Hope Solo and Steve Cherundolo headline the players listed as finalists for election in the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame board released the names of the finalists for election to the Class of 2021, which included 20 on the Player ballot and 10 apiece on the Veteran and Builder ballots. The Selection Committees will vote from February 5-10 to select a class of two to four members.
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.
Cherundolo played his entire professional career in Germany, making nearly 400 appearances for Hannover from 1999-2014. He also served as the team’s captain ahead of the 2011-12 season and lifted the 2001-02′ Bundesliga title with the club.
On the international level, Cherundolo earned 87 caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team, competing in both the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups. He also captained the USMNT at the 2009 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Also in the running are current USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter, former USWNT standouts Christie Pierce Rampone, Shannon Boxx and Lauren Cheney Holiday, and retired MLS greats David Beckham and Thierry Henry.
In addition to the 20 Finalists, 17 other players received enough Preliminary Ballot votes. The four eligible players who did not receive any votes (Kenny Cooper, Sebastien LeToux, Matt Stewart and Brittany Taylor), will be removed from the Player Eligibility List via the sunset rule. Each will regain eligibility on the Veteran list after 10 full years of retirement.
The 2021 class will be announced in March and the ceremony will take place on May 22nd. 2020 selection Carlos Bocanegra and Colin Jose Media Award recepient Andrés Cantor will also be inducted along with the 2021 class.
Here is a breakdown of the three categories of finalists:
Player Ballot Finalists:
David Beckham
Gregg Berhalter
Shannon Boxx
Lori Chalupny
Lauren Cheney Holiday
Steve Cherundolo
Kevin Hartman
Frankie Hejduk
Thierry Henry
Keith Johnson
Shalrie Joseph
Pablo Mastroeni
Josh McKinney
Heather Mitts
Oguchi Onyewu
Christie Pearce Rampone
Cat Reddick Whitehill
Hope Solo
Aly Wagner
Josh Wolff
Veteran Ballot Finalists:
Marco Etcheverry
Linda Hamilton
Angela Hucles
Clint Mathis
Shep Messing
Jaime Moreno
Steve Ralston
Tony Sanneh
Kate Sobrero Markgraf
Tisha Venturini-Hoch
Builder Ballot Finalists:
Esse Baharmast
Clive Charles
Joe Cummings
Richard Groff
Brian Hall
Sandra Hunt
Tim Leiweke
Francisco Marcos
Kevin Payne
Kari Seitz
Markgraf should be in, same with Rampone and Holiday, and agree with Ives about the World Cup women’s vets, but also agree with Johnnyrazor re. Solo
How is Steve Ralston not in?
I don’t see how any women who won a World Cup could be kept out.
Ives went on a rant over last year’s exclusions. Has anything been changed since then?
I think both Cherundolo and Solo should be slam dunks.Hejduk, Onyewu, and Mastroeni all belong. On the women’s side I like Boxx and Rampone. I’m not so keen on foreigners being there, especially on the basis of just a few seasons in MLS.
I think Hope is going to have to wait a few years. From stealing the Federation van to go partying with her husband who got stopped in it for OWI to beating up her nephew. Part of any Hall of Fame is being an ambassador for the sport and I don’t think people are ready for Hope to be that. Based totally on on field aspects your right she’s in.