Cobi Jones, who played more games for the U.S. men's team than anyone else, was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Tuesday along with three-time World Cup veterans Eddie Pope and Earnie Stewart.
Jones, a midfielder, made 164 appearances with the U.S., scoring 22 goals and 15 assists. He was a member of the 1994, '98 and 2002 World Cup teams, and was the captain when the U.S. beat Costa Rica to win the 2002 Gold Cup. Jones also spent 12 seasons in MLS, all with the Los Angeles Galaxy, finishing with 70 goals and 91 assists in 306 games. The Galaxy retired his No. 13 after he finished playing in October 2007, a first in MLS.
Pope, a defender, started all five matches as the U.S. made it all the way to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup. He scored eight goals in 82 games.
Stewart, a midfielder who also had Dutch citizenship, scored the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over Colombia that sent the Americans into the round of 16 at the 1994 World Cup in the United States. He played in four games in 2002, and was the U.S. captain in the 3-2 upset of Portugal.
Joining the three players are Bruce Murray, a midfielder and forward in the late 1980s and early '90s who was elected on the veteran ballot; and Bob Gansler, who coached the Americans when they returned to the World Cup in 1990 after a 40-year drought and was chosen on the Builder ballot. The Builder category is designed to honor those who made a ''major, sustained and positive impact'' for a minimum of 10 years.
The induction ceremony will likely be this summer, but no date was announced.
