In the aftermath of possibly the game of the Tournament Belgium vs USA it’s interesting to look into where the American players developed their skills, for the majority of the squad it was through the US collegiate system.
College soccer is a hotbed for talent which produces MLS and International calibre players year after year. Just look at the numbers – 12 out of the 23 man US World Cup squad learned their trade at the college level before turning pro. This shows how high the standard of college soccer is and the competition in being considered for a soccer scholarship in America.
It’s not just the US Men’s team that is on the rise though, the MLS is too. With the likes of Clint Dempsey, who played college soccer at Furman University TX, heading back to play for the Seattle Sounders and Tim Cahill, who scored arguably the goal of the tournament, playing for the NY Red Bulls just shows what direction US soccer is heading.
Here is the list of the US men’s team along with their Universities who came through the College system:
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan, University of South Carolina; Nick Rimando, UCLA;
Defenders: Matt Besler, University of Notre Dame; Geoff Cameron, Univeristy of Rhode Island; Omar Gonzalez, University of Maryland; DeAndre Yedlin, University of Akron;
Midfielders: Alejandro Bedoja, Boston College; Brad Davis, Saint Louis University; Graham Zusi, University of Maryland;
Forwards: Jozy Altidore, Fairleigh Dickinson and Boston College; Clint Dempsey Furman University; Aaron Johannsson, California State University.
Are you the next rising star to go from football scholarship to international footballer? Apply for your UK trial today or find out more about football scholarships in the USA