Jonathan Bornstein life and biography

Jonathan Bornstein (born November 7, 1984 in Torrance, California) is an American soccer player who currently plays for Chivas USA of Major League Soccer and for the United States national team.

Bornstein attended Los Alamitos High School where he played soccer for all four years. In addition to being an outstanding player, Bornstein excelled in academics. He started his college soccer career at Cal Poly Pomona and played there for two years before transferring to UCLA for the 2004 season.

He was taken by Chivas in the fourth round at the 2006 MLS SuperDraft. A forward in college, he was converted to a left back by Chivas coach Bob Bradley and was his team's surprising starter at the position when the season opened. Injuries and suspensions forced Bornstein back into an attacking role for Chivas USA's June 3 match against FC Dallas, where the rookie scored his first MLS goal. He continued his fine play in the back and also contributed to the attack during the rest of the season, finishing the year with four assists and six goals, leading all rookies. He was rewarded for his fine form by winning the 2006 MLS Rookie of the Year Award.He was just recently transfered to Atlante FC in Cancun, Mexico.

In 2008, he suffered a knee injury throughout the spring. When he came back, Chivas coach Preki began to employ him in an attacking capacity, which Bornstein trained for in his youth.

In summer 2008, Israeli club Maccabi Tel-Aviv was reportedly interested in Bornstein. News stories claimed that the offer involved a transfer fee of $750,000, and would increase the player's salary fivefold, to around $500,000 a season. