New England Revolution defender Carlos Llamosa is expected to be waived within the next two days after the team determined he is not healthy enough to contribute in the near future. The official transaction will occur once Llamosa has an exit physical.
Llamosa tore his left ACL in the Revs' final 2004 preseason game, and the injury forced the 35-year-old to miss the entire MLS campaign. The former U.S. international was working hard to come back from the injury this season, but he suffered a groin strain this spring. Head coach Steve Nicol and his staff decided that Llamosa wouldn't be ready to play soon, so waiving the player was their only option. According to team sources, Llamosa said his goodbyes on Monday and is no longer with the club.
A veteran of three MLS teams, Llamosa is a two-time MLS Cup champion and he appeared in two other MLS Cup Finals. Llamosa lifted the Alan I. Rothenberg trophy in both 1997 and 1999 as a member of D.C. United, and he appeared in the title game in 1998 with United and in 2002 with the Revolution. In both 2001 and 2003, another MLS Cup match was within reach for Llamosa, but his 2001 Miami Fusion side fell to the San Jose Earthquakes in overtime of the third game of the MLS Cup Semifinals, and the 2003 Revs lost in overtime to the Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference Final.
Llamosa also had tremendous success with the U.S. national team. From 1998-2002, Llamosa made 29 appearances for his country, and the side compiled an 18-6-5 record in those matches. He appeared in the U.S. victories over both Portugal and Mexico in the 2002 World Cup and was a member of the bronze medal-winning U.S. team at the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup in Mexico.
Llamosa told various Boston media outlets this week that he plans to continue his soccer career elsewhere.
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
