CARSON, Calif. (Thursday, May 22, 2014) – LA Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez has been named to the U.S. National Team 23-man roster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. LA Galaxy forward and USMNT all-time leading goal scorer and assist leader Landon Donovan has been left out of USA’s 23-player FIFA World Cup roster and named to the standby list.
Last year, Gonzalez helped the U.S. qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. Gonzalez appeared in and started eight of the 10 games that the U.S. played in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying. Gonzalez, who was also a part of the U.S. squad at last year’s Gold Cup, collected 14 caps in 2013 and now has a total of 18 for his international career.
Donovan, who has represented the United States in three FIFA World Cups, is the U.S. record holder for goals and assists with 57 goals and 58 assists in his international career and has a total 156 caps, only eight shy of Cobi Jones’ record of 164 appearances for the U.S. National Team. Donovan had eight goals and eight assists in 10 appearances for his country last year, leading the U.S. to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup championship. At the World Cup stage, Donovan has tallied five goals in 12 matches.
The U.S. will play three matches in the Send-Off Series from May 27-June 7 in San Francisco, New York and Jacksonville, Florida. The U.S. MNT's Send-Off Series kicks off with United States vs. Azerbaijan, powered by Yingli Solar, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. The U.S. then hosts Turkey at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 1, at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, before traveling to Jacksonville, Florida, to face Nigeria on June 7 at 6 p.m. ET at EverBank Field. All three Send-Off Series matches will be broadcast live on ESPN2, WatchESPN, UniMas and ESPN Deportes Radio. Fans can also follow the games live on Twitter @ussoccer.
2014 FIFA WORLD CUP – U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
