers in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2012, and seven World Cup games in 2006 and 2010. In addition to playing in the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, he also was a member of the United States squad at the 2002 World Cup.

Perhaps Cherundolo’ s greatest moment in a U.S. uniform came in the United States’ game against Slovenia in the 2010 World Cup, when his long through pass down the right-side sprung Landon Donovan loose to score a key goal. Usually, however, he was a stay-at-home defender, who scored only two goals in his 87 games for the United States and only seven in his 15 years with Hannover. His value to the USMNT may have been displayed most sharply at the 2011 Concacaf Gold Cup final against Mexico, when the U.S. lost, 4-2, after having led by 2-0 when Cherundolo had to be replaced because of an injury.

Brian Ching - (Last played in the A-League in 2002; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2010; last played in MLS in 2013).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both his U.S. National Team caps and his MLS seasons.

A forward who scored 90 goals in MLS and 11 for the U.S. National Team, Ching played 12 MLS seasons between 2001 and 2013 for Los Angeles, San Jose and Houston, winning an MLS title in 2006 with Houston and being chosen to the MLS postseason Best XI in 2004. His MLS goals included 82 in regular-season play and eight in the playoffs.

He played 45 full internationals for the United States between 2003 and 2010, including 17 World Cup qualifiers in 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009, and was a member of the United States team at the 2006 World Cup. His achievements for the United States also included winning a Concacaf Gold Cup championship in 2007.

Ching also played one season in the A-League and was a runner-up for the MLS title in 2011 and 2012 with Houston. He played 229 MLS regular-season games and 26 MLS playoff games.

Kevin Hartman - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2006; last played in MLS in 2012; last played in the MLS Reserve Division in 2013). Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

A goalkeeper who was one of the leading stars of MLS for more than a decade and retired as the all-time leader in first-division appearances in American soccer, Hartman played 16 seasons in MLS between 1997 and 2012 for Los Angeles, Kansas City and Dallas, appearing in a total of 465 MLS games, 416 in the regular season and 49 in the playoffs. At the time that he retired, only one active player was within 100 appearances of Hartman’s total. Hartman won a string of championships during his seasons with the L.A. Galaxy, the MLS title in 2002 and 2005, the U.S. Open Cup in 2001 and 2005 and the Concacaf Champions Cup in 2001. In all, he played in the MLS final five times, being on the losing side with Los Angeles in 1999 and 2001 and with Dallas in 2010. He also won individual honors, being named to the MLS postseason Best XI in 1999 and the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 1999 and 2010. He played five full internationals for the United States between 1999 and 2006.

Pablo Mastroeni - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2007; last played in MLS in 2013).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both his U.S. National Team caps and his MLS seasons.

A midfielder who played an important role in the United States’ run at the 2002 World Cup, Mastroeni was a surprise starter at that World Cup but ended up playing three of the United States’ five games as it reached the quarterfinals, and then played two more games at the 2006 World Cup. He played 65 full internationals for the United States between 2001 and 2009, including 15 World Cup qualifiers in 2004, 2005, 2008 and 2009, and five World Cup games in 2002 and 2006. In addition to his World Cup play, he was a member of the U.S. teams that won the Concacaf Gold Cup title in 2002 and 2007, and the U.S. team at the 2003 Confederations Cup.

He played 16 seasons in MLS between 1998 and 2013 for Miami, Colorado and Los Angeles. He was chosen to the MLS postseason Best XI in 2001 and won an MLS championship in 2010 with Colorado. During his MLS career, he played 334 regular-season games and 27 playoff games.

Players who last played in 2014 (last year of eligibility is 2024)

Carlos Bocanegra - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2012; last played professionally outside the United States in 2013; last played in MLS in 2014).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both his U.S. National Team caps and his MLS seasons.

A defender who was captain of the United States in the World Cup and starred for clubs in both the United States and Europe, Bocanegra played 110 full internationals for the United States between 2001 and 2012, including six games at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. He was the regular captain of the U.S. men’s National Team from 2007 to 2012, including the team that reached the second round of the 2010 World Cup, the team that reached the final of the 2009 Confederations Cup and the team that won the 2007 Concacaf Gold Cup. His National Team record also included 31 World Cup qualifiers between 2004 and 2012. In 2013, he was chosen by the USSF to the U.S. men’s National Team All-Time Best XI.

