United States goalkeeper Kasey Keller is heading for his fourth World Cup finals, although he has seen action only twice in soccer's biggest showcase.
Keller was a reserve for the U.S. in 1990 and, though he was left out of the 1994 team, he played two games in 1998 when the Americans finished last in the 32-nation field.
In 2002, when the U.S. emerged as one of the surprises of the finals, Keller again had to watch from the bench as Brad Friedel stayed in goal for the entire quarter-finals run.
Now the undisputed number one, Keller, 36, at last has his own chance to shine in Germany, where he plays his club football for Borussia Moenchengladbach.
"Kasey Keller's experience is going to be a key for us in the World Cup," U.S. coach Bruce Arena told Reuters.
"The players on the team look up to him for his accomplishments. We have a goalkeeper who's calm and doesn't get rattled. He's a keeper that everyone rates very highly."
Franz Beckenbauer who captained and coached West Germany to World Cup triumphs in 1974 and 1990, and is now president of the World Cup organising committee, also spoke glowingly about Keller.
"Kasey Keller is one of the best goalkeepers in the Bundesliga," said Beckenbauer.
United States goalkeeper Kasey Keller is heading for his fourth World Cup finals, although he has seen action only twice in soccer's biggest showcase.
Keller was a reserve for the U.S. in 1990 and, though he was left out of the 1994 team, he played two games in 1998 when the Americans finished last in the 32-nation field.
In 2002, when the U.S. emerged as one of the surprises of the finals, Keller again had to watch from the bench as Brad Friedel stayed in goal for the entire quarter-finals run.
Now the undisputed number one, Keller, 36, at last has his own chance to shine in Germany, where he plays his club football for Borussia Moenchengladbach.
"Kasey Keller's experience is going to be a key for us in the World Cup," U.S. coach Bruce Arena told Reuters.
"The players on the team look up to him for his accomplishments. We have a goalkeeper who's calm and doesn't get rattled. He's a keeper that everyone rates very highly."
Franz Beckenbauer, who captained and coached West Germany to World Cup triumphs in 1974 and 1990, and is now president of the World Cup organising committee, also spoke glowingly about Keller.
"Kasey Keller is one of the best goalkeepers in the Bundesliga," said Beckenbauer.
Manchester United's Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann of newly promoted Reading are going to Germany as the second- and third-choice keepers but are likely to spend the tournament watching Keller in the number 18 shirt he has adopted.
Keller has won 91 caps for the U.S. and has kept 44 clean sheets since making his debut in 1990 in a 1-1 friendly draw with Colombia.
Last year, he led the U.S. to the CONCACAF Gold Cup title, conceding only two goals in the tournament.
The U.S. played 18 qualifiers en route to their fifth straight World Cup finals. Keller appeared in 14 of those games, conceding only eight goals as the U.S. topped the CONCACAF region for the first time in 71 years.
Keller is under contract at Moenchengladbach until the end of the 2007 season after joining from Tottenham Hotspur during the winter transfer window of 2005.
His 16-year career includes successful spells at Millwall, Leicester City and Spain's Rayo Vallecano, and he has expressed interest in returning to the U.S. to finish his career in Major League Soccer.
