Cobi Jones

1 Biography
- 1.1 See also
2 Statistics
3 References
4 Related Articles
- 4.1 Recent Cobi Jones ArmchairGM Stories

[edit] Biography

Cobi Jones (born June 16, 1970 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American midfielder for Major League Soccer team Los Angeles Galaxy.

Jones is currently the all-time leader of the United States national team in appearances, with 164 caps as of the end of 2004 (scoring 15 goals). He played for the team in the 1994, 1998, and 2002 FIFA World Cups. He also represented his country at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

Jones currently plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer, with whom he has been since the team's inaugural season in 1996. He was one of a significant group of American national team stars who returned from overseas to aid the new American soccer league, coming home after playing half a season at Brazilian club Vasco da Gama. Before joining them, Jones had played one season with Coventry City of the English Premier League and had trained with FC Köln of the Bundesliga. Jones had emerged as a talented player in college, making the prestigious UCLA soccer team as a non-scholarship player, but ultimately becoming one of its most successful soccer-playing graduates.

Jones's best year with the Galaxy came in 1998, where he was 2nd in MLS with 51 points (19 goals and 13 assists), was named to the MLS Best XI, and was also named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year. In 2005, he became the last player in MLS to remain with his original team since 1996.

As of the start of the 2007 season, Jones had scored 66 goals and registered 86 assists in MLS regular season play. His playoff contributions included six goals and 13 assists. Jones announced on March 19, 2007 that he would retire following the season.

In 2008 Cobi became interim head coach of the Galaxy upon the departure of Ruud Gullit. When it was announced that Bruce Arena would be coming in as the new head coach of the squad Cobi was retained as an Assistant Coach on the staff.