Bocanegra played six seasons in MLS between 2000 and 2014, the first four of those with the Chicago Fire and the last two with Chivas. He was runner-up for the MLS championship twice with Chicago, the first time in 2000, a season when he was the MLS Rookie of the Year, and 2003, a season when he was the MLS Defender of the Year for the second time. In 2002 and 2003, the two seasons when he was the MLS Defender of the Year, he also was chosen to the MLS Best XI, and he won a U.S. Open Cup title in the second of those seasons.

In between his two MLS stints, he played five seasons in the English Premier League, three seasons in the French first division, one season in the Scottish Premier League and one season in the Spanish second division.

Thierry Henry - (Last played in MLS in 2014). Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

A forward who was named to the Best XI three times in his five-year MLS career, Henry, who had been a star in the French National Team and the English Premier League for more than a decade, played in MLS from 2010 to 2014, joining the New York Red Bulls in their first season in their new stadium in New Jersey and playing five seasons with them. Henry was chosen to the MLS postseason Best XI in 2011, 2012 and 2014. During his MLS career, Henry played 122 regular-season games and 13 playoff games and scored 52 goals in those games.

Stuart Holden - (Last played in MLS in 2009; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2013; last played professionally outside the United States in 2014).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his U.S. National Team caps.

A midfielder who won two MLS titles before his career was slowed by injuries, Holden, who was born in Scotland and grew up in Texas, played four seasons in MLS with the Houston Dynamo, winning MLS titles with them in 2006 and 2007, and being selected to the MLS Best XI in 2009. After that season, he moved to Bolton Wanderers in England. He played four seasons with Bolton, but injuries kept him from becoming fully established there.

Holden played 25 full internationals for the United States, including six World Cup qualifiers in 2009 and 2013, and 10 games at the 2009 and 2013 Concacaf Gold Cups. He appeared in one game at the 2010 World Cup, although by then he had suffered the first of that string of injuries, a broken leg resulting from a bad tackle in a National Team friendly.

Eddie Johnson - (Last played professionally outside the United States in 2011; last played in MLS in 2014; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2014).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his U.S. National Team caps.

A forward who enjoyed two successful stints in MLS sandwiched around a period in Europe, Johnson played 63 full internationals for the United States between 2004 and 2014. Those included two games at the 2006 World Cup and 20 World Cup qualifiers over the years. He was a starter in the team that won the Concacaf Gold Cup final in 2013.

Johnson’s MLS career began with seven seasons with Dallas and Kansas City between 2001 and 2007. He then played five seasons in English and Greek professional leagues before returning to MLS in 2012 and playing three seasons with Seattle and D.C. In his 10 MLS seasons, he played 202 regular-season games and 14 playoff games and scored 74 goals.

Lori Lindsey - (Last played in the WUSA in 2003; last played in the W-League in 2008; last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the WPSL in 2012; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2013; last played in the NWSL in 2014; last played professionally outside the United States in 2014).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both her U.S. National Team caps and her WUSA/WPS/NWSL seasons.

A midfielder who was a member of the United States team at the 2011 Women’s World Cup, Lindsey played in leading United States leagues for more than a decade, including two seasons in the WUSA for San Diego and Washington, three seasons in WPS for Washington and Philadelphia, and two seasons in the NWSL for Washington. She was chosen as a WPS postseason all-star in 2010. In addition to her years in those leagues, she played seven seasons in the W-League, one season in the Women’s Premier Soccer League and two seasons in the Australian first division. During her seven American first-division seasons, she played 133 regular-season games and four playoff games.

Lindsey played 31 full internationals for the United States between 2005 and 2013, including three World Cup qualifiers in 2010 and one game at the 2011 Women’s World Cup.

Players who last played in 2015 (first year of eligibility is 2019; last is 2025)

Shannon Boxx - (Last played in the W-League in 1999; last played professionally outside the United States in 2000; last played in the WUSA in 2003; last played in the WPSL in 2005; last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the NWSL in 2015; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both her U.S. National Team caps and her WUSA/WPS/NWSL seasons.

A midfielder who played nine seasons in American first-division pro leagues and won a series of honors with the U.S. National Team, Boxx’ career in the U.S. National Team, which spanned 195 games between 2003 and 2015, included three Olympic championships and one World Cup triumph. Boxx played for the United States in four Women’s World Cups, including the United States’ winning effort in 2015 and its runner-up finish in 2011. She played a total of 16 games in those four World Cups and scored three goals, two in 2003 and one in 2007. She played all six of the United States’ games at the 2004 Olympics, all six of the United States’ games at the 2008 Olympics and two of the United States’ games (including the final) at the 2012 Olympics. She was named to the post-tournament all-star teams of both the 2003 and 2011 Women’s World Cups.

