71513_isi_jk_ld_usmntmj070513332 Michael Janosz/isiphotos.com
By the Numbers

ASN's Mathematical Look At U.S. World Cup Roster

They say that numbers don't lie, so we asked ASN contributor Blake Thomsen to compile some statistics about Jurgen Klinsmann's 2014 World Cup squad. Here's how it all adds up.
BY Blake Thomsen Posted
May 23, 2014
9:20 AM
IT'S WORLD CUP ROSTER by the numbers time, ranging from random to relevant. Let’s get to know your 2014 World Cup squad.

0—players on the U.S. roster with more than two World Cup goals, after coach Jurgen Klinsmann's decision to cut Landon Donovan.

1—number of international appearances for Julian Green, the least experienced player on the roster.

1—number of teenagers on the roster: Julian Green.

3—total World Cup goals scored, with two from Clint Dempsey and one from Michael Bradley.

3 —players born in world capitals: Mix Diskerud in Oslo, John Brooks in Berlin, and Kyle Beckerman in Washington, D.C. (if you generously count the D.C. suburb of Crofton, Maryland).

4 —players born in the U.S. soccer hotbed New Jersey: Jozy Altidore, Alejandro Bedoya, Bradley, and Tim Howard. There are also four players from Germany, as well as two each from California, Florida, and Texas.

4—players employed in the Bundesliga and the Premier League, the two best-represented leagues outside of MLS. Rounding out the squad, there’s one player each from the Mexican, Dutch, Norwegian, French, and Turkish leagues.

5—players with 40 or more caps, compared to 8 in 2010, 11 in 2006, and 10 in 2002.

6—ASN 100 rank of Donovan, the highest-rated player not to make the 23-man roster. Clarence Goodson is next at No. 17.

8—players in their thirties, including two goalies, two central midfielders, two forwards, and one wide midfielder.

10—players in MLS. It’s one fewer than the 11 on the 2002 and 2006 squads, but six more than the four on the 2010 squad.

13—international assists for DaMarcus Beasley, the highest number on the team now that Donovan and his 58 assists are off the squad.

14—players in their twenties, including eight out of nine defenders.

17—World Cup debutants (18 if you count Brad Guzan, who’s never seen the field), compared to Ghana’s 17, Portugal’s 15, and Germany’s likely 12.

19—the World Cup age of Julian Green, the youngest player on the squad and the youngest-ever American to go to a World Cup.

27.3—average age of the 2014 World Cup squad. In 2010 it was 26.9, in 2006 it was 28.3, and in 2002 it was also 28.3.

35—the age of Tim Howard, the oldest player on the squad.

45—ASN 100 rank of Green, the lowest on the squad.

67.5—the height, in inches, of Julian Green, the shortest player on the roster.

77—the height, in inches, of Omar Gonzalez, the tallest player on the roster.

114—the number of caps for DaMarcus Beasley, the most experienced player on the roster. Clint Dempsey is second with 103.

135—the listed weight of Green, the lightest player on the team.

210—the listed weight of Howard, Guzan, and Omar Gonzalez, the three heaviest players on the team.

623,000—Twitter followers of Jozy Altidore, the biggest social media presence on the team now that Donovan (897,000 followers) is gone.

What’s the most surprising number on this list? Have any other numbers for us? Let us know in the comments section below.

0—the amount of logic Blake Thomsen sees in the decision to leave out Landon Donovan. Let him know how you feel about that on Twitter.

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