The National Soccer Hall of Fame announced the 42 individuals eligible for the player Class of 2020, with 12 players entering their first year of eligibility.
Hope Solo, Brad Davis, Herculez Gomez, Mike Magee, and Clarance Goodsen headline the list of players who enter their first year of eligibility. Also in their first year are Whitney Engen, Carlos Ruiz, Nat Borchers, Conor Casey, Justin Mapp, Jamison Olave, Robbie Rodgers, Jen Buczkowski, and Kelly Smith.
Solo earned 202 caps with the USWNT, winning two Olympics Gold Medals and one FIFA Women’s World Cup. She was the 2009 U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year and was named the FIFA Women’s World Cup Golden Glove winner in 2011 and 2015.
Davis won two MLS Cups during his 14-year professional career while also winning one Concacaf Gold Cup with the USMNT. Magee also won two MLS Cups with the L.A. Galaxy while also wining the 2013 MLS MVP.
Goodson and Gomez are also former MLS players, both earning at least 20 caps for the USMNT.
Voting for the player, veteran and builder categories will start on March 18th, in which the Hall of Fame will reveal ballots for those categories in the coming weeks.
Eddie Lewis, Chris Klein, Kate Markgraf, Clint Mathis, Jaime Moreno, and Steve Ralston will enter their final year of eligibility. If not selected, the six will move to the veteran category in 2021.
Each voter will select 10 candidates and any player receiving 66.7% or higher will earn their place in the Hall of Fame. Players receiving less than five percent will be removed from contention until they are eligible for the veteran ballot.
All individuals need to be retired from playing for three calendar years, but no more than ten in order to be eligible for the player ballot. Players will also need to have either of the two following categories: 1) Having played in at least 20 full international games for the United States. 2) Having played at least five seasons in an American first-division professional league. Players also need to be named to a postseason league all-star team at least once.
Here is the full 2020 Hall of Fame player ballot:
- David Beckham
- Gregg Berhalter
- Carlos Bocanegra
- Shannon Boxx
- Lori Chalupney
- Lauren Cheney Holiday
- Steve Cherundolo
- Brian Ching
- Kenny Cooper
- Jeff Cunningham
- Kevin Hartman
- Frankie Hejduk
- Thierry Henry
- Stuart Holden
- Eddie Johnson
- Amy LePeilbet
- Lori Lindsey
- Pablo Mastroeni
- Heather Mitts
- Cat Reddick Whitehill
- Aly Wagner
- Josh Wolff
First year of eligibility candidates: Nat Borchers, Jen Buczkowski, Conor Casey, Brad Davis, Whitney Engen, Herculez Gomez, Clarence Goodson, Mike Magee, Justin Mapp, Jamison Olave, Robbie Rogers, Carlos Ruiz, Hope Solo, Kelly Smith.
Final year of eligibility candidates: Chris Klein, Eddie Lewis, Kate Sobrero Markgraf, Clint Mathis, Jaime Moreno, Steve Ralston.
Soccer is entertainment. On that grounds, I think Mike Magee should be included. It was always such fun watching him play because he always seemed to enjoy playing and stayed involved in every game rather than hiding for long stretches. (He was also very tactically aware, even if typically not the best athlete on the field.)
The guy who was the most help to the USMNT throughout his career. That would be Bocanegra, he did not score lots of goals, but he was the best defender who played multiple positions, Cherundolo is another defender who is more than worthy.
After that, Mastroeni who stepped in to fill Chris Armas shoes on the USMNT just before the 2002 WC and performed very well, even if he did draw too many cards for his sometimes overly physical play.
The women, Aly Wagner and Shannon Box. It will be interesting to hear Hope Solo’s reaction if she is not selected. ( am not convinced she should be, though she likely will, and I am sure she thinks she should head the list).
My humble preferences will be: Carlos Bocanegra, Shannon Boxx, Steve Cherundolo, Frankie Hejduk, Stuart Holden, Pablo Mastroeni, Carlos Ruiz, Hope Solo, Clint Mathis, Jaime Moreno.