Eddie Pope facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Eddie Pope

Pope in 2008
Personal information
Full name	George Edward Pope
Date of birth	(1973-12-24) December 24, 1973 (age 51)
Place of birth	High Point, North Carolina, U.S.
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1996–2002	D.C. United	143	(8)
2003–2004	MetroStars	42	(0)
2005–2007	Real Salt Lake	69	(2)
Total		254	(10)
National team‡
1996–2006	United States	82	(8)
Honours Representing  United States Men's soccer CONCACAF Gold Cup Runner-up 1998 United States Winner 2005 United States
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 19, 2007. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of August 3, 2006

George Edward Pope (born December 24, 1973) is a famous American former soccer player. He played as a defender for many years. Eddie Pope was a key player for the U.S. national team for eleven years. He also spent most of his club career playing for D.C. United. Pope is now a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Early Life and College Soccer

Where did Eddie Pope grow up?

Eddie Pope was born in High Point, North Carolina. He went to Southwest Guilford High School. He loved playing soccer from a young age.

What was his college career like?

Pope had a very successful time playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels in college. He played soccer from 1992 to 1995. In 1994, he was named an All-American. This means he was one of the best college soccer players in the country. He also earned honors for his play in the ACC conference and the South Region.

Professional Club Career

Starting with D.C. United

In 1996, D.C. United chose Pope in the MLS College Draft. He was the second player picked overall! His first year was busy. He played for D.C. United and also for the U.S. Olympic team. The Olympic team was getting ready for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Even with his busy schedule, he played 18 games for D.C. United. He helped them win the first-ever MLS Cup title! He even scored a special goal called a golden goal in the final against the Los Angeles Galaxy. A golden goal means the game ends as soon as a goal is scored in extra time.

Becoming a Star Defender

In 1997, Pope became a huge star in Major League Soccer (MLS). He was named the MLS Defender of the Year. He also earned a spot on the MLS Best XI, which is a team of the best players in the league. That year, he won his second MLS title with D.C. United.

In 1998, Pope helped United win two big international trophies. They won the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the InterAmerican Cup. These were the first international honors for an MLS team! Pope even scored goals in both of these finals. He scored the winning goal in the InterAmerican Cup.

Dealing with Injuries

The years 1999 to 2002 were tough for Pope because of injuries. He still played many games, but his injuries made it harder. Despite this, he was chosen for the MLS All-Star Game four times in a row. He also played an important role in helping the U.S. national team qualify for the World Cup.

Moving to New Teams

In 2002, Pope was traded to the MetroStars (now the New York Red Bulls). He continued to play great defense there. He was even named to the MLS Best XI again in 2003 and 2004.

After the 2004 season, Pope moved to a new team, Real Salt Lake. This was a brand new team in the league. He played three seasons there, helping the new team with his experience. In 2007, Eddie Pope decided to retire from professional soccer. He had played for ten years in MLS.

Why did Eddie Pope retire?

On June 14, 2007, Pope announced he would retire. He said, "It's just time...You get up in the morning and you're in pain. Before practice, you are in pain. And after practice you are still in pain." This shows how tough playing professional soccer can be on the body.

In 2011, Eddie Pope was chosen to be in the National Soccer Hall of Fame. This is a huge honor for soccer players!

International Career

Playing for the U.S. National Team

Eddie Pope started playing for the United States men's national soccer team on November 10, 1996. His first game was a World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago. He quickly became a regular player for the national team.

In 1998, he played in two games at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In 2002, he was a key player in the World Cup. He started all five games for the U.S. team. The U.S. team surprised many people with their success in that tournament.

Pope also played in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In a game against Italy, he received a red card. This meant he had to miss the next game.

Retirement from International Play

Eddie Pope always started every game he played for the national team. On August 3, 2006, he announced he was retiring from international soccer. He played 82 games for his country and scored 8 goals over eleven years.

After Playing Soccer

After retiring, Pope continued to be involved in soccer. He worked as the director of player relations for the MLS Players Union. This group helps soccer players in the league. In 2015, he started working at a sports agency called Octagon.

In 2022, Pope was named the sporting director for a new soccer club. The club is called Carolina Core FC and will start playing in 2024. It is based in his hometown of High Point, North Carolina.

Honors and Awards

Team Achievements

• MLS Cup: 1996, 1997, 1999 (with D.C. United)
• Supporters' Shield: 1997, 1999 (with D.C. United)
• U.S. Open Cup: 1996 (with D.C. United)
• CONCACAF Champions League: 1998 (with D.C. United)
• Copa Interamericana: 1998 (with D.C. United)
• CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2005 (with United States national team)

Individual Awards

• MLS All-Star: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
• MLS Best XI: 1997, 1998, 2003, 2004
• MLS Defender of the Year: 1997
• MLS Fair Play Award: 2004
• National Soccer Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2011

Career Statistics

Club Performance

International Goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	March 16, 1997	Palo Alto, California	Canada	2–0	3–0	1998 World Cup qualifying
2	April 20, 1997	Foxboro, Massachusetts	Mexico	1–1	2–2	1998 World Cup qualifying
3	February 7, 1998	Oakland, California	Costa Rica	1–0	2–1	1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup
4	August 16, 2000	Foxboro, Massachusetts	Barbados	1–0	7–0	2002 World Cup qualifying
5	April 17, 2002	Dublin, Ireland	Ireland	1–1	1–2	Friendly
6	April 29, 2004	Dallas, Texas	Mexico	1–0	1–0	Friendly
7	January 29, 2006	Carson, California	Norway	3–0	5–0	Friendly
8	February 10, 2006	San Francisco, California	Japan	1–0	3–2	Friendly