REAL SALT LAKE
FORWARD ROBBIE FINDLEY NAMED TO UNITED STATES WORLD CUP SQUAD
Striker Part of Head Coach Bob Bradley’s 23-Man Roster
Set to Travel to South Africa this Weekend
SANDY, Utah (Wednesday, May 26, 2010) – U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley today named the 23-man roster that will travel to South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a group that includes Real Salt Lake forward Robbie Findley. The 24-year-old Findley – one of only four players based in Major League Soccer to earn a spot on the squad – will depart with the rest of his USA teammates for South Africa this Sunday, May 30, and will play their opening match of the tournament against England on Saturday, June 12 in Rustenburg live on ABC at 12:00 p.m. MT.
“I tried to stay
positive and told myself that I had done all I could to give myself an
opportunity, and in the end it was in the coaching staff’s hands,” said
Findley, one of 18 players on the U.S. roster with MLS ties either present or
past. “A lot of hard work’s been put into getting to this point, so I’m
thankful for this opportunity and to everyone that has helped me get here. It
feels good to be able to represent the United States in the biggest tournament
in the world.”
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION (All-Time World Cup
Roster Appearances) (Detailed
Roster)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (2010), Marcus Hahnemann (2006, 2010), Tim Howard
(2006, 2010)
DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (2006, 2010), Jonathan Bornstein (2010),
Steve Cherundolo (2002, 2006, 2010), Jay DeMerit (2010), Clarence Goodson
(2010), Oguchi Onyewu (2006, 2010), Jonathan Spector (2010)
MIDFIELDERS (9): DaMarcus Beasley (2002, 2006, 2010), Michael Bradley
(2010), Ricardo Clark (2010), Clint Dempsey (2006, 2010), Landon Donovan (2002,
2006, 2010), Maurice Edu (2010), Benny Feilhaber (2010), Stuart Holden (2010),
José Torres (2010)
FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (2010), Edson Buddle (2010), Robbie Findley
(2010), Herculez Gomez (2010)
Real Salt Lake and Budweiser will host the largest viewing party in the state
of Utah for the USA-England affair at Green Street, located in the
Trolley Square shopping center in Salt Lake City (602 East 500 South). The free
viewing party will be open to the first 1,500 fans, who can watch that contest
– and the full slate of FIFA South Africa 2010 matches – on Green Street’s 34
televisions spread across the spacious venue. More details on the World Cup
Viewing Parties at Green Street – including food and beverage specials,
giveaways and promotions, and special guest appearances – will be announced in
the weeks ahead leading up to the kickoff of the World Cup on June 11.
Findley will become the third active member of a Real Salt Lake roster to take
part in a World Cup, as two former RSL defenders – American Eddie Pope and
Costa Rican Douglas Sequiera – represented their nations in the FIFA
World Cup Germany 2006 tournament. In addition, current RSL forward Álvaro
Saborío also appeared in two games for his native Costa Rica during that
same tourney, while Real Salt Lake’s lone remaining “Original,” MF Andy
Williams, earned his first-ever international cap for Jamaica’s National
Team, affectionately known as the “Reggae Boyz,” at France ’98 against Croatia.
Former RSL forward Clint Mathis was one of the United States’ heroes
during its quarterfinal run in Korea/Japan 2002, scoring a wonder-strike
against Korea in group play.
“The entire Real Salt Lake organization is
beyond thrilled for Robbie as he gets ready to take part in this incredible
experience,” said RSL General Manager Garth Lagerwey. “Our players,
staff, and fans will be beaming with pride as we watch Robbie represent the
United States at the World Cup, and we wish him and the rest of the USA squad
the best of luck in South Africa.”
Findley remains on four “caps”
for the U.S. senior side after not seeing the field in last night’s 4-2 defeat
to the Czech Republic in Hartford, Conn., his last appearance coming back on
March 3, when he started and logged 63 minutes in a 2-1 loss at Holland. That
contest marked Findley’s third extended appearance in a match for Bradley
across five weeks this winter, as the Arizona native received his first start
for the squad and played the full 90 minutes in a 1-3 defeat to Honduras at The
Home Depot Center on Jan. 23, prior to 68 minutes in the 2-1 win vs. El
Salvador in Tampa on Feb. 24.
The February and March training camps were
Findley’s third such stints with the U.S. Men’s National Team since last
September, when he trained under Bradley in advance of the team’s World Cup
Qualifiers against El Salvador and at Trinidad & Tobago. Findley’s first
“cap” with the USA was a brief one back on Oct. 17, 2007, when he entered a 1-0
victory at Switzerland in the 90th minute in place of Clint Dempsey.
The
U.S. will play their final home match before departing for South Africa when
they face Turkey this Saturday, May 29, at Lincoln Financial Field in
Philadelphia, where more than 45,000 tickets have already been sold. ESPN2 and
Galavision will broadcast the match live beginning at 12:00 p.m. MT, while ESPN
will have a 30-minute pregame show beginning at 11:30 a.m. MT. The United
States will play one final friendly before the tournament begins, this time on
South African soil when they face Australia on Saturday, June 5 at Ruimsig
Stadium in Roodepoort. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. local time (6:30 a.m. MT),
and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
The U.S. Men's
National Team has been drawn into Group C with England, Slovenia and Algeria
for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The U.S. will open its sixth
consecutive World Cup finals tournament against England on June 12 in
Rustenburg, and will follow that game with matches against Slovenia on June 18
in Johannesburg and Algeria on June 23 in Tshwane/Pretoria.
For more details on the 23-man roster that
will represent the United States at FIFA South Africa 2010, click
here, and visit www.USSoccer.com
for expanded coverage of the U.S. squad in the build-up to the world’s biggest
sporting event.
