George Edward Pope, II was born on December 24,1973. No one even imagined that this boy would become Eddie Pope, one of the best defenders the sport of soccer has known.

Eddie grew up in High Point, North Carolina. At the age of 6 he wanted to become involved in some type of sport activity. In 1978 football or baseball were the obvious choices for a young black kid in North Carolina. However, given his young age he asked his parents, George and Lillian Pope, if he could sign up for recreation soccer. The answer was yes and a totally unexpected journey began.

Eddie spent his youth like many young people: riding his German Shepard like it was a horse; testing his mom’s patience at the age of 2; helping his dad wash the car at the age of 3; enjoying sports; teasing his siblings; attending school; involved in boy scouts; taking family vacations; participating in church plays; hanging out with friends; playing video games; etc.

Throughout middle school and high school Eddie continued to excel in sports. He discovered he had a talent for volleyball; he was a natural as a baseball catcher; he had a place of excellence as a football kicker and he had a continuous growing gift as a soccer player. And through it all he maintained a superior academic record.

When it came time for college Eddie had many decisions to make from which school to what type of scholarship. He ultimately decided to go to the University of North Carolina at Chapel-Hill where he entered on a football scholarship. After his first year as a dual athlete, Eddie decided to focus on soccer as his lone sport. A decision that would significantly impact his life as well as the development of soccer in the United States.

In addition to being a gifted soccer player, Eddie is an even better human being. One might think that with all of the attention he receives and the financial gain he has made, Eddie would have a bit of an inflated ego. However anyone who knows him knows that nothing could be further from the truth.
 
Eddie is a very compassionate and giving young man. He thinks with his heart as well as his head. He is always conscious of negative influences and temptations so that he can counter act in a positive way. He truly believes that he is his brother’s keeper and that he has a job to do off the soccer field. He believes that he must do his part to leave the world better than he found it.

One way he does this is through his foundation. Eddie has a strong commitment to community, especially children. He will tell anyone who asks that he is where he is because of his family and his Creator. He will tell you that he is a truly blessed individual. He will also tell you that he feels he must share his blessings so that he can help other children experience the gifts he has received.

Eddie is the second of three children all very different in terms of interest but identical in terms of their commitment to others. This commitment can be credited to his parents, George and Lillian Pope.

Eddie and his lovely wife Corina are the proud parents of a little boy.

Eddie has established himself as one of  the finest defenders in MLS. His greatest professional moment came when he scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give D.C. United the inaugural MLS Cup title. 

Quotable
"Steady Eddie' is our defensive tower of strength and composure. Cool, calm and collected with or without the ball, he is indomitable and needs to be inspiring at the back to ensure our success this season." - Ray Hudson

MLS

A stalwart defender and a quiet leader on and off the field for every team he has played...Pope is one of the most accomplished defenders in US soccer history and one of the best ever in MLS...He helped capture the MLS Cup on three occasions for D.C. United (1996, 1997, and 1999), including scoring the "golden goal" in 1996 to defeat Los Angeles 3-2 at a rain soaked Foxboro Stadium...Pope also led DC United to the U.S. Open Cup title in 1996, completing the "double", the 1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup, and the 1998 Interamerican Cup defeating Brazil's Vasco da Gama...The classy defender has also claimed personal accolades by winning the 1997 MLS Defender of the Year award, along with MLS Best XI honors in 1997 and 1998...Honored for his work in the community in 2000, when he accepted United's New York Life Humanitarian of the Year award for his work with the foundation in the D.C. area that bears his name…Considered the top defender in MLS Finalist for MLS Defender of the Year in 2003…Greatest professional moment came when he scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give D.C. United the inaugural MLS Cup title...Is a six-time MLS All-Star, earning three MLS Best XI selections and winning three MLS championships with D.C.

