The National Soccer Hall of Fame has announced the nominees for their next class which consists of 46 Players, 14 Veterans and 8 Builders.
To qualify in the Player’s Category a player has to meet the following criteria:
Have been retired for at least three years but no more than ten.
Have played 20 full International Games and/or played five seasons in a U.S. First Division League and was a champion or a league All Star.
The nominated players are:
David Beckham: Easily one of the most popular soccer players of all time, David Beckham came from England to the Los Angeles Galaxy where over six years he helped them win the MLS Cup in 2011 and 2012. He certainly sold a lot of tickets just by suiting up for the Galaxy.
Gregg Berhalter: Berhalter played his club career primarily in Europe and he would finish off his pro career with three years in MLS with the L.A. Galaxy. He would play in 44 Games with the United States which was punctuated by his participation in the 2002 World Cup.
Carlos Bocanegra: Bocanegra played six of his pro seasons in Major League Soccer where he was named the Rookie of the Year and was a two time MLS Defender of the Year where he was also named to MLS Best XI roster. Internationally he was a fixture for Team U.S.A. with who he played for 110 times and was a member of the 2006 and 2010 World Cup teams. He was also on the 2007 Concacaf Gold Cup winning team.
Shannon Boxx: Boxx played in the WUSA, WPSL and the NWSL and played for the United States in four World Cups, including the championship team of 2015. She also played on the 2004, 2008 and the 2012 Women’s Olympic Team.
Leigh Ann Robinson Brown: Brown won back-to-back championships in the WPSL with Kansas City in 2014 and 2015. She played two games for the Women’s National Team.
Edson Buddle: Buddle played 14 years in MLS where he would help the Galaxy win the Title in 2012. He played 11 Games for the United States including two games in the 2010 World Cup.
Lori Chalupny: Chalupny dressed for the United States Women’s Team in 106 times and is a World Cup and Olympic Champion. She also played six seasons of top flight soccer in the U.S..
Steve Cherundolo: Cherundolo played all of his pro career for Hannover 96 in Germany and he played for the United States 87 times. He was on the 2002 World Cup roster and he played in both the 2006 and 2010 World Cup.
Brian Ching: Ching scored 90 Goals over his MLS career highlighted by helping Houston win the MLS Cup in 2006. Internationally he played in 45 Games for the U.S., which included the 2006 World Cup and the championship in the 2007 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Kenny Cooper: Cooper was in Major League Soccer for nine seasons, which includes a Best XI Selection in 2009. He played for Team U.S.A. on 10 occasions.
Stephanie Lopez Cox: Cox played Defense for the United States in the 2007 and 2011 World Cup and was a member of the winning team in the 2008 Olympics. Donning a U.S. jersey 89 times, she also played six seasons in the first division of American Women’s Soccer.
Jeff Cunningham: Born in Jamaica but playing Internationally for the United States, he was a fourteen year MLS veteran. At the time of his retirement he was the league leader in regular season Goals and he would help Columbus win the 2002 U.S. Open Cup Championship. He played 12 Games for the United States.
Todd Dunivant: In terms of success in Major League Soccer few had more than Todd Dunivant who would win the Cup with the Los Angeles Galaxy four times (2005, 2011, 2012 & 2013) and another one previously with the San Jose Earthquakes in 2003. The defender would also win the 2005 U.S. Open Cup and was chosen for the MLS Best XI in 2011.
Kevin Hartman: One of the most successful Goalies in U.S. Soccer history, Hartman helped the Los Angeles Galaxy win the MLS Title in 2002 and 2005, the U.S. Open Cup in 2001 and the Concacaf Champions Cup in 2001. He represented the United States five times.
Frankie Hejduk: The Defender played in 85 Games for the U.S. including the 2002 World Cup and 1996 and 2000 Olympics. Hejduk played in the MLS for 12 years and was the captain of the Columbus Crew that won the 2008 MLS Cup.
Thierry Henry: One of the best players from France (which says a lot) Thierry Henry was in MLS for five years and for three of those campaigns he was named to the Best XI. He played all of his time in Major League Soccer with the New York Red Bulls.
Stuart Holden: Holden played four years in MLS where he was a two time champion with the Houston Dynamo (2006 & 2007). He played for the U.S. 25 times including the 2010 World Cup.
Lauren Cheney Holiday: Holiday played 133 Games for Team U.S.A. where she would help her country win the 2015 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. She also played in the 2011 World Cup. On a club level she won two titles in Kansas City in the NWLS where she was the team captain.
Eddie Johnson: Johnson played ten years in Major League Soccer where he scored 74 Goals. He played for the United States in 63 Games where he played in the 2006 World Cup and the Concacaf Gold Cup Championship in 2013.
