WARNING: No D.C. United players were harmed in the making of this terrible poster (we think, but we can't really tell with all of those mullets).
D.C. United defender Steve Birnbaum is hoping for another chance to shine in tonight's friendly between the U.S. and Canada (10:45 ET, FoxSports1) after playing a vital role in the USMNT's victory over Iceland on Sunday. But he's not the first player to represent D.C. United at the international level. In honor of Birnbaum’s first goal for the U.S., here are the ten best players to wear the Black-and-Red as well as the red, white, and blue.
Jeff Agoos
Known for his defensive skills and his leadership, Jeff Agoos enjoyed a long international career. Aside from winning three MLS Cups with D.C., he made the 1998 and 2002 World Cup squads, playing in all three group stage matches and helping the team advance to the knockout stages in 2002. Agoos ranks third in U.S. history with 134 international appearances.
John Harkes
For most of the 90s, Harkes was a part of the talented core the U.S. relied on, scoring six goals in 90 appearances at the international level. The midfielder was instrumental to a strong American performance at the 1994 World Cup, and was the team’s best player at the 1995 Copa América. Harkes also won two MLS Cups and one Interamerican Cup with D.C. United.
Eddie Pope
Pope represented the United States in three World Cups, but his most meaningful contribution came at the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan, where he started in defense in all five matches as the U.S. went on a surprise run to the quarterfinals. For D.C., Pope won three MLS Cups and the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Earnie Stewart
Along with Harkes, Stewart was a key cog in the U.S. midfield during the 1990s. He scored the decisive goal in the team’s famous upset of Colombia at the 1994 World Cup, and finished with 17 goals in 101 appearances for the national team. Stewart won one MLS Cup with the Black-and-Red.
Tony Sanneh
Tony Sanneh was a stellar performer at right back in the 2002 World Cup, playing every minute of the U.S. campaign and assisting on a goal in an upset of Portugal. He would go on to appear 43 times with the American national team. Sanneh won two MLS Cups with D.C. United and was a highly valuable player in the club’s early days before departing for the German Bundesliga.
Roy Wegerle
Wegerle spent many years plying his trade in the top divisions of England, and as a result he was an important piece of the 1994 and 1998 World Cup squads. While he played only a short time in D.C., he contributed seven goals in 24 matches and was on the team that won the 1997 MLS Cup.
Ben Olsen
The current D.C. United skipper had a solid international career to go along with his distinguished record for the club. Olsen was named U.S. Soccer Young Male Athlete of the Year in 1999, and went on to earn 37 appearances for the national team, including a substitute appearance at the 2006 World Cup. He was an MLS All-Star in 2004 and helped the team capture the MLS Cup that same year.
Carlos Llamosa
A dependable presence in defense, Llamosa was a constant fixture in the U.S. back line in the early 2000s. He played in 29 international matches, highlighted by two substitute appearances at the World Cup finals in 2002. At the club level, Llamosa was well known for his man-marking abilities, winning two MLS Cups with D.C. and playing 73 times for the club.
Roy Lassiter
One of the most lethal strikers in the early days of MLS, Lassiter fired in an astonishing 36 goals in just 55 games with D.C., winning both the MLS Cup and the CONCACAF Champions Cup (a predecessor to the CONCACAF Champions League tournament). While he never played in a World Cup, he had a crucial role in the qualifying campaign for the 1998 tournament. Lassiter finished with four goals in 34 appearances for the national team.
Bobby Convey
His technical ability and dangerous left foot made Bobby Convey a force to be reckoned with both for D.C. United and the U.S. national team. Convey made 46 appearances for his country, playing in the 2003 Gold Cup and the 2006 World Cup.
Bonus: Can you find the D.C. United honorable mentions in these photos?