Boxx was one of only three women who played in all three seasons of the Women’s United Soccer Association, all three seasons of Women’s Professional Soccer and the first three seasons of the National Women’s Soccer League. Her three seasons in the WUSA were with San Diego and New York. Her three seasons in WPS were with Los Angeles, St. Louis, Gold Pride and magicJack. Her three NWSL seasons all were with Chicago. She was chosen as a WUSA all-star in 2003, when she was with the New York Power and a WPS all-star in 2009, when she was with the Los Angeles Sol. She won a WPS championship in 2010 with Gold Pride. In those nine seasons, she played 122 regular-season games and four playoff games.

In addition to her seasons in the top United States leagues, she also played one season in the German first division, one season in the W-League and two seasons in the Women’s Premier Soccer League.

Leigh Ann Robinson Brown - (Last played in the W-League in 2007; last played in the WPSL in 2008; last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2013; last played in the NWSL in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via her WPS/NWSL seasons.

A defender who won two league titles during her six first-division seasons, Brown played all three seasons of WPS, for Bay Area, Atlanta and Philadelphia, and the first three seasons of the NWSL, all for Kansas City. She was named to the postseason NWSL Best XI in 2013, and then was a star of the Kansas City teams that won the NWSL championship in 2014 and 2015.

In addition to her first-division seasons, Brown played one seasons in the W-League and one season in the WPSL. She played two games for the U.S. National Team, both in 2013.

Edson Buddle - (Last played in the A-League in 2000; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2011; last played professionally outside the United States in 2011; last played in MLS in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

A forward who played 14 seasons in MLS, Buddle played in MLS from 2001 to 2015, for Colorado, Los Angeles, New York Red Bulls and Toronto. The peak of his MLS career came during his Los Angeles seasons, when he won an MLS title in 2012, was named to the MLS postseason Best XI in 2010 and was a runner-up for the MLS title in 2009. During his MLS career, he played 304 regular-season games and 20 playoff games. In those 324 games, he scored a total of 104 goals.

2010 also was the year when he was a member of the United States team at the World Cup, playing in two games. Those games were among 11 full internationals that he played for the United States between 2003 and 2012.

Lori Chalupny - (Last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the WPSL in 2012; last played professionally outside the United States in 2012; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2015; last played in the NWSL in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both her WPS and NWSL seasons and her U.S. National Team caps.

A defender who won World Cup and Olympic championships with the U.S. National Team, Chalupny played 106 full internationals for the United States between 2001 and 2015, including seven games at the 2007 and 2015 Women’s World Cups and five games at the 2008 Olympic Games. Although she was not a frequent goal scorer over the years, with 10 goals in her national-team games, several of those came in key situations in both the World Cup and Olympic Games. At the 2007 Women’s World Cup, where she scored two goals, she played every minute of all six United States games. She reached the 100-plus caps level despite having missed four seasons of national-team play due to concussions.

Chalupny played all three seasons of WPS, with St. Louis and Atlanta, and the first three seasons of the NWSL, with Chicago. She was chosen to the WPS postseason all-star team in 2009 and the NWSL postseason Best XI in 2013. In those six first-division seasons, she played 108 regular-season games and two playoff games. She also played one season in the WPSL and one season in the Swedish first division.

Kenny Cooper - (Last played professionally outside the United States in 2010; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2010; last played in MLS in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

A forward who had careers in both MLS and Europe, Cooper played nine seasons in MLS between 2006 and 2015, with Dallas, Portland, New York Red Bulls, Seattle and Montreal, and was named to the MLS postseason Best XI in 2009, when he was with Dallas. In those MLS seasons, he played 211 regular-season games and seven playoff games and scored 75 goals. He twice scored 18 goals in an MLS season. He was a runner-up in the U.S. Open Cup in 2007, and also played four seasons in English professional leagues and one season in the German second division.

Cooper played 10 full internationals for the United States between 2007 and 2009, including two World Cup qualifiers.

Stephanie Lopez Cox - (Last played in the WPSL in 2006; last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the W-League in 2012; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2014; last played in the NWSL in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via her U.S. National Team caps.

