Jimmy Conrad #12 of Chivas USA celebrates his second half goal against Sporting Kansas City on March 19, 2011 (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
Before he played in the most widely viewed tournament in sports, before he worked for the most important broadcasting networks in the United States, before he was named the best defender in Major League Soccer, Jimmy Conrad was just a kid from California who loved soccer.
Born in Arcadia, Jimmy grew up kicking the ball around with his Danish grandfather in the backyard, planting the seeds of a passion that has persisted for half a century. While he initially started off learning from volunteer parents, it wasn’t long before he was working alongside more experienced coaches like ex-Bermuda international Dan Robinson and picking up on the nuances of the game. A four-year letterman at Temple City High School, Conrad played at San Diego State University before transferring to the University of California, Los Angeles, where he won the 1997 NCAA championship.
Dealing With Early Rejection
After failing to be selected in the MLS SuperDraft, Conrad spent two weeks trialing with the MLS side Los Angeles Galaxy, making an impression on various big names like Greg Vanney and Mauricio Cienfuegos. It seemed that he was going to be called up for their preseason tour, so his college teammate Matt Reis—who was drafted by the Galaxy—decided to invite all of his friends to their UCLA dorm to celebrate.
However, just as he was walking out of the Rose Bowl, Galaxy coach Octavio Zambrano told him to leave his team bag in the facilities, as he didn’t know whether or not he would take him to preseason training. As the hours ticked by, and as his friends high-fived him and slapped him on the back to congratulate him about getting called up for preseason training, Conrad grew incredibly nervous. He finally called Octavio, who informed him that he would not be traveling with the team during their two-week trip to Florida.
“I was heartbroken because I didn’t get to fulfill that dream,” stated Conrad in an exclusive RG interview.
“In those moments, you have to decide, ‘What are you going to do about it? Are you going to just moan and whine? Or are you going to actually get up and try to be better? I started training with the Galaxy when they got back, but I didn’t feel the same type of energy… I could tell that it was time for me to find another adventure.”
The Galaxy coaching staff advised him to play for one of their affiliated lower-division sides, with Conrad eventually dropping down to the A-League side San Diego Flash.
“That was the best decision I ever made,” admitted Conrad. “We played 30 games in six months, including friendlies against Mexican sides like Tijuana and Necaxa, and you start taking notes on what makes these guys so good. Had I made it to MLS right away, I’d be sitting on the bench and watching these guys play, but instead, I got to cut my teeth. I was making $800 a month, I was sleeping on floors, eating ramen… it was my favorite year as a professional, because I didn’t know if I was going to make it or not, but I was giving it everything I possibly could.”
Making a Name for Himself in Kansas City
Conrad did well enough to attract interest from the San Jose Earthquakes, who were looking to sign him as a Discovery Player and take his salary to $24,000 a year, and the Galaxy. Unwilling to swallow his pride, Conrad decided to reject Los Angeles’ offer and join San Jose, where he won the 2001 MLS Cup and also spent time out on loan with Polish side Lech Poznań. But in 2003, he left Southern California on a permanent basis and joined the Kansas City Wizards after being traded for a second-round pick.
Expectations were dimmed after Preki, the team’s star player, fractured his fibula ahead of the 2004 campaign. Instead, the Wizards advanced to the MLS Cup Final and won the U.S. Open Cup thanks to having the league’s stingiest defense. With Preki unavailable, the Wiz no longer had to compensate for his lack of effort out of possession; they shifted from an old-school back three to a back four, allowing Conrad to go from man-marking to a more sophisticated, zonal style of defending. He reaped the rewards and emerged as one of the best defenders in MLS, making it to the MLS Team of the Season in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008, and winning the MLS Defender of the Year for 2005. But despite being named the best defender in MLS, his coach Bob Gansler gave his teammate Nick García the club’s Defender of the Year award.
Eventually, his hard work paid off, with Conrad making his international debut in the 2005 Gold Cup and helping the U.S. win the tournament. One year later, he was called up for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where he emerged as one of the bright spots of the USMNT’s campaign. But despite attracting interest from European clubs, he chose to renew his contract and was thus rewarded with the club captaincy.
“Playing in the World Cup validates all the hard work and sacrifice. Getting the opportunity to hold my own against some of the best players in the world in high-pressure situations… there’s nothing that could compare to the amount of satisfaction that I derived from that experience. Nobody can take that away from me. That was the cherry on top of a long, hard grind to get there. I struggled more post-World Cup because for so long, my mentality had been chasing others and trying to get where they were, and now I was the one people were trying to chase… Now I had to maintain that success instead of achieving it.”
