Player Profile

The USA’s captain since summer 2007, Bocanegra can play either in his preferred position in central defence or at left-back - which is his usual role for French club Rennes.

He has one year left on his club contract but admits he would be interested in a return to the Premier League, where he spent four-and-a-half years with Fulham (116 league appearances) until being released in 2008.

Bocanegra played in all 10 of the USA’s World Cup qualifiers in the final group stage, scoring the winning goal against Honduras last June.

He also sustained a hamstring strain in that match which kept him out of the first three games at the Confederations Cup but returned for the shock semi-final victory against Spain, starting at left-back for his country for the first time in nearly two years.

The Californian began his career with Chicago Fire, who were then managed by current national coach Bob Bradley, and was twice crowned MLS Defender of Year in four seasons at the club.

Bradley made Bocanegra the national team captain in June 2007 and later that year he led the USA to victory in the Gold Cup, the biennial championship for north and central America.