Q&A with U.S. WNT Head Coach Jill Ellis
In advance of the USA’s two April friendlies matches – on April 4 against Australia in Commerce City, Colo., and on April 7 against Belgium in Los Angeles – U.S. WNT head coach Jill Ellis spoke with ussoccer.com about the opponents, roster selections and the games.
On her goals for the April friendlies and their potential
impact on World Cup roster selection:
“Right now, everything is about preparing for June. Recognizing that these
are our last friendlies before the “Send-Off Series” and that we’re playing
two quality teams provides a positive sense of urgency to get the most out
of these two matches. Australia is a top-6 team, and Belgium came within a
goal of qualifying for the World Cup, so these opponents will provide us a
level of competition that we’ll be experiencing in France. Our time
together will be important to keep forging team chemistry and build on the
connectivity on the pitch so we can bring out the best from each other in
our team play.”
On facing a familiar opponent in Australia:
“We’ve had some highly competitive games with them over the past few years
and we love playing Australia as they push us to be better on both ends of
the field. There aren’t very many unknowns between our teams and they have
quite a few players playing in the NWSL, but while there is a familiarity,
they will also have new leadership, and that may or may not influence a
change in personnel or style. What remains important is our preparedness
for being able to read and manage any situations our opponents will
present.”
On facing Belgium for the first time:
“The growth of many Women’s National Teams around the world has been
remarkable to watch, but this is especially true of these European
countries outside of the teams who have had the most recent success like
Germany, England, Sweden, Norway and France. When you look at teams like
Spain, Scotland and Portugal, and the countries that competed in the UEFA
World Cup playoffs – Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark –
you see teams that have made remarkable strides over the past four or five
years and that only helps grow the game worldwide. Belgium is a country
with a rich soccer culture – I believe their men’s team is ranked #1 in the
world – so I can only see the Belgian women’s team continuing to improve
and we’re really excited about the opportunity to play them for the first
time.”
On calling up defender Ali Krieger:
“I spoke with Ali and she’s excited to come into camp and help this team in
any way she can. Opportunities, however they transpire, are exactly that,
and Ali has been a great pro and will no doubt lean on her experience and
strengths when she comes back into this environment. Recently, she has been
training with her club in the outside back position and with the potential
to add depth on the right side, it was good timing to bring Ali into this
camp to join the other six defenders.”
24 Players Called for WNT Friendlies vs. Australia and Belgium in Denver & LA
U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis has named the 24-player training camp roster for the USA’s two April friendlies, against Australia on April 4 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. (7 p.m. MT on FS1) and against Belgium on April 7 at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles (6 p.m. PT on ESPN2).
Following these two matches, the USA will have only its three-game “Send-Off Series” in May remaining before departing for France.
WNT April Roster (Club; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3):
Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC; 1/0), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride;
20/0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 41/0)
DEFENDERS (7):
Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage; 35/0), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars;
17/1), Crystal Dunn (NC Courage; 80/24), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride; 98/1),
Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC; 153/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars;
27/0), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC; 30/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7):
Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 77/18), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC;
64/7), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit; 23/6), Allie Long (Reign FC; 40/6),
Samantha Mewis (NC Courage; 45/8), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 11/0),
McCall Zerboni (NC Courage; 8/0)
FORWARDS (7):
Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC; 146/27), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC;
269/105), Jessica McDonald (NC Courage; 6/1), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride;
158/99), Christen Press (Utah Royals FC; 111/47), Mallory Pugh (Washington
Spirit; 48/13), Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC; 149/43)
Tickets
Only a small quantity of tickets remains for the USA vs. Australia
match, including Summit Club and limited view bleacher seats. All
tickets are available at ussoccer.com. Tickets for the USA vs. Belgium
match are on sale through ussoccer.com. Groups of 20 or more can submit
an online order form at ussoccer.com. Coaches Circle and Presidents
Circle members supporting the
U.S. Soccer Development Fund
can receive individual customer support and concierge services for their
ticketing needs. Contact circles@ussoccer.org for more
information.
Roster Notes:
- Forward Alex Morgan comes into the match with 99 career goals, just one shy from becoming the seventh player in U.S. history to score 100 or more.
- Defender Ali Krieger, a member of the USA’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup Team and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup championship squad, returns to the roster for the first time since the 2017 Tournament of Nations. She last played for the USA against Russia in April of 2017.
- Veteran defender Kelley O’Hara was not available for selection for this roster due to an ankle issue.
