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| Jermaine Jones vs Germany at the 2014 WC Finals |
Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.
USA,
African American Players,
Hispanic/Latino American Players
USA 2010
NY Cosmos, LA Galaxy, DC United,
University of Virginia, UCLA.
German-born players capped by other national teams
This is my selection of a 23 member all-time team for German American/American German players. The number 23 was chosen because it is the official squad size for the World Cup Finals.
The influx of German-born American soccer players, mainly children of US servicemen stationed in Germany, contributed to the successes of US Soccer. Meanwhile, Jimmy Hartwig and Erwin Kostedde broke the racial barrier for Black Germans. I thought this group deserved a mention in the history of the game.
My focus was going to be about players who are children of American servicemen in Germany(or dual citizenship), but I could not find enough players for a 23 member team. I also did not want an all-time team of German Americans. It is estimated that 1/3 of Americans has German ancestry. There would have been too many players eligible. Instead, I included German immigrants or first generation American players to the United States. Each American-born player must have at least a German parent who is a German citizen and each German player must have at least an American parent. The players do not necessary have to be an American citizen, but the player must be eligible to play for either country. I do not think Felix Magath was ever an American citizen.
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| Jurgen Klinsmann vs Thomas Dooley |
USA All-Time Team
African-American Players
Hispanic/Latino American Players
German Turks
East German Players After 1990
USA 2010
Team
GK: Juergen Sommer (USA)
After being named Collegiate Goalkeeper of the Year in 1990, Sommer left Indiana to sign with Luton Town in 1991. Sommer played 7 seasons for Queens Park Rangers, Luton Town and Torquay. In MLS, he played with Columbus Crew and New England Revolution. He was only capped 10 times due to fierce competition with Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel and Tony Meola during his prime. He went to USA 1994 and France 1998.
GK: Marcus Hahnemann (USA)
Marcus Hahnemann played for the Seattle Sounders and the Colorado Rapids before signing with English club Fulham in 1999. While at Fulham, he enjoyed loan spells with Rochdale and Reading, before signing permanently with Reading in 2002. In 2009, he transferred to Wolverhampton Wanderers. He has won nine caps, featuring as back-up for Kasey Keller and Tim Howard in two World Cups.
GK: David Yelldell (USA)
David Yelldell was the son of American serviceman serving in Germany and a German mother. He played with Stuttgart Kicker, Blackburn Rover, Bayer Leverkusen, TuS Koblenz, MSV Duisburg and now with SG Sonnenhof Großaspach. In 2011, he was capped once by the USA in a match against Paraguay.
RB: Timmy Chandler (USA)
Timmy Chandler was the son of American serviceman in Germany. Chandler began his career with Eintracht Frankfurt II before transferring to 1. FC Nürnberg II in the summer of 2010. He made his debut for the first team of 1. FC Nürnberg on January 15, 2011. In 2014, he moved back to Eintracht Frankfurt. He received his first US cap in 2011. He was a member of the US World Cup team in 2014.
RB: Jeremy Toljan (Germany)
At the time of writing, Jeremy Toljan has played for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Germany. In 2017, he joined Borussia Dortmund. He is a German youth international and currently active for the national U-21 side. He is also eligible to play for both the United States and Croatia. He was a part of the squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics, where Germany won the silver medal. In 2015, he rejected Jurgen Klinsmann's approach to play for the United States.
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| Jeremy Toljan |
Although born in Germany, Windischmann's family moved to the United States when he was an infant. He played college soccer with Adelphi University. His career was between the end of NASL and the beginning of MLS. He earned over 50 caps for the USA. He was the 1989 U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year. From 1984 to 1990, he played 50 times for the United States. He went to the 1988 Summer Olympics. He was also named as the captain for the USA team at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
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| Mike Windischmann |
Brooks is the son of American serviceman serving in Germany. He started his career with Hertha Berlin in 2012. At the time of writing, he played for VfL Wolfsburg. He played a single game for Germany under-20. Since 2013, he has represented for the USA on the senior level. He scored the winning goal against Ghana at Brazil 2014.