Transitioning to Punditry and Coaching
Conrad departed Kansas City in 2010 and made the move to the now-defunct MLS side Chivas USA, before hanging up his boots in 2011 after suffering the repercussions of six concussions. Despite being a late bloomer who didn’t even make his international debut until he was 28, he walked away from the game with an impressive 28 caps for the USMNT, having played in two Gold Cups, one Copa América and one World Cup, as well as a whopping 20 goals in 290 MLS appearances.
Rather than leave soccer behind, he has remained front and center in the beautiful game, working as a correspondent for CBS Sports and Fox Sports, covering a number of important events like the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and also streaming on his YouTube and Twitch channels. He’s also worked as a technical director, head coach and associate head coach for the USL League Two side San Francisco Glens, balancing his time between coaching, media punditry and raising his two daughters, Julia Rose and Jane Mirabelle.
He’s also served as a role model in the community, winning the 2009 MLS Humanitarian of the Year thanks to his efforts in spreading awareness about autism and promoting healthy activities among children, as well as being named his team’s Humanitarian of the Year on four occasions during his career. He served as a spokesperson for Athletes Against Autism and the Child Protection Center, participating in events like the Kick It 3v3 Championships to raise awareness for the U.N. Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign and also raising funds for the campaign through autograph sessions in Kansas City. No matter what job he’s undertaking, Jimmy brings an enthusiastic, positive approach to his work, constantly showing off his pearly whites and never once taking for granted his privileged position.
“I try to attack life in a positive way, I’m a glass-half-full person. I always support and prop up the American player, because I don’t think we always get the respect that we deserve, though that’s changing.
I always wanted to come in with good energy, but good information. I want people to see the game in a positive way. Positivity has been a part of my DNA ever since I was little.”
It’s thanks to this balanced, optimistic approach that many American players have confided in Conrad for exclusives. When USMNT star Christian Pulisic was receiving widespread criticism for his decision to skip the Gold Cup, he decided to appear on CBS’ “Call It What You Want” podcast on Thursday, hosted by Conrad and fellow ex-USMNT internationals Tony Meola and Charlie Davies. A few days later, Conrad watched as his children graduated from high school and middle school, respectively.
Preparing for the Next Chapter
While he has achieved plenty of success in the media field, the 48-year-old Conrad is keen to branch out and start a new chapter in the coaching industry—an adventure that started by coaching his two daughters.
“I’m around 17-year-old and 13-year-old girls and coaching them, and honestly, I feel like if I can coach them, then I should be able to coach professional athletes. They’re all absorbing information in different ways, so how do you get everyone to understand what we’re trying to do? I wanted them to understand that it doesn’t matter who you’re playing against: if you’re organized and committed, that will always give us a chance. If we’re making good decisions on both sides of the ball, the results will take care of themselves. Last year, we were the bearers of bad news, we were a C team that was taking the scalps of all of these A teams, and we ended up getting all the way to the State Cup and competing for gold, only to lose in the final. If you can communicate and get the how and the why, and all these kids can understand that, it should be able to translate in a meaningful way to professional athletes.”
As he continues to pursue his UEFA coaching badges, it remains to be seen what Jimmy Conrad’s next adventure will be. Having worked for Fox’s last few tentpole events—the World Cup in 2022, the Women’s World Cup in 2023, and the Copa América / Euros in 2024—he could very well be involved in their coverage of next summer’s FIFA World Cup, or he could be working in a technical role or a coaching position. Whatever the case, two things are undeniable: Jimmy is going to remain heavily involved in soccer, and he’s going to be doing so with a glimmering smile and an infectious charisma.
“I might be a better fit in coaching coaches, I might be a better fit in creating a robust academy that’s going to develop the next kind of wave of professionals. There are so many different avenues where I could maybe jump in and have value, so that in itself is exciting. Ultimately, my heart is in giving back to the game here in the States and trying to help elevate what’s happening here, and I’m looking forward to diving into that and finding what fits best for me so I can have maximum impact.”
Zach Lowy is a freelance football journalist who has written for leading outlets like FotMob, BetUS, Apuestas Deportivas, and who has appeared as a radio and television guest for BBC, SiriusXMFC, and various other platforms. After pursuing a global sports journalism degree at George Washington University, Zach has been able to tap into his multilingual background and interview major footballing figures in Spanish and Portuguese as well as operate the weekly podcast 'Zach Lowy's European Football Show' on BET Central.