- Megan Rapinoe’s next cap will be her 150th, making her the 21st American female player to hit that mark.
- Horan returns to the roster after missing the 2019 SheBelieves Cup due to a quadriceps injury, but she started the first two matches of the year in Europe against France and Spain.
- The U.S. will conduct a six-day training camp in Santa Barbara, Calif., prior to traveling to Denver to face Australia. It will be the first training camp for the U.S. Women in Santa Barbara since 1991, when the team trained there several weeks before departing for the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China.
Australia and Belgium:
- After the USA went unbeaten in its first 26 matches against Australia, the last three games between the teams have produced a 3-1 win for the USA in the opening game of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a 1-0 loss at the 2017 Tournament of Nations and a 1-1 draw on a late goal by Lindsey Horan at the 2018 Tournament of Nations.
- Australia qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup by defeating Thailand in penalty kicks in the semifinal of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, before falling to Japan, 1-0, in the championship game.
- Australia was drawn into Group C in France and will face Italy, Brazil and Jamaica, in that order, at the World Cup.
- The meeting with Belgium, another fast-improving European nation, will be the first between the teams and will mark the 54th opponent for the USA in its history. Belgium finished second in UEFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Group 6, two points behind Italy, and earned a playoff berth but fell to Switzerland in the two-leg semifinal playoff. The series was tied 3-3 on aggregate, but Switzerland went through on away goals.
- Australia is ranked sixth in the world. Belgium is ranked 21st.
2019 National Soccer Hall of Fame Nominees Announced
CHICAGO (March 20, 2019) - Ballots have been finalized for the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2019 elections. Voting has begun and runs through Monday, April 1 for the Player, Veteran Player and Builder categories. The results of the voting will be announced at a later date.
Players in their first year of eligibility include Shannon Boxx, Edson Buddle, Rachel Van Hollebeke, Lori Chalupny, Lauren Holiday, Kenny Cooper, Todd Dunivant, Karina LeBlanc, Stephanie Cox, Heath Pearce, Troy Perkins, Cat Whitehill, Donovan Ricketts, Leigh Ann Robinson Brown, Homare Sawa, Bakary Soumare and Abby Wambach.
To be eligible for selection in the Player category, an individual must have been retired for at least three (3) full calendar years, but for no more than ten (10) full calendar years AND meet one (1) of the following criteria:
- A player must have played at least twenty (20) full international games for the United States. This 20-game requirement is reduced to ten (10) games if the games were prior to 1990.
- A player must have played at least five (5) seasons in an American first-division professional league and been a postseason league all-star at least once.
- Played at least five (5) seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League between the end of the NASL in 1984 and the end of the MISL in 1992 and been selected as a first-team postseason all-star in at least one of those seasons.
The voting committee includes all past and present Men's and Women's full National Team coaches, all active MLS and NWSL head coaches with a minimum of four years of experience as a head coach at the highest professional level in the United States, MLS and NWSL management representatives, the MLS Commissioner and NWSL President, U.S. Soccer CEO/Secretary General, U.S. Soccer President, designated media members and all Hall of Famers.
Each voter can select up to ten (10) candidates per ballot. Any player appearing on at least 66.7 percent of ballots will earn election, while any player who does not appear on at least five percent of ballots will be removed from voting contention until they qualify for the Veteran ballot.
Of the individuals on the Player ballot, 2002 FIFA World Cup defender Tony Sanneh, 2006 FIFA World Cup defender Ben Olsen and 2007 Concacaf Gold Cup champion Taylor Twellman are in their final year of eligibility.
2019 National Soccer Hall of Fame Player Ballot
David Beckham | Gregg Berhalter | Carlos Bocanegra | Shannon Boxx* | Edson Buddle* | Rachel Buehler Van Hollebeke* | Lori Chalupny* | Lauren Cheney Holiday* | Steve Cherundolo | Brian Ching | Kenny Cooper* | Jeff Cunningham | Todd Dunivant* | Kevin Hartman | Frankie Hejduk | Thierry Henry | Stuart Holden | Eddie Johnson | Chris Klein | Karina LeBlanc* | Amy LePeilbet | Eddie Lewis | Lori Lindsey | Stephanie Lopez Cox* | Pablo Mastroeni | Clint Mathis | Heather Mitts | Jaime Moreno | Ben Olsen | Pat Onstad | Heath Pearce* | Troy Perkins* | Steve Ralston | Cat Reddick Whitehill* | Donovan Ricketts* | Leigh Ann Robinson Brown* | Tony Sanneh** | Homare Sawa* | Kate Sobrero | Markgraf | Bakary Soumare* | Taylor Twellman** | Aly Wagner | Abby Wambach* | Josh Wolff
*First year of eligibility
**Final year of eligibility; moves to Veteran ballot in 2020
In addition to voting for Player candidates, voting will also open for the Veteran and Builder candidates. fourteen (14) veteran players are up for selection on the Veteran ballot, which has been narrowed down by a screening committee, and will be voted on by current Hall of Famers.
