DaMarcus Beasley

7. DaMarcus Beasley Defender | Club: Puebla (Mexico) One of the most experienced players on the roster, Beasley will be playing in his fourth World Cup. The

Liviu Bird | May 30, 2014

DaMarcus Beasley /

7. DaMarcus Beasley

Defender | Club: Puebla (Mexico)

Age	Hometown	Height	Weight	Goals	Caps
32	Ft. Wayne, Ind.	5-8	145	17	115

One of the most experienced players on the roster, Beasley will be playing in his fourth World Cup. The previous three were in the midfield, but he has been converted into a left back by head coach Jürgen Klinsmann, remaining in the picture due to his speed, versatility and maturity.

OUTLOOK: It seems Klinsmann is prepared to shoehorn Beasley into the lineup at left back, and the U.S. could use his experience somewhere on the field. Without Landon Donovan, the impetus for leadership falls on Beasley and Tim Howard’s shoulders as the elder internationals. If he’s on the field, Beasley will have more direct influence than Howard, who will be somewhat physically disconnected from the team in goal.

Meet the 23: Complete roster breakdown

Published May 30, 2014

LIVIU BIRD

Liviu Bird is a soccer analyst with more than 20 years of experience in the game. He learned how to play in the streets of Romania before moving to the soccer wilderness of Fairbanks, Alaska, escaping to play collegiately as a goalkeeper at Highline Community College and Seattle Pacific University, where he also earned his B.A. in journalism. Bird played semiprofessionally and had tryouts at professional clubs but hung up his gloves in 2012 to focus on writing and coaching at the youth and collegiate levels. He joined Sports Illustrated in March 2013 as a freelance contributor and has also written for NBC Sports, Soccer Wire, The New York Times, American Soccer Now and the Telegraph (UK).