A defender who played in two World Cups for the United States and won an Olympic gold medal, Cox was a regular for the United States at both the 2007 and 2011 Women’s World Cups, playing a total of eight games in those two tournaments. She also played five games at the 2008 Olympic Games, when the United States won the title. In the course of her 10-year career in the U.S. National Team, she played a total of 89 full internationals. She took a runner-up medal at the 2011 Women’s World Cup.

Cox played six seasons in United States first-division leagues, three in WPS and three in the NWSL. She was a league runner-up three times in those six seasons, finishing second in WPS in 2009 with Los Angeles and in the NWSL in 2014 and 2015 with Seattle. During those six seasons, she played a total of 98 regular-season games and six playoff games. She was chosen as a second-team NWSL all-star in 2014 and 2015, and also played five seasons in the WPSL and one season in the W-League.

Todd Dunivant - (Last played in the USL in 2002; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2006; last played in MLS in 2015). Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

A defender who was a member of five league champion teams during his long career in MLS, Dunivant played 13 seasons in MLS between 2003 and 2015, for San Jose, Los Angeles, New York and Toronto, and was chosen to the MLS Best XI in 2011. He played on the winning team in the MLS final in 2005, 2011 and 2012, all for Los Angeles, and was a member of the winning squad in 2003 with San Jose and 2014 with Los Angeles. He also played on the winning side in the 2005 U.S. Open Cup final with Los Angeles and the losing side in the 2009 MLS final with Los Angeles. During his MLS career, he played 282 regular-season games and 25 playoff games. Dunivant played two games for the U.S. National Team, both in 2006.

Lauren Cheney Holiday - (Last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the NWSL in 2015; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both her U.S. National Team caps and her WPS/NWSL seasons.

A midfielder who starred in the U.S. team that won the 2015 Women’s World Cup, and who also won significant honors in club play, Holiday played for the United States in the 2011 and 2015 Women’s World Cups and the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, winning three of those four. In the course of her 133-game career in the U.S. women’s national team, she played 12 World Cup games in 2011 and 2015, including the final in both of those years, and nine Olympic games in 2008 and 2012, including the final in both of those years. The 24 goals that she scored for the United States over the years included the third goal of the American triumph over Japan in the 2015 Women’s World Cup final. She was chosen to the post-tournament all-star team of the 2011 Women’s World Cup.

Holiday played two seasons in WPS, both for Boston, and three seasons in the NWSL, all for Kansas City, winning two NWSL championships with Kansas City, in 2014 (when she was captain of that team) and 2015. In 2013, she was the NWSL’s leading scorer and most valuable player. She was named to the NWSL’s post-season all-star team in both 2013 and 2014 and was the USSF women’s athlete of the year in 2014.

Karina LeBlanc - (Last played in the WUSA in 2003; last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the NWSL in 2015). Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via her WUSA/WPS/NWSL seasons.

A Canadian goalkeeper who had a very long career in American first-division soccer, LeBlanc played all three seasons of the WUSA, all for Boston; all three seasons of WPS, for Los Angeles, Philadelphia and magicJack, and the first three seasons of the NWSL, for Portland and Chicago. She was one of only three players to play those nine seasons.

LeBlanc, who played in the Canadian national team from 1998 to 2015, including five Women’s World Cups, was chosen as a WPS all-star in 2009 and won an NWSL championship in 2013 with Portland.

Amy LePeilbet - (Last played in the W-League in 2008; last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2012; last played in the NWSL in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both her U.S. National Team caps and her WPS/NWSL seasons.

A defender who starred in the U.S. National Team and won a string of honors in first-division leagues, LePeilbet played 84 full internationals for the United States between 2004 and 2012, including six at the 2011 Women’s World Cup and five at the 2012 Olympic Games. She played in the final in both of those tournaments, winning an Olympic gold medal in 2012.

During her five-year career in first-division club soccer, which included three seasons in WPS and two seasons in the NWSL, she was selected as a first-team all-star three times. She was an WPS all-star in 2009 and 2010 and was named to the NWSL Best XI in 2015. She won NWSL championships in both 2014 and 2015 with Kansas City. All three of her WPS seasons were with the Boston Breakers.

During her five WPS/NWSL seasons, she played 82 regular-season games and six playoff games. She also played six seasons in the W-League.

Heath Pearce - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2012; last played in MLS in 2014; last played professionally outside the United States in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his U.S. National Team caps.

A defender who played for the United States for seven years, and for both American and European clubs, Pearce played 35 full internationals for the United States between 2005 and 2012, including nine World Cup qualifiers in 2008 and 2009. He was a member of the United States squad during its run to the final of the 2009 Confederations Cup. He also played for the United States in the 2009 Concacaf Gold Cup.