Voters can select up to ten (10) Veteran candidates, and the top vote-getter will be elected as long as he or she appears on a minimum of 50 percent of the ballots. If no individual appears on 50 percent of the ballots, then no Veteran will be elected to the 2019 Class. More than one (1) candidate may be elected in the event of a tie.
- Through his/her play on the United States National Team (senior teams).
- Player must have played at least TWENTY (20) full international games for the United States.
- This TWENTY (20) game requirement is reduced to TEN (10) games if those games were prior to 1990 and to FIVE (5) games if games were prior to 1960.
- Through his/her play in Major League Soccer, Women’s United Soccer Association, original North American Soccer League prior to 1968, in one of various regional leagues that include the American Soccer League, North American Soccer Football League, German-American Soccer League of New York, National Soccer League of Chicago, St. Louis Soccer League, Keystone League of Western Pennsylvania, Greater Los Angeles Soccer League, San Francisco Soccer League and National Association Football League.
- He/she must have played at least FIVE (5) seasons in above mentioned leagues
- Been a post season league All Star at least ONE (1) time.
- Through play in the Major Indoor Soccer League (1984 - 1992). There was no first division outdoor league in the United States.
- Must have played at least FIVE (5) seasons in the MISL
- Been a post season league All Star at least ONE (1) time.
2019 National Soccer Hall of Fame Veteran Ballot
Chris Armas | Mike Burns | John Doyle | Lorrie Fair | Linda Hamilton | Mary Harvey | Chris Henderson | Lori Henry | Dominic Kinnear | Shep Messing | Tiffany Roberts | Mike Sorber | Greg Vanney | Tisha Venturini – Hoch
The 2018 Builder ballot includes eight (8) individuals selected by a screening committee and those who can vote U.S. Soccer Director of Officials; MLS and NWSL management representatives; MLS Commissioner; NWSL Executive Director; U.S. Soccer Secretary General; U.S. Soccer President; all Hall of Famers.
- Candidates must be at least 50 years old or deceased
- Eligibility for 2018 election - living candidates born no later than Dec. 31, 1968
- Must have made a positive impact on American soccer at the national federation or first-division level lasting at least TEN (10) years.
- An exception to this TEN (10) year rule applies to International Referees. Per FIFA requirements International Referees are retried at age 45; therefore, International Referee criteria for a positive impact is SEVEN (7) years. Please note International Referees with less than the required SEVEN (7) years, can still be eligible IF they have completed TEN (10) or more years as a United States first-division referee.
- Candidate cannot be a current elected official and/or current full-time employee of the United States Soccer Federation or the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
- Any person who has been officially suspended by FIFA, CONCACAF, U.S. Soccer, the IOC or the USOC are ineligible to appear on this list.
2019 National Soccer Hall of Fame Builder Ballot
Joe Cummings | Sunil Gulati | Sandra Hunt | Tim Leiweke | Francisco Marcos | Thom Meredith | Lothar Osiander | Kevin Payne | George Strawbridge
Complete information about the election and eligibility procedures is available online at ussoccer.com.
The election process is being administered by U.S. Soccer Federation staff under election and eligibility guidelines established by the Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
Established in 1950, the National Soccer Hall of Fame is dedicated to the sport of soccer in America by celebrating its history, preserving its legacy, inspiring its youth and honoring its heroes for generations to come.
