SALT LAKE CITY - Major League Soccer announced today that RSL DF Eddie Pope was selected to the 2006 "First XI", the squad for the MLS All-Star team that will take on English Premier League Champions Chelsea on August 5th (4:30 PM MT, ESPN) in Bridgeview, Illinois. The veteran defender made the squad despite playing in only eight games for RSL this season, due to his participation with the US National Team in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. This marks his ninth consecutive All-Star selection in eleven years.
Pope, who was named MLS "Defender of the Year" in 1997 and is widely considered as the finest American defender in U.S. Soccer history, said that even though he has made the team many times, the honor of being selected never gets old.
"I would hope that no player in any sport ever gets tired of being honored as an All-Star", stated Pope. "It's a goal for any player to be viewed as one of the game's best, and I am honored that many people still view me in that category. I am pleasantly surprised that despite missing much of the season to be with the National Team in Germany, I was still able to make the squad."
When asked what it meant to represent RSL as the only Real Salt Lake player to be named to the MLS All-Star team, Pope said he took the responsibility very seriously.
"We have a lot of great players on this team, several of whom have made the All-Star team before. Even though we haven't been as successful on the field as any of us have anticipated, I really feel that I have a responsibility to my teammates, and the organization as a whole to represent Real Salt Lake with pride. Playing a great team like Chelsea will be intense, I am sure people will be eager to see how MLS competition holds up. It would be great for soccer in this country if we could come away with a victory."
In 2005, Pope was selected to the All-Star team, but was unable to participate due to injury.
For any additional information on the 2006 All-Star game, including how to purchase tickets, please log on to: http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/chf/tickets/2006/all_star/.