CB/DM: Thomas Dooley (USA)
Thomas Dooley was the son of a US serviceman stationed in Germany and a German mother. He won the Bundesliga with Kaiserslautern in 1990-1991 and then the UEFA Cup with Schalke 04 in 1996-1997. He was capped 81 times between 1992 and 1999. He was a key player as the United States reached the 2nd round at the 1994 World Cup Finals and was the captain at the World Cup in 1998. He was the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 1993. He is a Members of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
CB: Alfredo Morales (USA)
Born to a naturalized Peruvian-born American father and a German mother, Morales has represented the United States internationally at the youth and senior levels. He started his career with Hertha Berlin in 2008. and FC Ingolstadt from 2013 to 2017. At this moment, he played for Fortuna Dusseldorf. He has been there since 2014.
CB: Werner Roth (USA)
Roth was born in Yugoslavia. He moved to the US at the age of 8 from Germany. He started his career with NY German-Hungarians. In 1972, he joined NY Cosmos, where he would play with Pele and Franz Beckenbauer. He was a star for the US national team from 1972 to 1975. Roth was a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame in the US. He also played German soccer team captain Baumann in the 1981 movie Victory (titled Escape to Victory in Europe.
DF: Herman Rapp (USA)
Rapp was born in Stuttgart, Germany. In 1928, Rapp is listed with F.C. Schwaben of the International Soccer Football League of Chicago. In 1934, Rapp was called into the U.S. team for the 1934 World Cup. However, he did not enter the lone U.S game of the tournament, a 7-1 loss to eventual champion Italy. He was then listed with the Philadelphia German-Americans of the American Soccer League during the World Cup.
LWB/LW: Fabian Johnson (USA)
Fabian Johnson was born in Germany. He is the son of an African-American serviceman. He began his career with 1860 Munich. He also played for VfL Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim. At the time of writing, he is playing for Borussia Mönchengladbach. He was capped by Germany at youth level, winning the European Championship Under-21 in 2009. He played for USA at the senior level. He went too Brazil 2014.
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| Fabian Johnson vs Germany |
He played for Kickers Offenbach, TSV 1860 München, Hamburger SV, 1. FC Köln and FC Homburg of the Bundesliga and for Austria Salzburg of Austria. Hartwig won the European Cup in 1983 with Hamburger SV, and was three times German league champion in 1979, 1982 und 1983. The son of an African-American soldier and a German mother, Hartwig was the second non-white player capped for Germany(after Erwin Kostedde).
CM: Jermaine Jones (USA)
Born in Germany to an American father and German mother, Jermaine Jones played for Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke 04, Besiktas,mBlackburn Rovers, New England Revolution. At this moment, he is with Colorado Rapids. Jones represented Germany at the senior level, but not in an official game. He later filed for a switch to the United States. He made his debut for them in 2010 and played at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, scoring a goal against Portugal. He earned a total of 69 caps.
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| Jermaine Jones |
Rick was with Fortuna Düsseldorf, Eintracht Braunschweig and SSV Reutlingen in the German Oberliga from 1958 through 1963. In 1964, Rick played for New York Hota of the German American Soccer League. He then spent the 1965 International Soccer League with the New Yorkers. Capped once for the USA.
AM: Felix Magath (Germany)
Felix Magath was the son of an American GI and a German woman. He played for Hamburger SV between 1976 and 1986, winning the European Cup in 1983. He scored the winning goal in the Final against Juventus. He was a part of the great West German national team of the 1980's, winning the Euro 1980. He also played in the 1982 and 1986 World Cup Finals. He had 43 caps between 1977 and 1986.
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| Felix Magath |
Born in Germany, Julian Green graduated from the academy at Bayern Munich, but played mainly with Bayern Munich II. He was on loan to SV Hamburger. Since 2014, he was capped by the US. He scored against Belgium at the World Cup Finals in 2014, making him the youngest American ever to score in the World Cup Finals.
FW: Jean Willrich (USA)
Born in Germany, he started his career with PSV Eindhoven in Holland during the 1977-1978 season. He was a member of the team that won the UEFA Cup. He joined San Diego Sockers in 1978. He was also on loan with UNAM Pumas. While with the Sockers, Willrich gained his U.S. citizenship. He represented the USA at the 1984 Olympics.
