Carlos Bocanegra, a member of the 2003 U.S. Open Champion team
(Chicago Fire) is featured in this article by US Soccer, also
featured in USA Today, Friday edition...

Defender Carlos Bocanegra is making a return to Chicagoland this
week, but this time he won't be wearing the Fire red and white, or
facing off against Eastern Conference rivals. Instead, the former
Chicago Fire star is returning to Soldier Field wearing the red,
white, and blue of the U.S Men's National Team, and playing against
Poland in the newly renovated stadium.

"It's great to be back here," said Bocanegra, who arrived in the
Windy City earlier this week in preparation for Sunday's
friendly. "I know the city well and the fans are obviously great to
play for, so I'm excited for Sunday to be able to play back in
Chicago."

The 25-year old, who has 25 caps in two and a half years under
manager Bruce Arena going into this weekend, was part of the first
generation of Americans to go the "New American Route" that
propelled him onto the international soccer scene. Bocanegra spent
time with both the Under-20 and Under-23 Men's National Teams in
1999, and played every minute for the U-20s in the FIFA World Youth
Championships in Nigeria that year.

His international experience with the youth teams overlapped with
college at UCLA, where he was an All-American in 1999, and helped
him earn a spot in the Nike Project-40 program. He then made his
MLS debut in 2000, earning Rookie of the Year honors with the Fire,
and in 2001 and 2002 he was named to the MLS Best XI, and was also
the MLS Defender of the Year in both seasons.

His stand-out years in the MLS led to opportunities with the
national team, and the challenging task of playing overseas in the
English Premier League, signing with Fulham in early January and is
now one of six Americans to be currently playing in the EPL.

"I think the process is different for everyone," said the defender,
nicknamed Los. "I know quite a few guys who are happy in the MLS,
living in the states. It's really on an individual basis. Hopefully
for the guys who would like to [go overseas] I can help pave the way
for them I guess you could say."

Last year, Bocanegra had his finest year of his career with the MNT,
earning Chevrolet Man of the Match honors three times as he became
the first U.S. defender since 1994 to score four goals in one year.
He made 13 appearances for the national team, the most by a
defender, and now has World Cup qualifying experience after playing
the full 90 minutes against Grenada at Crew Stadium on June 13.

On Sunday, he will be joined on the U.S. roster by Fulham teammate
Brian McBride, who's experience playing overseas has helped him make
the transition.

"It's been great having him with me over there," he said. "He's
there if I need to talk to him. We try to hang out and stuff, deal
with our problems together."

"There are quite a bit of foreign players over there, but they've
been nice to us for the most part. Every once in a while you get a
crazy fan, but I don't think it's directed towards Americans, I
think it's mostly because we're on the opposing team. It's been
good, we blend in pretty well."

After two and a half years with the full national team and six
months in London, Bocanegra has been leading by example in both
practices and games.

"There are different kinds of leadership roles," Bocanegra
said. "Obviously Claudio and a few of the other veterans have a
different kind of role than myself, so I just try to come out and
play hard and have my leadership rub off from the way I play, by
working hard."

Right now, Bocanegra has his sights set on helping the United States
continue their six-game unbeaten streak this weekend against a
strong Polish side. So far this year, he has appeared in five
games, including the 1-0 shutout victory against Poland in Plock on
March 31, helping a defense that has held opponents to just two
goals in those five games.

Down the road though, he hopes to continue building on his
experiences with the national team through the upcoming World Cup
qualifiers and has his sights set on Germany 2006.

"I would like to play in a World Cup first and foremost, and I'm
sure after that my goals with the national team will change," he
said.