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Jozy Altidore

17. Jozy Altidore Forward | Club: Sunderland (England) Altidore was U.S. Soccer's Male Player of the Year in 2013, ending a prolonged international scoring
Liviu Bird|
Jozy Altidore
Jozy Altidore

17. Jozy Altidore

Forward | Club: Sunderland (England)

Age

Hometown

Height

Weight

Goals

Caps

24

Boca Raton, Fla.

6-1

175

21

69

Altidore was U.S. Soccer's Male Player of the Year in 2013, ending a prolonged international scoring slump in sensational fashion with four goals in June and a hat trick against Bosnia-Herzegovina in an August friendly. Even though he only scored twice in all competitions for club team Sunderland in 2013-14 (after setting a single-season record for an American abroad with 31 for AZ Alkmaar in 2012-13), once again raising questions about his consistency, he is looked upon to deliver goals as a reliable striker in Brazil.

OUTLOOK: For the U.S. to advance in a group with Portugal and Ghana, Altidore will have to be opportunistic and ruthless in front of goal. He showed last summer that he can do that in international competition, but CONCACAF and the World Cup are two different stages. He might not have much help if the U.S. plays a one-forward system, but Altidore has to score some goals.

Meet the 23: Complete roster breakdown

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Liviu Bird
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).

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