Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Look at Who's Who on U.S. World Cup Soccer Team

Aired June 20, 2002 - 09:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Mexico is finished. Next stop Germany tomorrow morning. The U.S. World Cup soccer team is one of only eight teams on the planet still playing. So who are these guys?

Josie Karp with an introduction this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The land of the free, the home of the brave is into the round of eight!

JOSIE KARP, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They're the most successful U.S. World Cup team in more than 70 years. Yet, in a world where soccer players are celebrities, the Americans are mysteries at home. Here's a guide to change that, to unmask stars of the stars and stripes, to get them to open up, or not.

BRUCE ARENA, TEAM USA HEAD COACH: Honestly speaking, I have a hard time doing the press conferences if I had to honestly speak.

(LAUGHTER)

KARP: That's the man in charge, head coach Bruce Arena. He guards starting lineups and formation changes like state secrets, but the Brooklyn born 50-year-old has won over his players with a low-key approach founded on just one rule: Be on time.

EARNIE STEWART, TEAM USA MIDFIELDER: Without any doubt, our best player that we have, and he's our captain, and everybody looks up to him.

KARP: In England Claudio Reyna is called "Captain America," because he was the first American to serve as captain of a European team. On the field, this jersey kid able to influence each match with an innate ability to dictate the game's rhythm.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a tremendous athlete. I think he still has growth. I think over the next couple of years, he will get even better.

KARP: A standout in Europe who now brings an English accent home to home. Brad Friedel was considered one of the top goalies in the world before the tournament, yet he wasn't named the American starter until right before the start of the World Cup. So far, he's the team MVP.

CLAUDIO REYNA, TEAM USA MIDFIELDER: He's kind of the rock defensively. He's not the toughest by fighting or anything like that. But I mean, like, as far as you know, solid guy, he's definitely, I would say him.

KARP: Quiet and reserved the words most often used to describe Eddie Polk. As the American's best defender, he's responsible for shutting down the oppositions top scorer. So the North Carolinian can't always avoid the spotlight.

REYNA: He's out there. He's a bit of loony guy. You never know what's coming out of his mouth next.

KARP: Clint Mathis has made an impression by scoring a goal in his first World Cup game, and by sporting that mohawk. He's Team USA's wild child, The transplanted southerner has adapted his attitude to fit in with the city that never sleeps, even if he hasn't adapted his wardrobe.

If you are searching for the next big thing, look no further than the cover of this week's "Sports Illustrated." If you are searching for the next big thing, look no further than the cover of this week's "Sports Illustrated." Here you'll find Landon Donovan. It means not only this is world at large paying attention to him and his teammates, it means the world at home is, too.

I'm Josie Karp.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com