Eddie Pope, a defender who starred for the United States in three World Cups, won three MLS titles and scored one of the most dramatic goals in American soccer, was inducted into the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame last month with fellow UNC alum basketball legend Tyler Hansbrough.
Pope, who was a two-time All-American at UNC, broke into the national team during World Cup qualifying in the fall of 1996, after having starred for the U.S. Olympic team that summer. A few weeks before his debut, he scored the winning goal in OT, coming forward to head home a corner kick, as D.C. United won the inaugural MLS championship amidst a game-long driving rain.
He played in central defense and was a mainstay of the back line in 1998, 2002 and 2006 World Cups (where the U.S. made a run to the quarterfinals). He is a native of High Point where he was sporting director for Carolina Core in Eastern Division of MLS Next Pro League from 2024 until he and three other top team officials were let go last month. The team was struggling on the field.