Read more
2019 FIFA WWC: Five Things to Know About the USA's Group F
New 2019 U.S. WNT Kits Nod to the Team's Championship Past and American Spirit
2019 SheBelieves Summit, Presented by Deloitte | 9am ET
WNT Closes Out 2019 SheBelieves Cup with 1-0 Victory Against Brazil
Lineup Notes: USA vs. Brazil Wrap Up 2019 SheBelieves Cup in Tampa
U.S. Soccer Joins IF/THEN Initiative to Promote Women in STEM
England Claims 2019 SheBelieves Cup Crown with 3-0 Win vs. Japan
WNT Kicks Off Partnership with Secret Deodorant
2019 SheBelieves Cup: Five Things to Know About Brazil
Q&A with U.S. WNT Head Coach Jill Ellis
In advance of the USA’s two April friendlies matches – on April 4 against Australia in Commerce City, Colo., and on April 7 against Belgium in Los Angeles – U.S. WNT head coach Jill Ellis spoke with ussoccer.com about the opponents, roster selections and the games.
On her goals for the April friendlies and their potential
impact on World Cup roster selection:
“Right now, everything is about preparing for June. Recognizing that these
are our last friendlies before the “Send-Off Series” and that we’re playing
two quality teams provides a positive sense of urgency to get the most out
of these two matches. Australia is a top-6 team, and Belgium came within a
goal of qualifying for the World Cup, so these opponents will provide us a
level of competition that we’ll be experiencing in France. Our time
together will be important to keep forging team chemistry and build on the
connectivity on the pitch so we can bring out the best from each other in
our team play.”
On facing a familiar opponent in Australia:
“We’ve had some highly competitive games with them over the past few years
and we love playing Australia as they push us to be better on both ends of
the field. There aren’t very many unknowns between our teams and they have
quite a few players playing in the NWSL, but while there is a familiarity,
they will also have new leadership, and that may or may not influence a
change in personnel or style. What remains important is our preparedness
for being able to read and manage any situations our opponents will
present.”
On facing Belgium for the first time:
“The growth of many Women’s National Teams around the world has been
remarkable to watch, but this is especially true of these European
countries outside of the teams who have had the most recent success like
Germany, England, Sweden, Norway and France. When you look at teams like
Spain, Scotland and Portugal, and the countries that competed in the UEFA
World Cup playoffs – Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark –
you see teams that have made remarkable strides over the past four or five
years and that only helps grow the game worldwide. Belgium is a country
with a rich soccer culture – I believe their men’s team is ranked #1 in the
world – so I can only see the Belgian women’s team continuing to improve
and we’re really excited about the opportunity to play them for the first
time.”
On calling up defender Ali Krieger:
“I spoke with Ali and she’s excited to come into camp and help this team in
any way she can. Opportunities, however they transpire, are exactly that,
and Ali has been a great pro and will no doubt lean on her experience and
strengths when she comes back into this environment. Recently, she has been
training with her club in the outside back position and with the potential
to add depth on the right side, it was good timing to bring Ali into this
camp to join the other six defenders.”
2019 FIFA WWC: Five Things to Know About the USA's Group F
2019 SheBelieves Summit, Presented by Deloitte | 9am ET
2019 SheBelieves Cup: Five Things to Know About Brazil
PREVIEW: USA to Close Out 2019 SheBelieves Cup vs. Brazil in Tampa | Tuesday, March 5 | 8 p.m. ET on FS1
How the U.S. WNT Can Win the 2019 SheBelieves Cup
PREVIEW: WNT Begins 2019 SheBelieves Cup vs. Japan | Wednesday, Feb. 27 | 7 p.m. ET on FS1
2019 SheBelieves Cup: Five Things to Know About Japan
Five Things to Know about the 2019 SheBelieves Cup
3 Reasons SheBelieves Transcends Soccer
Countdown to the Cup: 9 Can't Miss WNT Events in 2019!
The U.S. Women’s National Team is only months away from the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. As the USA prepares to defend its world title, here are nine can’t miss WNT events during Countdown to the Cup that will lead into the main event this summer!