FW: Manfred Seissler (USA)
Seissler played in the lower division in West Germany during the mid 1960's. In 1967, he moved to play in NPSL. The league would eventually emerged with NASL. During his early years in the NASL, Seissler was one of the league’s top forwards, being named a first team All Star in 1969, 1970 and 1971. Capped once for the US in 1973.
FW: Willy Roy (USA)
Roy's family moved to the US from Germany when he was small. In 1967, he joined the newly established Chicago Spurs of the NPSL. At the time, Roy was one of only eight U.S. citizens in the league. He was the NPSL All Star team and being named Rookie of the Year. A year later, Chicago Spurs became Kansas City Spurs in NASL. He later played with St Louis Stars and Chicago Stings. Capped 20 times. He scored 6 goals in the 1974 WC Qualifying matches, a record until Earnie Stewart broke it in 2001.
ST: David Wagner (USA)
Wagner grew up in Germany. With Schalke 04, he was a member of the team that won the UEFA Cup in 1996-1997. His club teammate Thomas Dooley helped him to become an American citizen. He joined the US squad in 1996. However, after a match against Canada, Canada protested that Wagner was an ineligible player due to the fact he played for Germany at the youth level. FIFA later cleared his status.
Wegerle was born in South Africa. He notably played in England for Queens Park Rangers, Blackburn Rovers and Coventry City, Chelsea, Swindon Town and Luton Town. In the US, Wegerle is one of two players who played in both the NASL and MLS. Wegerle became a US citizen in 1991. He was capped 41 times. He went to the 1994 and 1998 World Cup Finals.
ST: Erwin Kostedde (Germany)
Erwin Kostedde was the son of an American serviceman stationed in Germany. He became the first Black player ever capped by West Germany in 1974 during a Euro Qualifier. He spent his professional in France, Belgium and Germany. His longest spell was with Kickers Offenbach, where he played from 1971 to 1975. He was the top scorer in the Belgian League in 1970–71 and in Ligue 1 in 1979–80. He only earned 3 caps for Germany.
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| Erwin Kostedde |
Kenneth Kronholm, Royal-Dominique Fennell, Michael Mason, Gedion Zelalem, Orest Banach, Andrew Wooten, Jerome Kiesewetter, Terence Boyd, Danny Williams, Dietrich Albrecht, Al Zerhusen.
Squad Explanation
-- My focus was going to be about players who are children of American servicemen in Germany(or dual citizenship), but I could not find enough players for a 23 member team. But I have to expand the team.
-- I also did not want an all-time team of German Americans. It is estimated that 1/3 of American population has German ancestry. There would have been too many players eligible. Instead, I included German immigrants or first generation American players. Each American-born player must have at least a German parent who is a German citizen and each German player must have at least an American parent. I kept this rule because of the lack of good goalkeepers. I changed the rules to include Juergen Sommer and Macus Hahnemann.
-- Not everyone is a son of a US serviceman.
-- The players do not necessary have to be an American citizen, but the player must be eligible for citizenship. I do not think Felix Magath was ever an American citizen, but he could have applied for one, I think.
-- The players do not necessary have to be an American citizen, but the player must be eligible for citizenship. I do not think Felix Magath was ever an American citizen, but he could have applied for one, I think.
-- Felix Magath is probably the most famous footballer due to the fact that he won the European Cup in 1983 with Hamburger as well as winning Euro 1980 with West Germany. He is the son of a Puerto Rican former soldier in the United States Army. Puerto Rican citizens held US passport, which made him eligible.
-- Both Juergen Sommer and Marcus Hahnemann were both sons of German immigrants in the United States, They were born and grow up in the USA. However, at least, one of their parents is a German citizen at one point in their life. Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel are of German ancestry, but I do not think their parents are ever German citizens.
-- Orest Banach was born in Germany and capped 4 times for the USA from 1969 to 1972, but I have better keepers ahead him.
-- Thomas Dooley earned his last cap in 1999, and Jurgen Klinsmann was appointed the manager of the USA team and called up a large group of German-born American players in 2011. There were a gap of approximately 12 years. So there must be other American eligible players with similar background playing in the Bundesliga during that period . I might have missed a few eligible players.
