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Jermaine Jones announces retirement from professional soccer

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One of the toughest midfield competitors the U.S. Men’s National Team has seen in recent memory hung up his boots on Friday.

Jermaine Jones announced his retirement from professional soccer in a post on his Instagram page.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnbi1n2ncJe-gTWoi7Uo59FYcwf6bNcX6uHC-80/?utm_source=ig_twitter_share&igshid=84j8zendsopp

The 36-year-old made 69 appearances for the USMNT after making his debut in 2010 against Poland in an October friendly.

The lasting memory from Jones’ international career was the curling effort from distance that found the back of the net against Portugal in the group stage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Jones scored four goals in his international career, with three of them coming in international competitions, the 2011 Concacaf Gold Cup, 2014 World Cup and Copa America Centenario.

At the club level, Jones made a name for himself in Germany with Schalke after spending time with Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt.

The hard-nosed midfielder came to Major League Soccer in 2014 and played for the New England Revolution, Colorado Rapids and LA Galaxy over a three-year span.

 

Comments

  1. Seeing him in person at the World Cup was amazing — just how much running and battling he did off the ball. When Jozy went down, JJ was the one who raced up top to bring down the long balls from Howard, then raced back to bail out the defense. And crunching tackles everywhere in between. I’ll always remember him at the end of the game, flat on his back by the corner flag, unable to move, every ounce of energy drained out of him — a player who truly left it all on the field. Congrats JJ on bringing an amazing competitive fire to US Soccer. The next generation can learn from you….

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  2. I loved watching JJ play, even if I also cringed when he got carried away and was in danger of being sent off, and took some of his public statements with a certain amount of salt. His energy and fighting spirit were exemplary and I think on the whole we were lucky that he chose us as a dual national. We can wish him all the best wherever his path leads next.
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    Herzlichen Dank, Jermaine, und alles Güte weiterhin!
    .

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  3. Great dude, but asked for too much money. Thought he was worth more than he is and that’s the real reason why he retired. No team wants to pay his wage demands and his family is settled in Encino so the only clubs he’d play for are Galaxy and LAFC. Hats off to an incredible career and I wish you all the best JJ!

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  4. Oh please, this is the guy that publicly lobbied the German FF to be included in their national team and once it was obvious he wasn’t in their plans then he then became an American. He did what was best for his career. No more, no less

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    • Still one of my favorites for sure. Worth watching w the sound up, just to hear the sweet “thwick” of the ball finding the net.

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    • That should be what we give him at the retirement luncheon, and only after he physically bodies up to one of the guests.

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  5. The part getting short shrift is that he had fairly high level forward passing skills as well. We have a fairly long history of leg breakers and he is worthy of them on that bit but he also could hit a forward ball like a decent playmaker too.

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  6. The USMNT still haven’t replaced JJ’s grit, his leadership, his win at all costs mentality. He wore the US shiet with pride. There were some special moments for the US with JJ on the pitch. The guy is a winner. The guy is a legend. He may not be everyone s cup tea but few can deny his importance. I know JJ’s been coaching some youth and I would love to see him continue in that role and see where it takes him.

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    • I’d be more pointed and say they haven’t found a specialist “6.” Part of what this team lacked last cycle save perhaps forward was people good at their particular job. Not some hybrid or intangibles guy, a two-way semi-gifted jack of all trades and master of none. Simply, a good “10,” “6,” keeper, wingers, good at a specific back slot. We’re only starting to get that with Robinson and Pulisic.

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    • McKennie is actually a slightly more athletic version of Jones with the same sort of defensive bite and the same weaknesses in possession (Weston will surely improve on that).

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  7. One of the best midfielders in US history. You knew you were always going to get his best effort when he stepped on the field for the US. Good luck in your retirement, I hope he can continue to contribute, perhaps beginning as an assistant coach somewhere in MLS.

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