SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose Earthquakes stars Clarence Goodson and Chris Wondolowski were among 30 players called by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann to the United States’ 2014 FIFA World Cup camp on Monday.
From this list, a squad of 23 players must be chosen by June 2 for the final roster that will travel to Brazil. The USA’s 23-player FIFA World Cup roster will be announced at a later date.
The United States opens camp on Wednesday in Palo Alto, Calif. They’ll train in the Bay Area through May 26 before opening their Send-Off Series against Azerbaijan at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park on Tuesday, May 27 (7 p.m. PT / ESPN2, WatchESPN, UniMas). Tickets are on sale at www.ussoccer.com, www.ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets or by calling 800-745-3000.
The USMNT will also face Turkey on Sunday, June 1 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. (11 a.m. PT / ESPN2, WatchESPN, UniMas) and Nigeria on Saturday, June 7 at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. (3 p.m. PT / ESPN, WatchESPN, UniMas).
“First of all, we want to thank all of the players who have been a part of the process these last three years,” said Klinsmann. “It’s been an incredible journey, and everyone has worked tremendously hard. We had some difficult decisions to make, and we are very excited about the 30 players coming into camp. There is competition in every position, and these next couple of weeks will allow us to make the final determinations on the best 23-man unit to represent the United States in the World Cup.”
Goodson, 31, has 46 caps with the United States Men’s National Team. He’s played in two of the Americans’ three matches this year, a 60th-minute appearance in a 2-0 win against South Korea at the StubHub Center on Feb. 1 and a 59th-minute appearance in a 2-2 draw against Mexico at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 2. The six-foot-four center back is aiming to make his second-straight World Cup squad after suiting up for the United States at the 2010 edition in South Africa. He has five goals during his international career and played 90 minutes in the USA’s 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup championship game, a 1-0 win against Panama on July 28 of last year. Goodson made his USMNT debut in a 2-0 win against Sweden on Jan. 19, 2008 at the StubHub Center.
The Earthquakes signed Goodson on June 28, 2013. He has made 16 appearances since joining the club, seven of which have been clean sheets. He recorded his first assist with the club in Saturday’s 2-1 win against FC Dallas, a match in which the Earthquakes played a man down for the entire second half.
Wondolowski, 31, has nine goals in 19 caps with the U.S. He has nine goals in his last 10 games dating back to his first national team tally against Guatemala on July 6, 2013. Wondo has been in fine form this year, scoring both of the Americans’ goals in a 2-0 win against South Korea at the StubHub Center on Feb. 1 and the second in a 2-2 draw against Mexico at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 2. He has the highest goals-per-game average since the beginning of 2013 at 0.81. Last summer, Wondolowski took home a share of the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup Golden Boot after tying USA teammate Landon Donovan and Panama’s Gabriel Torres with five goals during the month-long tournament.
Over the last four years, Wondolowski has been the most prolific American goal scorer with 84 goals in his last 150 games. He led the league in goals in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and was named Volkswagen MLS Most Valuable Player in 2012 after tying the MLS record for goals in a single-season with 27.
The United States was drawn into Group G along with Germany, Portugal and Ghana. They’ll open with Ghana on Monday, June 16 in Natal followed by Portugal on Sunday, June 22 in Manaus and Germany on Thursday, June 26 in Recife. For more information, visit www.ussoccer.com.
U.S. CAMP ROSTER BY POSITION
Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders (11): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders (10): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Maurice Edu (Philadelphia Union), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards (6): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
