Landon Donovan Has Mind, Game In Sync For World Cup
by Kelly Whiteside (Profile/Interview | USA Today - May 25)
Four years ago, Landon Donovan was in a very different place. Amid high expectations, Donovan wilted, as did his U.S. men's soccer team, which exited the 2006 World Cup without a victory in the first round. more details | go to article

USA Could Have Its Youngest World Cup Team Since 1994
by Kelly Whiteside (Analysis | USA Today - May 25)
U.S. coach Bob Bradley is expected to name his 23-player World Cup roster on Wednesday, a day after his team plays the Czech Republic in the first of three pre-tournament exhibitions. This could be the youngest roster since the U.S.'s 1994 World Cup team in which the average age was 26.1. So does age matter? more details | go to article

USA Hurting At Center Back As World Cup Approaches
by Kelly Whiteside (Profile/Interview | USA Today - May 23)
With three defenders recovering from injury, the center of the USA's defense has become a center of concern. The play of Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit on Tuesday will either ease or intensify the anxiety when the Americans face the Czech Republic in East Hartford, Conn., their first of three exhibitions before the World Cup. more details | go to article

On U.S. Men's Soccer Team, It's A Family Affair For Bradleys
by Kelly Whiteside (Profile/Interview | USA Today - May 18)
For most, the conditions were miserable as a steady, bone-chilling rain drenched Day 2 of the U.S. team's World Cup practice. But to midfielder Michael Bradley, who's as serious and intense as a storm cloud, it was anything but dreary. more details | go to article

USA Just Fine With Its Underdog Role Heading Into World Cup
by Kelly Whiteside (Profile/Interview | USA Today - May 18)
U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard, who has played in the English Premier League for eight years, thinks that while the overseas perception of American soccer has improved, the world's heavyweights "aren't shaking in their boots when they see us." more details | go to article

Plenty Of Options At Forward As U.S. Squad Preps For World Cup
by Kelly Whiteside (Profile/Interview | USA Today - May 16)
As the U.S. men's soccer team begins its World Cup preparations Monday in Princeton, N.J., projected starter Jozy Altidore can't even guess who will be standing alongside him at forward when it ends. more details | go to article

Team USA
by Kelly Whiteside (Profile/Interview | USA Today - May 13)
The coach and projected starting 11 (flash presentation with capsule biographies) more details | go to article

Arena Has Red Bulls Energized In Race
by Kelly Whiteside (Profile/Interview | USA Today - August 8)
It's been a year since Bruce Arena, the most successful coach in U.S. Soccer history, took over the most star-crossed team in Major League Soccer, the New York Red Bulls. more details | go to article

Arena Heeds Players' Needs, Even When Prom Intrudes
by Kelly Whiteside (Profile/Interview | USA Today - August 8)
Jozy Altidore, Major League Soccer's top young player, had a problem. He wanted to take his girlfriend to her high school prom in Florida in May, but the New York Red Bulls had a game vs. the Columbus Crew. more details | go to article

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by Kelly Whiteside (Profile/Interview | USA Today - June 22)
MacKenzie Ellertson, who's 6 going on 16, rattles off the jersey numbers of the U.S. women's soccer team with self-assured ease. Her mother, U.S. defender Tina Ellertson, only has to say a first name or nickname before MacKenzie quickly responds with each player's number. more details | go to article

Bottom Line: USA Didn't Get The Job Done
by Kelly Whiteside (Analysis | USA Today - June 23)
NUREMBERG, Germany — The questionable penalty kick awarded to Ghana at the end of the first half will be debated and replayed following the USA's 2-1 World Cup first-round loss Thursday. more details | go to article

USA Bounces Back, Pleased With Performance
by Kelly Whiteside and Andy Gardiner (Result | USA Today - June 19)
HAMBURG — Not often does a 1-1 tie — especially a madcap one with three ejections, one own-goal, one disallowed goal, one bloodied face, three stitches and 37 fouls — mean so much. But after the U.S. team tied Italy on Saturday in Kaiserslautern, captain Claudio Reyna said it was "one of the best results in U.S. history." more details | go to article

Arena's Roots Connect To Italy
by Kelly Whiteside (Profile/Interview | USA Today - June 17)
HAMBURG — One of U.S. coach Bruce Arena's childhood introductions to soccer hung on the wall of his grandfather's deli in Brooklyn. It was a poster of the Italian team. more details | go to article

U.S. Team Feels Right At Home At Massive Military Base
by Kelly Whiteside and Andy Gardiner (Analysis | USA Today - June 16)
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — When the U.S. team arrived at the Ramstein Air Base where the team is staying in preparation for Saturday's game against Italy in Kaiserslautern, they were greeted by hundreds of military personnel and their families who lined the streets. One large sign read, "Welcome Home." more details | go to article

USA Taking Coach's Criticism Seriously
by Kelly Whiteside and Andy Gardiner (Preview | USA Today - June 15)
HAMBURG — Midfielder Bobby Convey said Wednesday that the U.S. national team players have accepted criticism delivered by coach Bruce Arena after a 3-0 World Cup loss to Czech Republic on Monday and won't carry any wounded egos into Saturday's match with Italy. more details | go to article