National Soccer Hall of Fame Announces All Eligible Candidates for 2025 Election
List Includes 26 Players in Their First Year of Eligibility
FRISCO, TEXAS (Aug. 7, 2024) — The National Soccer Hall of Fame at Toyota Stadium today released the names of all candidates eligible for election in 2025.
Of the 275 people named, 57 are on the Player Eligibility List, 105 are on the Veteran Eligibility List and 113 are on the Builder Eligibility and Nominee lists.
The Hall of Fame’s Screening Committees will narrow the Player, Veteran and Builder ballots before they and other members of the Voting Committees vote on the Final Ballot, electing a maximum of six new Hall of Fame members. As many as three Players and two Veterans can be selected, along with one Builder.
Player Eligibility List
The Player Screening Committee is responsible for narrowing the 57-person list to a 20-person final ballot for the 2025 election.
Players in their first year of eligibility are:
- Michael Archer — 25 games with the Power Soccer National Team
- Aldo Balsano — 31 games with the U.S. Men’s Beach Soccer National Team
- Matt Besler — 13 seasons in Major League Soccer with two Best XI selections, 47 games for the U.S. Men’s National Team
- Juan Cervantes — 23 games with the Beach MNT
- Aurelien Collin — 10 seasons in MLS with one Best XI selection
- Stephanie Lopez Cox — 89 games for the U.S. Women’s National Team
- Adriano dos Santos — 31 games with the Beach MNT
- Andrew Feld — 46 games with the Beach MNT
- Kendall Fletcher — Three seasons in Women’s Professional Soccer and four seasons in the National Women’s Soccer League with one Best XI selection
- Ryan Futagaki — 58 games with the Beach MNT
- Giovanni Garcia — 21 games with the Beach MNT
- Oscar Gil — 21 games with the Beach MNT
- Will Johnson — 13 seasons in MLS with one Best XI selection
- Jason Leopoldo — 70 games with the Beach MNT
- Carli Lloyd — 316 games for the USWNT
- Justin Morrow — 12 seasons in MLS with one Best XI selection
- Ignacio Piatti — Six seasons in MLS with two Best XI selections
- Oscar Reyes — 46 games with the Beach MNT
- Amy Rodriguez — Three seasons in WPS with one all-WPS selection, six seasons in the NWSL with one Best XI selection and 132 games for the USWNT
- Angela Salem — Nine seasons in the NWSL with one Best XI selection, two seasons in WPS
- Axel Sjoberg — Six seasons in MLS with one Best XI selection
- Lewie Valentine — 61 games with the Beach MNT
- Jorge Villafaña — 21 games for the USMNT
- Kealia Ohai Watt — Eight seasons in the NWSL with one Best XI selection
- Chris Wondolowski — 17 seasons in MLS with three Best XI selections, 35 games with the USMNT
- Bradley Wright-Phillips — Nine seasons in MLS with two Best XI selections
The eligibility list also includes 14 finalists who return from the 2024 election: Chris Ahrens, Kyle Beckerman, Lori Chalupny, Dwayne DeRosario, Maurice Edu, Keith Johnson, Jermaine Jones, Shalrie Joseph, Robbie Keane, Oguchi Onyewu, Nick Rimando, Carlos Ruiz, Jonathan Spector and Cat Reddick Whitehill.
Ahrens, Chalupny and Reddick Whitehill are in their final year of eligibility on the Player ballot. If not elected, they would move to the Veteran Eligibility List for the 2026 election.
In order to be eligible for election as a Player, an individual must be retired for at least three full calendar years, but for no more than 10 full calendar years, and have either:
- Played in at least 20 full international games for the U.S. Men’s National Team, Women’s National Team or Extended National Teams (CP, Beach, Deaf, Futsal and Power)
or
- Played at least five seasons in a United States first-division professional league and been named to a postseason league All-Star team at least once.
Veteran Eligibility List
The Veteran Screening Committee will reduce the 105-person list to a 10-person final ballot through a two-step screening process.
The list includes 19 people who are appearing on the Veteran Eligibility List for the first time and two who have been restored to the list via appeal.
Those appearing on the Veteran Eligibility List for the first time are:
- Juan Pablo Angel
- Ben Astorga
- John Ball
- Anthony Chimienti
- Bobby Convey
- Jay DeMerit
- Francis Farberoff
- Thierry Henry
- Stuart Holden
- Zak Ibsen
- Eddie Johnson
- Lori Lindsey
- Michael McAndrews
- Luis Montañez
- Yuri Morales
- JC Russo
- Ronald Silva
- Brendon Taguinod
- Raphael Xexeo
Those reinstated to the Veteran list are Emily Pickering and Tatu.
The 2024 Veteran finalists who return to the eligibility list are Chris Armas, Chico Borja, Sean Bowers, Mary Harvey, Lori Henry, Eddie Lewis, Clint Mathis, Tony Sanneh and Aly Wagner.
In order to be eligible for election as a Veteran, an individual must be retired for more than 10 full calendar years and have either:
- Played in at least 20 full international games for the U.S. Men’s National Team, Women’s National Team or Extended National Team (10 games if prior to 1990 or five games if prior to 1960).
or
- Played at least five seasons in a United States first-division professional league and been named to a postseason league All-Star team at least once.
or
- Played at least five seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League between the end of the NASL in 1984 and the end of the MISL in 1992 and been selected as a first-team all-star.
Builder Eligibility List
Builders are considered in three categories: referees, coaches and contributors. Beginning with the 2022 election, Builder selections have been limited each year to a rotation of the three categories — or to a selection from the full pool of candidates. The 2025 Builder election is open to candidates from all three categories.
The Builder Screening Committee will narrow the list of 113 candidates to a 10-person final ballot through a two-step process.
To qualify for consideration in this category, an individual must have left a distinct mark on soccer in a non-playing capacity and demonstrated a substantial, enduring and positive influence on the sport within the United States at the national or first-division professional level. Eligible candidates must be at least 50 years old and have demonstrated their significant contribution for a minimum of 10 years.
Certain restrictions apply to eligibility: Elected officials and full-time employees of the USSF or the National Soccer Hall of Fame are excluded while holding their positions, and individuals listed on the suspended rosters of FIFA, CONCACAF, the USSF, Pro Leagues, the IOC, the NCAA or the USOPC are also ineligible.
In the case of the contributor category, individuals must have retired from their roles within the U.S. Soccer membership for a period of three calendar years or be deceased. Notably, exceptions to this requirement are extended to contributors who have been featured on the NSHOF Builder Semifinal ballot and/or the NSHOF Builder Final ballot since 2019. Additional exceptions can be made as determined by the NSHOF Board of Directors.
More Information
Complete information about the election and eligibility procedures is available online at NationalSoccerHoF.com. The election process is administered by National Soccer Hall of Fame staff under election and eligibility guidelines established by the Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
List of Eligible Player Candidates
List of Eligible Veteran Candidates
List of Eligible Builder Candidates
List of 2025 NSHOF Selection Committee Members