Feil Safe

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Less than a week after signing with Major League Soccer, U.S. National Team regular Benny Feilhaber has a new home: New England.

Feilhaber, who signed with Major League Soccer last week after he left Danish side AGF Aarhus, was passed over by Chivas USA and the Philadelphia Union in the allocation order for U.S. Internationals before he was plucked by the Revolution on Tuesday night.

With added allocation money to spend after missing the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons last year, New England found itself in a favorable position to select the National Team midfielder.

As a three-year star at UCLA from 2003-05 and a successful showing at the U-20 World Youth Championship in 2005, the Brazilian-born Feilhaber went overseas to play for Hamburger SV (Germany). Three years later, he latched on with Championship side Derby County (England), where he found playing time scarce during the 2007-08 season. He headed north to Denmark later in 2008 and made an impact with AGF, scoring five goals in 54 appearances from 2008-11.

Feilhaber’s success overseas earned him his first cap with the U.S. National Team on March 25, 2007 against Ecuador. Less than three months later, he became a national team hero with a long-range blast that helped the Yanks beat Mexico in the 2007 Gold Cup Final on June 24, 2007.

In 2009, he was part of the U.S. squad that made a dramatic run to the Confederation’s Cup Final – the first FIFA championship game in the U.S. Soccer Federation’s 96-year history. After making the World Cup roster the following summer, he and his teammates guided the Yanks to their first-ever first place finish group play. 

It is unknown whether the Revs will retain Feilhaber’s services or trade him to another club. As of Tuesday night, the club had not commented on the acquisition.