Pope, who played in 3 World Cups, says he's retiring

Eddie Pope is retiring from international soccer competition, ending a career in which he played in three World Cups and the 1996 Olympics for the U.S. national team.Pope is playing for Real Salt Lake this season in Major League Soccer, but he has missed the past two games because of a bruised right foot. Pope, a 32-year-old defender, was replaced on the MLS all-star team yesterday by Facundo Erpen, a D.C. United defender. The MLS stars will play English Premier League champion Chelsea FC on Saturday....Pope played internationally for 11 years and appeared in nine World Cup matches. He's from High Point and played at the University of North Carolina. (Winston-Salem Journal)