SAN JOSE, Calif. -
The San Jose Earthquakes are a diverse club, much like every one of the 20 teams in Major League Soccer, possessing players from the likes of England, France, Panama, Portugal, Trinidad, Argentina, Brazil and many more. However, what perhaps separates the club more than anything is their reliance upon players that are American-born or compete with the U.S. National Team, either at the senior or youth levels.
Forward Chris Wondolowski has tallied 15 goals this season, fifth most in MLS. He is the only player in the league to score 12 or more goals that was born in the United States. Wondolowski, whose 108 career goals rank tied for fifth in MLS history, has also scored 10 goals for the U.S. National Team.
Wondolowski’s attacking mate, Quincy Amarikwa, who ranks second on the club with five goals, is also American-born. The Quakes are the only team in MLS whose two leading scorers were both born in the States.
The Earthquakes are one of six teams in MLS to contribute to the U.S. U-23’s roster as they attempt to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In fact, San Jose is one of only two clubs to send more than one player – midfielders Fatai Alashe and Marc Pelosi – to the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship.
Alashe, 21, has had a banner year since being selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. He scored the first-ever goal at Avaya Stadium, he scored the club’s first-ever goal against Manchester United as part of the 2015 International Champions Cup, and he is surely on the shortlist for MLS Rookie of the Year.
Pelosi, 21, was born in Germany, but has represented the United States at every youth level. He captained the U.S. to the Round of 16 in the 2011 U-17 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, and earned his first call-up to a senior team camp earlier this year.
Tommy Thompson, 20, is another member of the club to don the red, white and blue. Thompson, who was recently named to Major League Soccer’s 24 under 24, competed for the U.S. at the 2015 U-20 FIFA World Cup in New Zealand.
San Jose’s anchor in the center of the club’s stout backline, Clarence Goodson, has earned 46 caps and scored five goals for the U.S. National Team. Goodson, who was part of the 2010 World Cup squad, became the first defender in MLS to earn five Team of the Week selections this season.
Alongside Goodson is defender Marvell Wynne, a 10-year MLS veteran, who has started 29 matches and tallied 2,508 minutes, most among all Quakes outfield players. Wynne has also made a handful of caps for the U.S. National Team, including at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Another American-born player, David Bingham, leads the Quakes in goal. He is the lone member of the club to play every minute of the season thus far. With three regular season matches still to play in 2015, Bingham’s 11 shutouts are just one shy of tying the club record set in 2005. In fact, he is the only American-born goalkeeper in the league to record a double-digit shutout total to this point in the season.
Leading the Earthquakes are head coach Dominic Kinnear and general manager John Doyle, who have both represented the U.S. National Team. While Kinnear was born in Scotland, he earned 54 caps for the U.S. from 1990-93, scoring nine goals. Doyle, a San Jose native, made 53 appearances and scored three goals for his country.
Other notable American-born player that have made significant contributions to the Quakes this season are midfielder Shea Salinas and forward Adam Jahn. Salinas, who is just two appearances shy of 200 in MLS, has started 26 matches and scored a career-high three goals for San Jose this season. Jahn, who has made 15 appearances off the bench in addition to his nine starts, is the Quakes most often used substitute. He has tallied one goal and one assist, both game-winners. Jahn is a former member of the U.S. U-18s, where he tallied five goals in six appearances, and also participated in a U-20 camp back in 2009.