- USA vs. Japan: The USA and Japan have played some of the most historic matches in women’s soccer history. The countries have met four times since the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final with the USA going 3-0-1 in those games. The most recent meeting was a 4-2 U.S. victory last summer at the 2018 Tournament of Nations. [TICKETS]
- USA vs. England: Since 2015, the USA and England have played four consecutive one-goal games with the USA winning three of them. The most recent was the USA’s 1-0 win at the 2018 SheBelieves Cup. [TICKETS]
- USA vs. Brazil: The USA vs. Brazil rivalry is an epic one, and the most recent meetings have been wildly entertaining games. At the 2017 Tournament of Nations, the USA came back from a 3-1 deficit, scoring three times in the final 12 minutes to win 4-3. At the 2018 Tournament of Nations, the USA needed a two-goal win to take the title, fell behind 1-0 on an own goal, and then scored four unanswered to win the tourney. [TICKETS]
- USA vs. Australia: Another excellent World Cup preparation match for a pair of title favorites. After the USA went unbeaten in the first 26 matches between the teams, the last three games have been much tighter affairs: a 3-1 win for the USA in the opening game of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a 1-0 loss at the 2017 Tournament of Nations and a 1-1 draw on a late goal by Lindsey Horan at the 2018 Tournament of Nations. [TICKETS]
- USA vs. Belgium: Belgium is another fast-improving European nation. The meeting with Belgium will be the first between the teams and mark the 54th opponent for the USA in its history. Belgium finished second in UEFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Group 6 but fell on the away goals tie-breaker to Switzerland in the two-leg semifinal playoff. [TICKETS]
- USA vs. South Africa: USA played South Africa prior to the 2016 Olympics, winning 1-0 on a goal from Crystal Dunn in the only previous meeting between the countries. South Africa qualified for the 2019 Women’s World Cup by defeating Mali, 2-0, in the semifinal of the African Women’s Cup of Nations before falling to Nigeria in a penalty shootout in the championship game. [TICKETS]
- USA vs. New Zealand: One of the USA’s oldest opponents – the nations first met in 1987, two years after the founding of the WNT program – the Football Ferns will provide a quality test, having most recently squared off in a doubled-header vs. the U.S. in Sept. 2017, a pair of WNT wins. [TICKETS]
- USA vs. Mexico: The WNT will finish the schedule with the most familiar of opponents, taking on Mexico, a team the USA defeated 6-0 to open its 2018 Concacaf Women’s Championship run. [TICKETS]
- 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup: The be-all, end-all. The U.S. will aim to become only the second nation win consecutive Women’s World Cup titles and the first to capture four crowns. Drawn against Thailand, Chile and Sweden in Group F, the biggest WNT event of the year will surely be one you can’t miss! [TICKETS]
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PREVIEW: WNT & Spain Face Each Other for First Time in History | Tuesday, Jan. 22 | 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 & UDN
Five Things to Know About Spain
U.S. WNT Opens 2019 with Marquee Match-Up vs. France
24 Players Called for WNT Friendlies vs. Australia and Belgium in Denver & LA
U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis has named the 24-player training camp roster for the USA’s two April friendlies, against Australia on April 4 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. (7 p.m. MT on FS1) and against Belgium on April 7 at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles (6 p.m. PT on ESPN2).
Following these two matches, the USA will have only its three-game “Send-Off Series” in May remaining before departing for France.
WNT April Roster (Club; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3):
Adrianna Franch (Portland Thorns FC; 1/0), Ashlyn Harris (Orlando Pride;
20/0), Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars; 41/0)
DEFENDERS (7):
Abby Dahlkemper (NC Courage; 35/0), Tierna Davidson (Chicago Red Stars;
17/1), Crystal Dunn (NC Courage; 80/24), Ali Krieger (Orlando Pride; 98/1),
Becky Sauerbrunn (Utah Royals FC; 153/0), Casey Short (Chicago Red Stars;
27/0), Emily Sonnett (Portland Thorns FC; 30/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7):
Julie Ertz (Chicago Red Stars; 77/18), Lindsey Horan (Portland Thorns FC;
64/7), Rose Lavelle (Washington Spirit; 23/6), Allie Long (Reign FC; 40/6),
Samantha Mewis (NC Courage; 45/8), Andi Sullivan (Washington Spirit; 11/0),
McCall Zerboni (NC Courage; 8/0)
FORWARDS (7):
Tobin Heath (Portland Thorns FC; 146/27), Carli Lloyd (Sky Blue FC;
269/105), Jessica McDonald (NC Courage; 6/1), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride;
158/99), Christen Press (Utah Royals FC; 111/47), Mallory Pugh (Washington
Spirit; 48/13), Megan Rapinoe (Reign FC; 149/43)
Tickets
Only a small quantity of tickets remains for the USA vs. Australia
match, including Summit Club and limited view bleacher seats. All
tickets are available at ussoccer.com. Tickets for the USA vs. Belgium
match are on sale through ussoccer.com. Groups of 20 or more can submit
an online order form at ussoccer.com. Coaches Circle and Presidents
Circle members supporting the
U.S. Soccer Development Fund
can receive individual customer support and concierge services for their
ticketing needs. Contact circles@ussoccer.org for more
information.