Pearce played six seasons in MLS between 2009 and 2014, for Dallas, Chivas, New York and Montreal. He also played two seasons in the Danish first division, two seasons in the German second division and one season in the Swedish first division. During his MLS seasons, he played 129 regular-season games and two playoff games.

Troy Perkins - (Last played professionally outside the United States in 2009; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2010; last played in MLS in 2015; last played in the USL in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

A goalkeeper who was named to the MLS Best XI, Perkins played 10 seasons in MLS between 2004 and 2015, for D.C., Portland, Montreal and Seattle. In addition to making the Best XI in 2006, he also was chosen as the MLS goalkeeper of the year that season.

Perkins played seven full international games for the United States in 2009 and 2010, including five games at the 2009 Concacaf Gold Cup. In addition to his MLS seasons he also played two seasons in the Norwegian first division and one season in the USL. During his MLS career, he played 217 regular-season games and six playoff games.

Donovan Ricketts - (Last played in MLS in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

A Jamaican goalkeeper who starred for several MLS teams, Ricketts played seven seasons in MLS between 2009 and 2015, for Los Angeles, Montreal, Portland and Orlando. He was chosen to the MLS postseason Best XI in both 2010 and 2013, was a starter on the Los Angeles team that was runner-up for the MLS title in 2009, was the backup goalkeeper on the Los Angeles team that won the MLS title in 2011, and was MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2013, when he was with Portland.

During his MLS seasons, the Jamaican national team star played 188 regular-season games and 12 playoff games.

Homare Sawa - (Last played in the WUSA in 2003; last played in WPS in 2010; last played outside the United States at the level required by the criteria for foreign players in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via her WUSA and WPS seasons.

A Japanese midfielder who was among the leading foreign stars in both the WUSA and WPS, Sawa, who played for Japan in six Women’s World Cups, played all three seasons of the WUSA, all for Atlanta, and the 2009 and 2010 WPS seasons, both for Washington. She was chosen to the WUSA’s postseason all-star team in both 2002 and 2003. During those five seasons, she played 103 games and scored 19 goals.

After her final season in American pro soccer, Sawa continued playing in both the Japanese women’s national team and the Japanese women’s first division for an additional five years. She was captain of the Japan team that won the Women’s World Cup in 2011.

Bakary Soumare - (Last played in MLS 2015). Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via his MLS seasons.

A Malian defender who played seven seasons in MLS, Soumare, who was chosen to the MLS postseason Best XI in the second of those seasons, 2008, played in MLS from 2007 to 2105 with Chicago, Philadelphia, Montreal and Dallas. He played 125 MLS regular-season games and four MLS playoff games.

Soumare, who grew up in New York and was capped 12 times by his native Mali, played several seasons in Germany and France in between his two stints in MLS.

Rachel Buehler Van Hollebeke - (Last played in the U.S. National Team in 2014; last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the NWSL in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both her U.S. National Team caps and her WPS/NWSL seasons.

A defender who won two Olympic titles as a member of the U.S. National Team, Van Hollebeke played in two of the United States six games at the 2008 Olympic Games and all six of its games at the 2012 Olympic Games. The 113 full internationals she played for the United States between 2008 and 2015 also included five games at the 2011 Women’s World Cup and six World Cup qualifiers in 2010.

Van Hollebeke played three seasons in WPS between 2009 and 2011, for Bay Area and Boston, and two seasons in the NWSL, between 2013 and 2015, both for Portland. She won two league championships in those years, a WPS title in 2010 with Bay Area and an NWSL title in 2013 with Portland. She was chosen as a WPS all-star in 2010 and an NWSL second-team all-star in 2013.

Abby Wambach - (Last played in the WUSA in 2003; last played in the WPSL in 2005; last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the NWSL in 2014; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via both her U.S. National Team caps and her WUSA/WPS/NWSL seasons.

A forward who was the all-time leading goal scorer in women’s international soccer and played in four World Cups and two Olympic Games, Wambach played 255 full internationals for the United States between her national team debut in 2001 and her final game in 2015. In those games, she scored 184 goals, putting her 26 goals ahead of the previous international and U.S. National Team scoring leader, Mia Hamm. Her two most famous goals both came in overtime against Brazil, the game-winner in the 2004 Olympic final, and the stoppage-time equalizer in a 2011 World Cup quarterfinal that the United States eventually won. She also scored goals in the semifinals and final of the 2011 Women’s World Cup.

