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USA World Cup Roster 2014: Two Terps named to US World Cup Squad

Two former University of Maryland soccer players have been named to the United States' squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

By Jake Nazar
Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Earlier today, United States Men's National Soccer team coach Jurgen Klinsmann named his preliminary 30 man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He will cut his squad down to 23 on June 2nd.

Update: Two Terps made the cut.

The big news that relates to Maryland is that four players that used to play for the Terrapins have been named to the squad. Those 4 players are

  • Maurice Edu
  • Omar Gonzalez
  • Clarence Goodson
  • Graham Zusi

Goodson is the oldest of the group, aged 31, and played for the Terps from 2000-2003. He currently plays in Major League Soccer (MLS) with the San Jose Earthquakes, and previously played for FC Dallas (MLS) from 2004-2007, IK Start in Norway from 2008-2010, and Danish club Brondby from 2011-2013. He's a Central Defender who has been capped 46 times for the US, with five goals, and is one of the more consistent presences on Klinsmann's back line.

Edu is the second oldest of the group, aged 28. He played for Maryland from 2004-2006, winning a College Cup in 2005, and was named a first team All-American in 2006. He forfeited his final year of eligibility to enter the 2007 MLS Superdraft as part of Generation Adidas. Edu is currently playing for the Philadelphia Union in MLS, on loan from English Premier League (EPL) club Stoke City. He played for Toronto FC in MLS from 2007-2008 before joining Scottish giant Rangers. He played for Rangers until 2012 when he joined Stoke. He also had a loan stint with Turkish club Bursaspor in 2013. He's a Central Midfielder, and has been capped 46 times for his home country (occasionally at center back), although his playing opportunities with the national side have fallen as he has struggled to find playing time at Stoke.

Zusi, 27, played with Edu in 2005 and 2006. He won two College Cups (2005 and 2008) and scored the game winning goals in both the Semis and Final in 2008. He scored 28 goals and had 20 assists in his 4 years with the Terps. Zusi currently plays for Sporting Kansas City in MLS, the defending MLS Cup champions. He's also been named to back to back MLS Best XI teams. He's a right sided winger/midfielder, and has scored three goals in 20 caps.

The youngest of the group, Omar Gonzalez, aged 25, played from Maryland from 2006-2008. He played with Zusi on the 2008 College Cup team, and was named an All-American in 2008. He also won the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. He, like Edu, only played 3 years at Maryland before entering the 2009 MLS Superdraft where he was drafted 3rd by the LA Galaxy. He's played his entire career for the Galaxy, outside of a brief loan stint to German club FC Nuremberg in 2012. He's a Central Defender, and has been capped 18 times.

Gonzalez and Zusi are locks for the team, while Goodson is likely to be included. Edu is unlikely to make the team but still has a decent shot.

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