Roster Notes:
- Forward Alex Morgan comes into the match with 99 career goals, just one shy from becoming the seventh player in U.S. history to score 100 or more.
- Defender Ali Krieger, a member of the USA’s 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup Team and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup championship squad, returns to the roster for the first time since the 2017 Tournament of Nations. She last played for the USA against Russia in April of 2017.
- Veteran defender Kelley O’Hara was not available for selection for this roster due to an ankle issue.
- Megan Rapinoe’s next cap will be her 150th, making her the 21st American female player to hit that mark.
- Horan returns to the roster after missing the 2019 SheBelieves Cup due to a quadriceps injury, but she started the first two matches of the year in Europe against France and Spain.
- The U.S. will conduct a six-day training camp in Santa Barbara, Calif., prior to traveling to Denver to face Australia. It will be the first training camp for the U.S. Women in Santa Barbara since 1991, when the team trained there several weeks before departing for the 1991 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China.
Australia and Belgium:
- After the USA went unbeaten in its first 26 matches against Australia, the last three games between the teams have produced a 3-1 win for the USA in the opening game of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, a 1-0 loss at the 2017 Tournament of Nations and a 1-1 draw on a late goal by Lindsey Horan at the 2018 Tournament of Nations.
- Australia qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup by defeating Thailand in penalty kicks in the semifinal of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, before falling to Japan, 1-0, in the championship game.
- Australia was drawn into Group C in France and will face Italy, Brazil and Jamaica, in that order, at the World Cup.
- The meeting with Belgium, another fast-improving European nation, will be the first between the teams and will mark the 54th opponent for the USA in its history. Belgium finished second in UEFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Group 6, two points behind Italy, and earned a playoff berth but fell to Switzerland in the two-leg semifinal playoff. The series was tied 3-3 on aggregate, but Switzerland went through on away goals.
- Australia is ranked sixth in the world. Belgium is ranked 21st.
2019 National Soccer Hall of Fame Nominees Announced
CHICAGO (March 20, 2019) - Ballots have been finalized for the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2019 elections. Voting has begun and runs through Monday, April 1 for the Player, Veteran Player and Builder categories. The results of the voting will be announced at a later date.
Players in their first year of eligibility include Shannon Boxx, Edson Buddle, Rachel Van Hollebeke, Lori Chalupny, Lauren Holiday, Kenny Cooper, Todd Dunivant, Karina LeBlanc, Stephanie Cox, Heath Pearce, Troy Perkins, Cat Whitehill, Donovan Ricketts, Leigh Ann Robinson Brown, Homare Sawa, Bakary Soumare and Abby Wambach.
To be eligible for selection in the Player category, an individual must have been retired for at least three (3) full calendar years, but for no more than ten (10) full calendar years AND meet one (1) of the following criteria:
- A player must have played at least twenty (20) full international games for the United States. This 20-game requirement is reduced to ten (10) games if the games were prior to 1990.
- A player must have played at least five (5) seasons in an American first-division professional league and been a postseason league all-star at least once.
- Played at least five (5) seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League between the end of the NASL in 1984 and the end of the MISL in 1992 and been selected as a first-team postseason all-star in at least one of those seasons.
The voting committee includes all past and present Men's and Women's full National Team coaches, all active MLS and NWSL head coaches with a minimum of four years of experience as a head coach at the highest professional level in the United States, MLS and NWSL management representatives, the MLS Commissioner and NWSL President, U.S. Soccer CEO/Secretary General, U.S. Soccer President, designated media members and all Hall of Famers.
Each voter can select up to ten (10) candidates per ballot. Any player appearing on at least 66.7 percent of ballots will earn election, while any player who does not appear on at least five percent of ballots will be removed from voting contention until they qualify for the Veteran ballot.
Of the individuals on the Player ballot, 2002 FIFA World Cup defender Tony Sanneh, 2006 FIFA World Cup defender Ben Olsen and 2007 Concacaf Gold Cup champion Taylor Twellman are in their final year of eligibility.
