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18 Weird Facts About the US Men's National Team

Azerbaijan v United States
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Jan. 28 2015, Updated 2:42 p.m. ET

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Azerbaijan v United States
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In 2013, midfielder Mix Diskerud took on reigning world champion chess player Magnus Carlsen—and did pretty well! In addition to chess, Diskerud excels at ping pong and bowling.

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USA Training & Press Conference – 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
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AGF Aarhus fans think striker Aron Johannsson looks so much like Kevin Bacon that they created a YouTube video featuring an interview about his dancing ability set to the theme song of the movie Footloose.

USA v Portugal: Group G – 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
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Jermaine Jones is married to Miss Germany 2006, Sarah Gerth.

Good for you, Jermaine!

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Nigeria v United States
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Chris Wondolowskiis part Native American, as his mother is part of the Kiowa Tribe. His tribal name is “Bau Daigh,” which translates to “warrior coming over the hill”.

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USA v Portugal: Group G – 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
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Goalkeeper Tim Howard was a star basketball player in high school, where he led his team to the state finals his senior year. He was even "drafted" by the Harlem Globetrotters.

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USA v Portugal: Group G – 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
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Midfielder Graham Zusi was a criminology major who originally planned to pursue a career in the CIA before determining that he had a chance to succeed as a professional soccer player.

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Aston Villa v West Bromwich Albion – Premier League
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Brad Guzan's teammates on the US team called him "Polar Bear" due to his affectionate personality (and his appearance!).

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Mexico v United States
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Julian Green was just 18 when the 2014 World Cup started, which means he could still quality for 2015's under-20 World Cup (and return to Brazil again for the Olympics in 2016).

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USA Training & Press Conference – 2014 FIFA World Cup
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Midfielder Michael Bradley has learned the language in every country he has played in professionally. He is fluent in Dutch, English, German and Italian.

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Ghana v USA: Group G – 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
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Michael Bradley's commanding performances in midfield while playing in Italy’s Series A earned him the nickname “The General” from Italian media and fans.

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Nigeria v United States
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A native of Massachusetts, Geoff Cameron is a huge supporter of Boston sports teams and has done charity work in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings.

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Ghana v USA: Group G – 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
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Captain Clint Dempsey has a tattoo of his home state of Texas on his left arm, with a star signifying his hometown of Nacogdoches.

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Ghana v USA: Group G – 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
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Soccer is in Alejandro Bedoya's blood. His grandfather and father played professional soccer in Colombia, and his brother and sister both played for Northeastern University.

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USA Training & Press Conference – 2014 FIFA World Cup
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During his rookie season in Major League Soccer in 2009, Matt Besler stayed at his parents’ house in Overland Park, Kansas, while teammate Graham Zusi roomed in their basement.

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Ghana v USA: Group G – 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
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Before Kyle Beckerman was a professional soccer player, he was a state champion wrestler as a freshman at Dematha High School in Maryland. His brother Todd is now the head wrestling coach at Brown University.

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USA v Portugal: Group G – 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
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Damarcus Beasley has competed in six World Cups for the US. He played in the under-17 tournament in 1999, the under-20 in 2001, and then on the senior team in 2002, 2006, 2010, and now in 2014.

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Ghana v USA: Group G – 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
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Michael Bradley is renowned for his ability to patrol vast amounts of territory as a midfielder. During the 2010 World Cup, he ran a little more than 22 miles during the USA’s three group games.

Ghana v USA: Group G – 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil
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Haitian-American player Jozy Altidore donated more than $168,000 for relief efforts in Haiti through personal contributions and fundraising. He was only 20 when the earthquake happened in 2010.

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