May 26, 2006
CHICAGO -
The University of North Carolina now has two former standouts on the United States' roster for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, as Gregg Berhalter was added to the 23-man squad after Cory Gibbs suffered a right knee injury. Berhalter joins fellow Tar Heel Eddie Pope on the U.S. Men's National Team, which opens the World Cup June 12 against the Czech Republic.
A central defender, Berhalter has 44 caps across a career that spans 13 years with the national team. He was a member of the 2002 World Cup roster. At the club level, Berhalter recently helped Energie Cottbus of the second division in Germany earn promotion to the Bundesliga for the 2006-07 season. He has served as captain for Cottbus for the last two years. His professional career in Europe dates back to 1994 and includes stints with a number of different clubs in Holland, England and Germany.
At Carolina, Berhalter was a two-time All-America and All-Atlantic Coast Conference choice at sweeper. He scored 13 goals and tallied 10 assists in three seasons with the Tar Heels before bypassing his senior season to play professionally in Europe. Berhalter was named one of the top 50 players in ACC history in 2002.
