Almost no one disputes that Chad Marshall is one of the best American centerbacks of all time. At the very least, he has a very strong claim for best-ever centerback in MLS history as the only three-time winner of the Defender of the Year award and being named to four Best XI’s in his career.
Yet Marshall’s United States national team resume is relatively thin. Marshall’s 12 senior caps are fewer than such contemporary defenders as Heath Pearce (35), Michael Parkhurst (25), Danny Califf (23), Matt Miazga (21) and Eric Lichaj (18).
Marshall, who has comfortably settled into a self-described post-playing career as “just a dad”, was asked for his personal theory on why he was never more involved despite his qualifications, under at least two different head coaches.