Wambach played in four Women’s World Cups, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015, finally winning that title on her final try. She won gold medals in both Olympics in which she played, 2004 and 2012 (she missed the 2008 Olympics due to injury). She played 19 games in those four World Cups, scoring 14 goals, and 11 games in her two Olympics, scoring nine goals. Although she was no longer an automatic starter in 2015, she did play in all seven of the United States’ games in that World Cup, starting three of them and scoring one goal.

At 5-foot-11, Wambach was tall for a woman player, and very often was a target forward. Both of her most famous goals came on headers, after a corner kick by Kristine Lilly in 2004 and after a 40-yard cross from Megan Rapinoe in 2011.

Wambach’s off-the-field honors included being named the USSF women’s athlete of the year six times, in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Concacaf female player of the year in 2014, and the FIFA world women’s player of the year in 2012. In 2013, she was named to the U.S. national women’s team all-time Best XI chosen by the USSF. She was chosen to the post-tournament all-star team at the 2011 Women’s World Cup.

Wambach was the first major international star developed by the Women’s United Soccer Association, in which she played in 2002 and 2003, both seasons for Washington. She later played in all three seasons of WPS, for Washington and magicJack, and the first two seasons of the NWSL, for Western New York. She was named those leagues’ postseason all-star teams three times, in the WUSA in 2003, in WPS in 2010 and in the NWSL in 2013 and won the 2003 WUSA title with Washington.

Cat Reddick Whitehill - (Last played in the W-League in 2005; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2010; last played in WPS in 2011; last played in the WPSL in 2012; last played in the NWSL in 2015).

Has met the Hall of Fame eligibility criteria via her U.S. National Team caps.

A defender who played for the United States in two World Cups and one Olympic Games, Whitehill played in five of the United States’ six games (including the final) in its gold-medal-winning effort at the 2004 Olympics. She also played in all six of the United States’ games at both the 2003 Women’s World Cup and the 2007 Women’s World Cup. Those 17 games, and seven World Cup qualifiers, were among 134 full internationals that Whitehill played for the United States. Her first full international was against Italy in 2000 and her last against Mexico in 2010. She scored 11 goals in those games, including two against North Korea in the 2003 Women’s World Cup.

Whitehill played three seasons in WPS, for Atlanta and Washington, and three seasons in the NWSL, all for Boston. During those six seasons, she played 106 regular-season games and two playoff games.

Veteran Candidate Bios

The following candidates are appearing on the Veteran Eligibility List for the first time or have been reinstated:

Lorrie Fair (last played in the WUSA in 2004; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2005; last played in the WPSL in 2006; last played professionally outside the United States in 2008). Played 120 full internationals for the United States between 1996 and 2005, including four World Cup qualifiers in 2002, four games in the 1999 World Cup and five games in the 2000 Olympic Games. Played three seasons in the WUSA, two seasons in the WPSL, two seasons in the French first division and one season in the English first division.

Greg Vanney (last played in the U.S. National Team in 2005; last played professionally outside the United States in 2005; last played in MLS in 2008). Played 10 seasons in MLS between 1996 and 2008 for Los Angeles, Dallas, D.C. and Colorado. MLS Best XI selection in 2000 and 2001. Played 37 full internationals for the United States between 1996 and 2005, including nine World Cup qualifiers in 1996, 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005. U.S. Open Cup winner with Los Angeles in 2001. Concacaf Champions Cup winner in 2001 with Los Angeles. MLS runner-up in 1996, 1999 and 2001 with Los Angeles. U.S. Open Cup runner-up in 2005 with Dallas. Played four seasons in the French first division. Played 267 MLS regular-season games and 32 MLS playoff games.

The following candidates have previously appeared on Veteran Eligibility List:

Chris Armas (last played in the USISL in 1995; last played in the U.S. National Team in 2005; last played in MLS in 2007). Played 12 seasons in MLS between 1996 and 2007 for Los Angeles and Chicago. MLS Best XI selection in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003. Played 66 full internationals for the United States between 1998 and 2005, including 19 World Cup qualifiers in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2005. MLS champion in 1998 with Chicago. U.S. Open Cup champion in 1998, 2000 and 2003 with Chicago. A member of the United States teams at the Confederations Cup in 2003 and the Concacaf Gold Cup in 2002 and 2005. USSF men’s athlete of the year in 2000.

