June 14, 2007 6:55 PM
U.S. mainstay Pope retires
Real Salt Lake defender Eddie Pope waves to fans as he is introduced before Thursday's game against FC Dallas. (DOUGLAS C. PIZAC/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Eddie Pope will retire at the end of the season, the Real Salt Lake defender and U.S. national player’s 12th in MLS.
The 33-year-old Pope announced before Salt Lake’s home game against Dallas on Thursday that he will end his career when the season is over.
“It’s just time,” Pope said. “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.”
Pope played for the U.S. national team from 1996 until last summer, when he decided after the World Cup to retire from international play. He played in nine World Cup matches for the U.S. team in the 1998, 2002 and 2006 World Cups and made 31 appearances in World Cup qualifiers.
“Eddie is one of the great players in American soccer history, a guy that I have a great deal of admiration for his integrity and his great athletic skill,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber, who was in town for Thursday’s game.
Pope has been in the league since its first season, when he was a rookie on D.C. United’s MLS Cup championship team and scored the winning goal in overtime to give United the title.
Pope, a native of High Point, N.C., played his entire professional career in the United States. He has been with RSL since the club’s first season in the league three years ago.
“Eddie is a special player and person and we are fortunate to have built our squad around a player with such talent, character and respect,” RSL owner Dave Checketts said.
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