Chris Klein: Playing at Midfield, Klein played 13 years in MLS with a championship win with Kansas City in 2000. He played for the United States in 22 Games.
Karina LeBlanc: From Canada, LeBlanc played three seasons in each of the WUSA, WPS and NWSL.
Amy LePeilbet: A highly decorated player on the club level where she won two NWSL Championships with Kansas City, LePelibet also played for Team U.S.A. where she helped them win Olympic Gold in 2012. She was also a member of the 2011 World Cup Team.
Eddie Lewis: The Midfielder would play 82 times for Team U.S.A. where he went to two World Cups (2002 & 2006) and he helped the U.S. win the Concacaf Gold Cup in 2002. He was a seven year veteran in MLS and was named a Best XI player in 1999.
Lori Lindsey: Lindsey played for Team U.S.A. 31 times including the 2011 World Cup. She played in three different professional leagues in the States.
Kate Sobrero Markgraf: Markgraf played in three World Cups representing the United States where she helped them win it all in 1999. She would also play in three Olympics winning it all in 2004 & 2008. Markgraf would suit up for the U.S.A. in 201 Games and was in the WUSA for three seasons.
Pablo Mastroeni: Mastroeni played in Major League Soccer for 16 seasons and he was a Champion in 2010 with Miami. He donned Team U.S.A.’s jersey 65 times including the 2006 World Cup and the winning 2002 and 2007 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Clint Mathis: Mathis was a twelve year veteran of Major League Soccer and he would win a championship with Real Salt Lake in 2009 and was a Best XI recipient in 2000. He played for Team U.S.A. 46 times, including the 2002 World Cup where he scored against South Korea to help the Americans advance to the quarterfinals.
Heather Mitts: Mitts played in three Olympic Games for Team U.S.A. and helped them win the Gold Medal in 2004, 2008 and 2012. Also playing in the 2011 World Cup, she played 137 times for the Americans. Professionally she played three seasons in WUSA and three in WPS.
Jaime Moreno: From Bolivia, Moreno played in MLS for fifteen years where he helped D.C. United win the title in 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2004. A member of the MLS Best XI five times he also helped D.C. win the U.S. Open Cup in 1996 and 2008 and the Concacaf Champions Cup in 1998. He scored 145 Goals in MLS and at one time was the all time leading scorer.
Ben Olsen: Olsen played for D.C. United from 1998 to 2009 and was a two time MLS Champion. The 1998 Rookie of the Year was a Best XI player in 2007 and was also part of the 1998 D.C. team that won the Concacaf Champions Cup. He represented the United States 37 times Internationally including the 2006 World Cup.
Pat Onstad: From Canada, Onstad played in net for three MLS Championship Teams, 2003 for San Jose and 2006 and 2007 for Houston and he was the MLS Goalkeeper of the year twice (2003 & 2005). Notably, he was the Goalie that took Rochester to win the U.S. Open Cup in 1999, making them the first and only non-MLS team to win it.
Heath Pearce: Pearce played in MLS for six seasons and he represented The United States 35 times including the 2009 Confederations Cup and Concacaf Gold Cup.
Troy Perkins: The Goalie played 10 years in MLS where he was named to the Best XI and was the Goalkeeper of the Year in 2006. He played for the U.S. seven times.
Steve Ralston: Ralston played 14 years in MLS and at the time of his retirement he was the league’s all time leader in Assists. He would help the New England Revolution win the U.S. Open Cup and he played 36 games for Team U.S.A., which included Concacaf Gold Cup wins in 2005 and 2007.
Donovan Ricketts: From Jamaica, Ricketts was the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2013. He played 188 Games in MLS.
Tony Sanneh: The Defenseman played in 43 Games for Team U.S.A. and was in the 2002 World Cup. Sanneh played eight seasons in MS and he was a champion with D.C. United in 1996 and 1997.
Homare Sawa: The Captain of the Japanese Women’s Team that won the World Cup in 2011 played five years in the U.S. with WUSA and WPS and she was a post season All Star twice.
Bakare Soumare: From Mali, Soumare played seven years in Major League Soccer where he was chosen to the MLS post season Best XI in 2008.
Taylor Twellman: Twellman played eight seasons in the MLS, all of which were with the New England Revolution. He was a two time MLS Best XI recipient (2002 & 2005) and he was the MLS MVP in 2005. He would play 30 Games for team U.S.A..
Rachel Buehler Van Hollebeke: Van Hollebeke played 113 Games for the United States where the defender won two Olympic Gold Medals (2008 & 2012). Van Hollebeke would win a WPS Title in 2010 with Bay Area and NWSL Title with Portland three years later.
Aly Wagner: Wagner played for the U.S. Women’s National Team 131 times and helped them win two Olympic Gold Medals in both 2004 & 2008. She also played in the 2003 and 2007 World Cup.