Mike Burns (last played professionally outside the United States in 1995; last played in the U.S. national team in 1998; last played in MLS in 2002). Played 75 full internationals for the United States between 1992 and 1998, including two games at the 1998 World Cup and 11 games in World Cup qualifying in 1996 and 1997. A member of the United States squads at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups and the 1992 Olympic Games. Played seven seasons in Major League Soccer between 1996 and 2002, for New England, San Jose and Kansas City, appearing in 169 MLS regular-season games and six MLS playoff games. Played one season in the Danish first division.

John Doyle (last played professionally outside the United States in 1993; last played in the U.S. national team in 1994; last played in the APSL/A-League in 1995; last played in MLS in 2000). Played five seasons in MLS between 1996 and 2000 for San Jose. MLS Best XI selection in 1996. Played 53 full internationals for the United States between 1987 and 1994, including four World Cup qualifiers in 1988 and 1989 and two World Cup games in 1990. Member of the United States teams at the 1988 Olympic Games and the 1991 Concacaf Gold Cup. MLS defender of the year in 1996. Played two seasons in the APSL/A-League, one season in the Swedish first division and one season in the German first division. Played 132 MLS regular-seasons games and three MLS playoff games.

Linda Hamilton (last played in the U.S. national team in 1995). Played 71 full internationals for the United States between 1987 and 1995, including four World Cup qualifiers in 1994 and 12 World Cup games in 1991 and 1995. Women's World Cup champion in 1991. Member of the United States teams at the 1991 and 1995 Women's World Cups.

Mary Harvey (last played professionally outside the United States in 1994; last played in the U.S. national team in 1996). Played 27 full internationals for the United States between 1989 and 1996, including six World Cup games in 1991. Women's World Cup champion in 1991. Member of the United States team at the 1991 Women's World Cup. Played three seasons in the German professional league and two seasons in the Swedish professional league.

Chris Henderson (last played in the WSL in 1989; last played professionally outside the United States in 1995; last played in the U.S. national team in 2001; last played in MLS in 2006). Played 79 full internationals for the United States between 1990 and 2001. Member of the United States team at the 1990 World Cup. Concacaf Gold Cup champion in 1991. Played 11 seasons in MLS between 1996 and 2006 for Colorado, Kansas City, Miami, Columbus and New York. MLS champion in 2000 with Kansas City. MLS runner-up in 1997 with Colorado. Played 317 MLS regular-season games and 31 MLS playoff games. Played one season each in the Western Soccer League, the Norwegian first division and the German second division.

Lori Henry (last played in the U.S. national team in 1991). Played 39 full internationals for the United States between 1985 and 1991, including two World Cup games in 1991. Member of the United States team at the 1991 Women's World Cup.

Dominic Kinnear (last played in the U.S. national team in 1994; last played in the A-League in 1995; last played professionally outside the United States in 1995; last played in MLS in 2000). Played 54 full internationals for the United States between 1990 and 1994. Member of the United States team at the 1993 Copa America. Played five seasons in MLS, one season in the Mexican first division and six seasons in the APSL/A-League. Played 117 MLS regular-season games and four MLS playoff games.

Shep Messing (last played in the NASL in 1979; last played in the MISL in 1987). Played seven seasons in the NASL between 1973 and 1979 for New York, Boston, Oakland and Rochester. NASL champion in 1977 with New York. Member of the United States team at the 1972 Olympic Games. Played 119 NASL regular-season games and nine NASL playoff games. Played eight seasons in the MISL.

Tiffany Roberts (last played in the WUSA in 2003; last played in the U.S. national team in 2004; last played in the W-League in 2006; last played in the in the WPSL in 2006). Played 109 full internationals for the United States between 1994 and 2004, including seven in the 1995 and 1999 World Cups, nine World Cup qualifiers in 1994 and 2002, and five in the 1996 Olympic Games. Played three WUSA seasons, all for Carolina. Played 58 WUSA regular-season games and two WUSA playoff games.

Mike Sorber (last played professionally outside the United States in 1996; last played in the U.S. national team in 1998; last played in MLS in 2000). Played 67 full internationals for the United States between 1992 and 1998, including seven World Cup qualifiers in 1997 and four World Cup games in 1994. Played five seasons in MLS and two seasons in the Mexican first division. Member of the United States team at the 1995 Copa America. Played 116 MLS regular-season games and 12 MLS playoff games.

