COLUMBUS, Ohio - Crew defender Frankie Hejduk had been called in by U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley for Wednesday's (May 28) friendly vs. England at London's fabled Wembley Stadium, as defender Jonathan Spector has been experiencing hip joint irritation, and his availability remains in question.
Hejduk will arrive in England Monday morning and miss the Crew's U.S. Open Cup match vs. Real Salt Lake on Tuesday, before rejoining the club in L.A. in time for Saturday's (May 31) match at Chivas USA. He has played every minute of all nine games for the Crew this season, including last night's 1-0 setback to New England, and tallied two assists.
One of the most recognizable and dynamic players in Major League Soccer and a longtime U.S. National Team standout, the 32-year-old Hejduk has earned 75 caps (appearances) for the red, white and blue. He has the distinction of being the only U.S. National Team player to see action in both the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups and the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games. Most recently, he was a member of the U.S.'s 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup-championship squad and he was named to the tournament's Best XI team.
Hejduk has been with the Crew since the 2003 season and, in 81 games with the club, has scored five goals and assisted on nine others. He is a four-time MLS All-Star who has appeared in a total of 148 games (10 goals, 18 assists) in an MLS career that began with the Tampa Bay Mutiny from 1996-98, following a three-year collegiate career at UCLA, where he played for Schmid. Between his two MLS stints, he played professionally overseas for Bayer Leverkusen of the German Bundesliga (1998-2002) and St. Gallen of the Swiss First Division (2002).
Founded by American sports pioneer Lamar Hunt, the Columbus Crew is Ohio's Major League Soccer club, anchoring a diverse sports and entertainment enterprise. One of the league's Charter Members and the U.S. Open Cup champion in 2002, it is in its 13th season overall and 10th in first-of-its-kind Columbus Crew Stadium.
