Brad Friedel was one of the best players of the last two decades for the United States national team. The ex-Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur shot stopper spent 13 years in the United States national team from 1992 to 2005.
Apart from representing the United States 84 times at senior team level, Brad Friedel also represented the team at three FIFA World Cup tournaments. He is the recipient of the most consecutive Premier League appearance record spanning 310 games in the colours of Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
Brad Friedel is the fourth most capped player for the United States of America and he made his debut against Canada in 1992. He managed a clean sheet in the game against the Canadians.
The Ex-Spurs goal minder was the first choice goalkeeper for the United States team to the 1992 Olympic Games. However, the former Premier League goalkeeper was unable to beat Tony Meola to the first choice goalkeeper spot in the United States team for the 1994 FIFA World Cup tournament on home soil. Brad Friedel and the United States team didn't go past the first round at the tournament.
Friedel was now the established first choice goalkeeper for the United States by the time the 1998 FIFA World Cup tournament in France began. He made his World Cup debut in the loss to Yugoslavia at that tournament on French soil. He was then part of the United States team that stunned a lot of football stakeholders by reaching the quarterfinals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup tournament in South Korea and Japan.
Brad Friedel was an important player for the team that saw off Portugal 3-2 in a big win in the group stage and also beat Mexico 2-0 in the second round. The United States were beaten by eventual runners-up Germany in the last eight. He also became the first goalkeeper to save two penalties in a regular game at that World Cup tournament on Asian soil. He was the first goalkeeper to achieve the feat since the 1974 FIFA World Cup tournament in West Germany. Brad Friedel retired from international football in February 2005.