Tisha Venturini-Hoch (last played in the WPSL in 1997; last played in the W-League in 1998; last played in the U.S. national team in 2000; last played in the WUSA in 2003). Played 132 full internationals for the United States between 1992 and 2000, including eight World Cup games in 1995 and 1999 and three World Cup qualifiers in 1994. Member of the United States teams at the 1996 Olympic Games, the 1995 World Cup and the 1999 World Cup. Played three seasons in the WUSA, all for San Jose. WUSA champion in 2001 with San Jose. Played one season in the W-League and one season in the WPSL. Played 60 WUSA regular-season games and two WUSA playoff games.

Builder Candidate Bios

Joe Cummings (born July 31, 1949). A Women’s United Soccer Association and Women’s Professional Soccer team official and an administrator. Cummings was president of the Boston Breakers in the WUSA for three seasons, 2001 to 2003, and in WPS for one season, 2009. He was executive director of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for six years, 2009 through 2015.

Sunil Gulati (born July 30, 1959). A U.S. Soccer Federation official and first-division league official. Gulati was president of the USSF from 2006 through 2018, having been elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2008 and 2012. Since 2013, he has been a member of the FIFA Executive Committee. He was a USSF Committee Chairman in the 1980s, Executive Vice President of the 1994 World Cup Organizing Committee, Deputy Commissioner of Major League Soccer from 1995 to 1999 and Executive Vice President of the USSF from 2000 to 2006.

Sandra Hunt (born June 14, 1959) A pioneer women's referee. Hunt, the leading American female referee in the 1990s, was a FIFA international referee for six years, from 1999 (when FIFA began naming female referees) to 2004, including refereeing at the Women’s World Cup in 1999. She was a Major League Soccer referee for three seasons, from 1998 to 2000, and Women’s United Soccer League referee for three seasons, from 2001 to 2003, including refereeing the WUSA championship game in 2001.

Tim Leiweke (born April 21, 1957). A Major League Soccer team official. Leiweke was president of Anschutz Entertainment Group, owner of the Los Angeles Galaxy, for 14 seasons, from 2001 to 2013, and president of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, owner of Toronto FC, in the 2014 season. Under his leadership, the Galaxy won the MLS championship in 2002, 2005, 2011 and 2013, won the U.S. Open Cup in 2001 and 2005, opened a soccer-specific stadium in 2003, hosted the MLS championship game in 2003, 2004, 2008, 2011 and 2012, and hosted the MLS all-star game in 2003. During the time that he was president of AEG, three other AEG-owned teams also won MLS titles.

Francisco Marcos (born 1945). The longtime leader of the United Soccer Leagues. Marcos, an official of several North American Soccer League teams, founded the USL in 1987 as the Southwest Indoor Soccer League and led its growth through a series of phases. He also has been commissioner of the A-League and a vice president of the U.S. Soccer Federation. He won the USSF’s Werner Fricker Builder Award in 2007.

Thom Meredith (born Nov. 7, 1951). A first-division team and league official, and a U.S. Soccer Federation official. Meredith, who was publicity director for several North American Soccer League teams, became the USSF director of communications in the 1980s. He was the USSF director of events for most of the 1990s and a vice president of the Women’s United Soccer Association throughout its existence.

Lothar Osiander (born Nov. 8, 1939). A U.S. national team, U.S. Olympic team and first-division coach. Osiander was coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team for three years, 1986 through 1988. He coached the United States U-23 Men’s Team in two Olympic Games, 1988 and 1992. In Major League Soccer, he was coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy for two seasons, 1996 and 1997, and the San Jose Earthquakes for two seasons, 1999 and 2000.

Kevin Payne (born March 5, 1953). A first-division team official. Payne was President and General Manager of D.C. United of Major League Soccer for 15 seasons, from 1996 to 2001 and again from 2004 to 2012. He was President of Toronto FC of MLS in the 2013 season, and from 2001 through 2004 was an executive of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owned several MLS franchises. He won the USSF Werner Fricker Builder Award in 2011. Under his leadership, D.C. United won the MLS championship in 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004; won the U.S. Open Cup in 1996 and 2008; hosted the MLS championship game in 1997, 2000 and 2007, and hosted the MLS all-star game in 2004.

George Strawbridge (born Oct. 10, 1937). The founder of the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League. Strawbridge was owner and president of one of the NASL's leading teams for nine seasons, 1975 to 1983. Under his ownership, Tampa Bay won the NASL championship in 1975.