ERIC WYNALDA HONDA PLAYER OF THE DECADE

U.S. National Team's All-Time Leading Scorer Picked Best By His Peers, FIFA Sr. Vice-President Julio Grondona Makes Presentation

LOS ANGELES (December 19, 2000) -- Eric Wynalda, a driving on-field force behind the U.S. National Team's rise during the 90's, has been selected the Honda Player of the Decade in a vote by the previous winners and finalists for the Honda Player of the Year Award.

Wynalda, 31, received the award this afternoon from FIFA Sr. Vice-President Julio Grondona during a gala luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel held in conjunction with the naming of Claudio Reyna as the 2000 Honda Player of the Year.

As part of winning the Honda Player of the Decade, Wynalda was awarded two business class tickets on Aerolineas Argentinas and presented with a silver trophy to commemorate the honor.

"This has to be one of the happiest days of my career," Wynalda said. "Having won the Honda Player of the Year twice was a thrill and an honor. Now being recognized by my teammates as the best of the decade is absolutely incredible. I have no words. This is terrific and I want to thank Fútbol de Primera for making this one of the moments I will cherish forever."

The only two-time Honda Player of the Year (1992 and 1996), Wynalda is the all-time leading scorer in US Soccer with 34 goals and 16 assists during an illustrious National Team career which began February 2, 1990 against Costa Rica.

Few players impacted United States soccer in the way Wynalda did during the past decade. He is best known perhaps for his goal-scoring ability which helped the National Team rise to a level never before experienced in US soccer history. In all, Wynalda appeared in 106 National Team matches from 1990-2000, ranking fourth on the U.S. Federation's all-time list. His 90 starts are fifth overall.

Wynalda was part of the US squad at all three World Cups in the 90's (1990, 1994 and 1998) while also making a name for himself at the club level in Germany's Bundesliga (FC Saarbruecken and VfI Bochum), Mexico's First Division (Club León) and Major League Soccer (San Jose, Miami and New England). He's currently exploring several options to continue his career either with MLS or abroad.

Wynalda is also one of 15 players, coaches, journalists, and administrators featured in a new book unveiled today by Fútbol de Primera titled Portraits: Candid Conversations with the Leading Personalities Who Shaped Men's Soccer in the U.S. During the Last Ten Years. The interviews in this book enable everyone to understand in a much better way the real world of soccer in the U.S.

Launched for the first time this year by Fútbol de Primera and the American Honda Motor Company, the Honda Player of the Decade recognizes the outstanding player for the US National Team during the last 10 years. Each one of the previous winners of the Honda Player of the Year Award was eligible for consideration as Player of the Decade. Only the elite group of Honda winners and finalists from 1991-2000 were eligible to vote. The players, who could not vote for themselves, were asked to base their selection solely on a player's on-field performance. As for this year's finalists, each one could receive votes, but only the votes received by Reyna were counted since only a winner of a Honda Player of the Year Award could win the Honda Player of the Decade honor.

The previous Honda Players of the Year were Claudio Reyna (2000), Kasey Keller (1999), Cobi Jones (1998), Eddie Pope (1997), Eric Wynalda (1996 and 1992), Alexi Lalas (1995), Marcelo Balboa (1994), Thomas Dooley (1993) and Hugo Perez (1991).

Today's Honda luncheon was attended by many top figures in U.S. professional soccer, including US Soccer Honorary President Alan Rothenberg, US Soccer Executive Vice-President Sunil Gulati, previous Honda Players of the Year and members of the U.S. National Team.