-- Gedion Zelalem has the talent to be on this team, but at the time of writing, he has less than a season of playing professional soccer. It is still premature to include him. Julian Green at least played and scored in a WC Finals match. Updated: his career did not pan out.
-- Roy Wegerle was born in South Africa. However, his father was German. He had considered to play for Germany. Although he was not actually a member of the focus group on this blog, he is still an American international player with a German parent. I included him because he fitted into man of the criteria for eligibility. His brother Steve, however, was capped by South Africa. I do not have enough information on his other brother Geoff Wegerle's citizenship. I do not know if they were Americans.
-- Wolfgang Sühnholz and Karl-Heinz Granitza played long enough in the US. They should have qualified for a Green Card. Anyway, I still excluded them because I do not know their legal status while they are playing. They were in the same situation with Geoff Wegerle.
-- Werner Roth has a German name, but he was born in Yugoslavia. He was eligible because he came to the United States via Germany.
-- Both Horst Rick and Herman Rapp were early pioneers of the game. I selected them because I wanted the team to spread out into different eras. I did not know much about Herman Rapp. I included him because he was probably the first German-born player ever capped by the US.
-- Jurgen Klinsmann is married to an American wife. He probably holds at least a Green Card and probably eligible for citizenship. So he met the criteria, but I took into account the fact that he was probably ineligible for US citizenship during his playing career. Wegerle was linked with the German national team before playing for the United States. Jonathan Klinsmann, however, is eligible. He was born in Germany.
-- Erwin Kostedde was the first Black player capped by Germany. his father was an American serviceman.
-- David Wagner only played a handful of games for the United States. His selection did cause an issue with Canada in which Canada filed a complaint to the FIFA. He was one of the first German players to be discovered by the USSF during Steve Sampson's era.
Formation
-- Both Juergen Sommer and Marcus Hahnemann were both sons of German immigrants in the United States, They were born and grow up in the USA. However, at least, one of their parents is a German citizen at one point in their life. Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel are of German ancestry, but I do not think their parents are ever German citizens.
-- Orest Banach was born in Germany and capped 4 times for the USA from 1969 to 1972, but I have better keepers ahead him.
-- Thomas Dooley earned his last cap in 1999, and Jurgen Klinsmann was appointed the manager of the USA team and called up a large group of German-born American players in 2011. There were a gap of approximately 12 years. So there must be other American eligible players with similar background playing in the Bundesliga during that period . I might have missed a few eligible players.
-- Gedion Zelalem has the talent to be on this team, but at the time of writing, he has less than a season of playing professional soccer. It is still premature to include him. Julian Green at least played and scored in a WC Finals match. Updated: his career did not pan out.
-- Roy Wegerle was born in South Africa. However, his father was German. He had considered to play for Germany. Although he was not actually a member of the focus group on this blog, he is still an American international player with a German parent. I included him because he fitted into man of the criteria for eligibility. His brother Steve, however, was capped by South Africa. I do not have enough information on his other brother Geoff Wegerle's citizenship. I do not know if they were Americans.
-- Wolfgang Sühnholz and Karl-Heinz Granitza played long enough in the US. They should have qualified for a Green Card. Anyway, I still excluded them because I do not know their legal status while they are playing. They were in the same situation with Geoff Wegerle.
-- Werner Roth has a German name, but he was born in Yugoslavia. He was eligible because he came to the United States via Germany.
-- Both Horst Rick and Herman Rapp were early pioneers of the game. I selected them because I wanted the team to spread out into different eras. I did not know much about Herman Rapp. I included him because he was probably the first German-born player ever capped by the US.
-- Jurgen Klinsmann is married to an American wife. He probably holds at least a Green Card and probably eligible for citizenship. So he met the criteria, but I took into account the fact that he was probably ineligible for US citizenship during his playing career. Wegerle was linked with the German national team before playing for the United States. Jonathan Klinsmann, however, is eligible. He was born in Germany.
-- Erwin Kostedde was the first Black player capped by Germany. his father was an American serviceman.
-- David Wagner only played a handful of games for the United States. His selection did cause an issue with Canada in which Canada filed a complaint to the FIFA. He was one of the first German players to be discovered by the USSF during Steve Sampson's era.
Formation
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