2003: Pope was named the captain of the MetroStars for the 2003 season and gave the young team the leadership it needed to strive through the challenges of the season...In his first season with the MetroStars, his presence at center back not only provided the team a stingy defensive unit, but he also proved a settling influence as captain of a revamped squad…MetroStars allowed more than a goal on just three of 20 occasions in which he was in the lineup…He earned MetroStars.com Player of the Year as voted by the fans on the team's official web site and he was voted by local media as the MetroStars/ADT Defender of the Year for the 2003 season...He played in and started 20 games, totaling 1,724 minutes and registering two assists for two points...Both of Pope's assists came on corner kicks on 9/13 vs. New England in a 2-1 loss and on 10/5 at San Jose in a 2-0 win, where he flicked the ball to the back post to find former Metro defender Steve Jolley for the goal...Pope's leadership set new standards on 5/10 vs. DC United in a 1-0 win when the defender played 90 minutes for the U.S. two days prior against Mexico in Houston, then returned to the Metros to play 90 minutes and using an IV at halftime to make it through the game ... Pope led the MetroStars back from a 3-1 halftime deficit on 8/6 at Columbus in the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup by scoring two goals to tie and win the game.

2002: Played 17 matches for D.C. United, starting 16…Hampered by nagging injuries both to start and end the MLS season…From May 4-June 19, Pope missed six games due to U.S. National team duty for the World Cup held in Korea/Japan, where the States had one of their best performances in Cup history, making it to the quarterfinals and respectfully losing to Germany 0-1...Pope also missed games against Los Angles (6/29) and New England (7/6) due to a knee injury suffered in the World Cup...He recorded his lone goal of the season by registering the game-winner in United's 4-2 victory over San Jose on August 31...An assist by the three-time United Defender-of-the-Year earlier in that contest gave Pope his first-career multi-point game...Due to his National Team duties and injuries, Pope registered career lows in games played (17), games started (16), and minutes played (1,471)…Played 17 matches for D.C. United, starting 16...Traded to the MetroStars in December 2002 after seven seasons with D.C. United.

2001: Pope appeared in 19 matches (18 starts), logging 1,528 minutes while collecting two assists and was named the club's defender of the year for the third time in his six-year career at this point...He injured his toe (3/12) in an exhibition game prior to spring training and made his first appearance after the injury as a sub against New England (4/21) ... He returned to the starting lineup against the MetroStars (5/5)...He played the full game in a friendly against Germany's Bayer Leverkuesen on May 23 ... Pope missed game against Tampa Bay (6/23) to be with his wife, who gave birth to the couple's first child...Pope scored a goal and registered an assist against New Jersey (6/27) in a U.S. Open Cup third round match…An MLS All-Star for the fifth straight season…Missed a number of matches due to injury and National Team commitments.

2000: Earned a fourth consecutive MLS All-Star berth in 2000 despite his battles with injury...Started 21 games and collected two assists for United...Pope started the first four matches of the season, although was forced from the pitch in the 52nd minute of the second match at the Meadowlands due to injury...The United defender managed his first point of the season during that stretch, assisting on Moreno's first tally of the season against New England (4/15)...Five days later, Pope underwent knee surgery to repair the cartilage in his left knee. The injury was a result of an MCL sprain he had suffered (7/4/99) in San Jose...The surgery was a success and Pope returned to the field a month later, having missed six MLS games...In total, Pope played and started 21 games for United, managing to add another assist in the 3-2 extra time win against the MetroStars (7/2)...In 21 games, Pope also managed to add to his reputation as one of the league's fairest defenders by not taking a solitary caution point...Honored for his work in the community when he accepted United's New York Life Humanitarian of the Year award for his work with the foundation in the D.C. area that bears his name.

1999: Pope missed the better part of three months due to a series of leg injuries...He started the season with five consecutive starts...A broken cuneiform bone forced Pope to the sidelines for more than a month, returning to the team against Miami (6/10), coming on as a halftime substitute...Pope suffered from continuing soreness from the injury, and missed the next four matches over the remainder of the month...He sprained the MCL in his left knee against San Jose (7/4), which forced him from the field after 85 minutes, keeping him out of two more matches…Appeared in 19 games for United, scoring once.

