Steven Emil "Steve" Cherundolo is an American former soccer defender who was most recently an assistant coach for the United States men's national soccer team. He was the captain of Hannover 96 of the German Bundesliga, where he spent his entire club career. He represented the United States at the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups.
On May 2, 2006, Cherundolo was named to the U.S. roster for the FIFA World Cup in Germany. On June 12, 2006, for the first time, aged 26, Cherundolo made his debut in a FIFA World Cup match against the Czech Republic, playing in the first half for the U.S., who started the tournament with a 3–0 loss. Five days later, in the second match against Italy (who later won the tournament), Cherundolo played the full 90 minutes, helping the team to a 1–1 draw at Fritz-Walter-Stadion in Kaiserslautern. After a loss against Ghana in the final match in the group, the U.S. was eliminated from the tournament, finishing the group in last place with just one point.