2019 National Soccer Hall of Fame Player Ballot
David Beckham | Gregg Berhalter | Carlos Bocanegra | Shannon Boxx* | Edson Buddle* | Rachel Buehler Van Hollebeke* | Lori Chalupny* | Lauren Cheney Holiday* | Steve Cherundolo | Brian Ching | Kenny Cooper* | Jeff Cunningham | Todd Dunivant* | Kevin Hartman | Frankie Hejduk | Thierry Henry | Stuart Holden | Eddie Johnson | Chris Klein | Karina LeBlanc* | Amy LePeilbet | Eddie Lewis | Lori Lindsey | Stephanie Lopez Cox* | Pablo Mastroeni | Clint Mathis | Heather Mitts | Jaime Moreno | Ben Olsen | Pat Onstad | Heath Pearce* | Troy Perkins* | Steve Ralston | Cat Reddick Whitehill* | Donovan Ricketts* | Leigh Ann Robinson Brown* | Tony Sanneh** | Homare Sawa* | Kate Sobrero | Markgraf | Bakary Soumare* | Taylor Twellman** | Aly Wagner | Abby Wambach* | Josh Wolff
*First year of eligibility
**Final year of eligibility; moves to Veteran ballot in 2020
In addition to voting for Player candidates, voting will also open for the Veteran and Builder candidates. fourteen (14) veteran players are up for selection on the Veteran ballot, which has been narrowed down by a screening committee, and will be voted on by current Hall of Famers.
Voters can select up to ten (10) Veteran candidates, and the top vote-getter will be elected as long as he or she appears on a minimum of 50 percent of the ballots. If no individual appears on 50 percent of the ballots, then no Veteran will be elected to the 2019 Class. More than one (1) candidate may be elected in the event of a tie.
- Through his/her play on the United States National Team (senior teams).
- Player must have played at least TWENTY (20) full international games for the United States.
- This TWENTY (20) game requirement is reduced to TEN (10) games if those games were prior to 1990 and to FIVE (5) games if games were prior to 1960.
- Through his/her play in Major League Soccer, Women’s United Soccer Association, original North American Soccer League prior to 1968, in one of various regional leagues that include the American Soccer League, North American Soccer Football League, German-American Soccer League of New York, National Soccer League of Chicago, St. Louis Soccer League, Keystone League of Western Pennsylvania, Greater Los Angeles Soccer League, San Francisco Soccer League and National Association Football League.
- He/she must have played at least FIVE (5) seasons in above mentioned leagues
- Been a post season league All Star at least ONE (1) time.
- Through play in the Major Indoor Soccer League (1984 - 1992). There was no first division outdoor league in the United States.
- Must have played at least FIVE (5) seasons in the MISL
- Been a post season league All Star at least ONE (1) time.
2019 National Soccer Hall of Fame Veteran Ballot
Chris Armas | Mike Burns | John Doyle | Lorrie Fair | Linda Hamilton | Mary Harvey | Chris Henderson | Lori Henry | Dominic Kinnear | Shep Messing | Tiffany Roberts | Mike Sorber | Greg Vanney | Tisha Venturini – Hoch
The 2018 Builder ballot includes eight (8) individuals selected by a screening committee and those who can vote U.S. Soccer Director of Officials; MLS and NWSL management representatives; MLS Commissioner; NWSL Executive Director; U.S. Soccer Secretary General; U.S. Soccer President; all Hall of Famers.
- Candidates must be at least 50 years old or deceased
- Eligibility for 2018 election - living candidates born no later than Dec. 31, 1968
- Must have made a positive impact on American soccer at the national federation or first-division level lasting at least TEN (10) years.
- An exception to this TEN (10) year rule applies to International Referees. Per FIFA requirements International Referees are retried at age 45; therefore, International Referee criteria for a positive impact is SEVEN (7) years. Please note International Referees with less than the required SEVEN (7) years, can still be eligible IF they have completed TEN (10) or more years as a United States first-division referee.
- Candidate cannot be a current elected official and/or current full-time employee of the United States Soccer Federation or the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
- Any person who has been officially suspended by FIFA, CONCACAF, U.S. Soccer, the IOC or the USOC are ineligible to appear on this list.
2019 National Soccer Hall of Fame Builder Ballot
Joe Cummings | Sunil Gulati | Sandra Hunt | Tim Leiweke | Francisco Marcos | Thom Meredith | Lothar Osiander | Kevin Payne | George Strawbridge
Complete information about the election and eligibility procedures is available online at ussoccer.com.
The election process is being administered by U.S. Soccer Federation staff under election and eligibility guidelines established by the Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
Established in 1950, the National Soccer Hall of Fame is dedicated to the sport of soccer in America by celebrating its history, preserving its legacy, inspiring its youth and honoring its heroes for generations to come.
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