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OFF THE FIELD<br />
Preview:<br />
WoRLDCUP<br />
Jozy Altidore, the United States’ hulking<br />
20-year-old soccer sensation from<br />
Boca Raton, denies saying that the U.S.<br />
team, futbol neophytes, has no fear<br />
of playing powerhouse England in this year's<br />
World Cup. The Americans better hope England,<br />
JoZy aLTIdore<br />
* position: forward<br />
* hometown: boca raton, fl.<br />
* club: hull city (england)<br />
U.S. TEam<br />
Landon donovan<br />
* position: midfielder<br />
* hometown: redlands, ca.<br />
* club: los angeles galaxy<br />
26 Cravings | June / July 2010<br />
By Chris Perkins<br />
known for its physical, bruising style, believes his<br />
denial. Otherwise, what Altidore said is akin to<br />
lighting a firecracker.<br />
Although U.S. soccer, now led by a new<br />
generation including exciting players such<br />
as Altidore, Landon<br />
Donovan and DaMarcus<br />
Beasley, has stood on its<br />
own cleats for a decade or<br />
so; it is still only ranked 16th in the world and not too<br />
far removed from being a<br />
laughingstock.<br />
daMarcus BeasLey<br />
* position: midfielder<br />
* hometown: ft. wayne, In.<br />
* club: glasgow rangers (scotland)<br />
Poking seventh-ranked<br />
England, a longtime<br />
bully still trying to adjust<br />
to losing superstar David<br />
Beckham to a torn Achilles<br />
tendon, could ratchet up<br />
what is already expected to<br />
be an emotionally-charged<br />
match between mother<br />
and child on June 12 in<br />
Rustenberg, South Africa.<br />
“We’re well aware of the<br />
history of the two teams at<br />
the World Cup, especially<br />
1950,” said U.S. coach Bob<br />
TIM HoWard<br />
* position: goalkeeper<br />
* hometown: north brunswick, nJ.<br />
* club: everton fc (england)<br />
Bradley in reference to the Americans’ rousing 1-0<br />
victory, one of the biggest upsets in World Cup<br />
History. “But times have moved on since then.”<br />
Perhaps, but you don’t know that for sure. That<br />
1950 shocker was the last time the U.S. and<br />
England played in the World Cup, which is<br />
held every four years. The English have been<br />
forever reminded that their mighty forefathers,<br />
professional soccer players regarded among the<br />
world’s best, were embarrassed by a ragtag<br />
group of semi-pro Yanks that were thrown<br />
together just weeks before the tournament.<br />
For his part, Altidore, who currently plays<br />
professionally in England for Hull City, claimed he<br />
never spoke the words attributed to him. “Love<br />
the article that has me saying things I never said.<br />
Brilliant,” said Altidore via Twitter.<br />
Either way, Altidore will get off relatively easily<br />
compared to Colombia’s Andres Escobar. In 1994,<br />
Colombia was among the world’s best teams<br />
and was a favorite to win the World Cup, but<br />
it lost to the lowly United States, 2-1, when<br />
Escobar, a defensive player, accidentally kicked<br />
the ball into his own goal. Two weeks later he<br />
was murdered in a town near Medellin, and the<br />
killer is said to have uttered “goal” after each of<br />
the 12 shots he put into Escobar.<br />
BoB BradLey<br />
* head coach<br />
* hometown: manhattan beach, ca.
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