1998: Pope's tallies won both of United's historic continental honors. He made no mistake from close range for the only goal in United's CONCACAF Champions Cup triumph against CD Toluca of Mexico. Then, in the Interamerican Cup second leg, a header off a Roy Lassiter volley back across goal gave United a 2-0 victory against CR Vasco de Gama and the title of 'Champion of the Americas.'

1997: Pope was named winner of the Honda Player of the Year as the top player in the USA. He also garnered the Bic Tough Defender of the Year and was United's nominee for the MLS Fair Play Award for his remarkably spotless disciplinary record.

1996: Pope split his season between the U.S. Olympic team and United. His goal in the 96th minute of the inaugural MLS Cup final gave United a 3-2 golden goal victory against Los Angeles Galaxy.

International

A perennial anchor of the U.S. central defense when healthy…The elegant and athletic defender turned in one of the standout performances on the U.S. backline in the 2002 World Cup…Started six of 10 final round qualifiers in the 2002 World Cup run…A key member of the 1998 World Cup side, starting two matches in France Was also a starter on the 1996 Olympic squad…With his height and vertical leap, he is very dangerous in the air on set pieces…Has had a knack for scoring big goals in big games.

2003: Made two starts for the U.S., marshalling the backline in the victory against Venezuela on March 29 and the 0-0 draw against Mexico on May 8 in Houston ... A fractured patella suffered in a league match on May 31 denied him a sure roster spot for the Confederations Cup and Gold Cup.

2002: Started all five matches in central defense in Korea/Japan, constantly thwarting the opponent's most dangerous attackers… Started 11 matches in 2002, his most since 1998. Scored the only U.S. goal in a 2-1 loss to Ireland, heading home a John OBrien corner kick…Earned Chevrolet Man of the Match honors for his performance in that game...Earned his 50th cap for the U.S. in the final match before the World Cup against Holland on May 19 in Foxboro ... Sidelined for the Gold Cup while recovering from injury ... Started and played all 90 minutes against Honduras (March 2), Germany (March 24), Mexico (April 3) and Ireland (April 17).

2001: Started six of 10 final round qualifiers, including the 2-0 win against Mexico on Feb. 28, 2001.

2000: Battled through a variety of injuries to start six games for the U.S. in 2000...Started three World Cup qualifiers, including shutouts over Guatemala and Barbados...Opened the scoring in the USAs 7-0 thrashing of Barbados with his fourth international goal.

1999: Injury kept him out of the squad for most of the season, but he did manage to play in three matches.

1998: Scored against Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup!...Played full 90 minutes in historical defeat of Brazil, 1-0, advancing to the finals of Gold Cup...Started two World Cup games.

1997: Started 13 of 16 1998 World Cup qualifiers for the U.S., scoring two goals and ranking second in minutes played...Scored his biggest international goal in the USAs 2-2 World Cup qualifying tie with Mexico April 20, 1997...Scored a goal in the USAs 3-0 World Cup qualifying win over Canada March 16, 1997...Often shut down the opponents top scoring threat, including Costa Ricas Paulo Wanchope, Jamaica's Deon Burton and Mexico's Zague.

1996: Debuted with the U.S. National Team in a World Cup qualifier, a 2-0 U.S. win over Trinidad and Tobago...Started all three games at the 1996 Olympics and was a regular for the U-23s from 1994-1996...First Appearance: Nov. 10, 1996, vs. Trinidad & Tobago...First Goal: March 16, 1997, vs. Canada.

Honors

MLS Cup champion: '96, '97, '99
U.S. Open Cup champion: '96
CONCACAF Champions Cup winner: '98
Interamerican Cup winner: '98
Honda Player of the Year: '97
MLS Bic Tough Defender of Year: '97
AT&T Best XI: '97, '98
Summer Olympic Games: Atlanta '96
Pan American Games: Argentina '95