Abby Wambach: One of the more recognizable players in Women’s Soccer, Abby Wambach is also one of the best. She played for the U.S. 255 times where she scored 184 Goals and was at one time the highest goal scorer in international competition. Wambach played in four World Cups (finally winning it all in 2015) and two Olympic Games. She is also a six time winner of the USSF Female Athlete of the Year winner and she was a three time post season All Star as a Club player.
Cat Reddick Whitehill: Whitehill played in two World Cups and the Gold Medal winning 2004 team. She played 134 Games with the United States.
Josh Wolff: Wolff played 14 seasons in MLS, which was highlighted by a 2008 MLS Cup as a member of the Chicago Fire. He would represent the United States in the World Cup in 2002 and 2006 he was also a member of the 2000 Olympic Team. He played 52 Games for his country.
The Veteran Candidates are:
Chris Armas: Armas was a decorated player in Major League Soccer where the 12 year veteran won the MLS Cup in 1998 and the U.S. Open Cup in 1998, 2000 and 2003 with the Chicago Fire. He was named to the Best XI in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003. The 2000 USSF Men’s Athlete of the Year played for the U.S. in 66 Games.
Mike Burns: Burns played seven seasons in Major League Soccer and he was part of the 1994 and 1998 Men’s World Cup squads. He played 75 times for the United States.
John Doyle: Doyle played for the San Jose Earthquakes for five years (1996-2000) where he was chosen for the Best XI in 1996. Doyle played for the U.S. in 53 Games and he played in the 1988 Olympics and 1991 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Lorrie Fair: Fair played 120 Games for Team U.S.A. which included the Gold Medal winning team in 1999 and the Silver Medal at the 2000 Olympics.
Linda Hamilton: Hamilton played in 71 Games for the United States and she was a member of the 1991 World Cup winning team. She also played in the 1995 World Cup.
Mary Harvey: Harvey played on the winning 1991 World Cup winning team and also played in the 1995 World Cup. She played in 27 Games for the United States.
Chris Henderson: Henderson was an 11 year veteran of the MLS and he was a champion in 2000 with Kansas City. He played in 79 games for Team U.S.A. including the 1990 World Cup and 1991 Concacaf Gold Cup where the States won it all.
Lori Henry: Henry played in 39 Games for the United States and was a member of the 1991 World Cup winning team.
Dominic Kinnear: Kinnear played in MLS for five years and he represented the United States in 54 Games including the 1993 Copa America Tournament.
Shep Messing: Messing played in the NASL in the 1970’s and was a champion in the league with New York In 1977.
Tiffany Roberts: Roberts played in the WUSA for three seasons and repped the U.S. in 109 Games including the 1995 and 1999 World Cup.
Mike Sorber: Sorber played five seasons in MLS and he played 67 Games with Team U.S.A.. He played for the U.S. in the 1994 World Cup.
Greg Vanney: Vanney was a ten year veteran in the MLS where he won the U.S. Open Cup and Concacaf Champions Cup with the L.A. Galaxy. He played in 37 Games for the United States.
Tisha Venturini-Hoch: Venturini-Hoch played 132 Games for the United States where she represented her country in the 1995 and 1999 World Cup and the 1996 Olympics, the latter two being Gold Medal winning.
The Builder Nominees:
Joe Cummings: Cummings was a Women’s United Soccer Association and Women’s Professional Soccer team official that was also the president of the Boston Breakers from 2001 to 2003.
Sunil Gulati: Gulati was the president of the USSF from 2006 to 2012.
Tim Leiweke: Leikewe was the President of Anschutz Entertainment, which owned the Los Angeles Galaxy from 2001 to 2013 and under his leadership the Galaxy won the MLS Championship in 2002, 2005, 2011 and 2013, the U.S. Open Cup twice and oversaw the construction of a soccer specific stadium.
Francisco Marcos: Marcos was the longtime leader of the USL and saw over its growth.
Thom Meredith: Meredith was a longtime official in multiple organizations in U.S. Soccer.
Lothar Osiander: Osiander coached the U.S. Men’s Team from 1986 to 1988 and the U-23 Men’s Team in both the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. He also coached in the MLS for four years; two with Los Angeles and two with San Jose.
Kevin Payne: Payne was the General Manager and President of D.C. United (1996-01 & 2004-12) and while he was at the helm the club won the MLS Championship four times (1996, 1997, 1999 & 2004) and the U.S. Open Cup twice (1996 & 2008).
George Strawbridge: Strawbridge was the founder of the NASL’s Tampa Bay Rowdies who won the NASL Championship in 1975.
To gain induction, a player must receive 66.7% of the vote. The Class of 2019 will be enshrined on September 21-22 during the Induction Weekend.
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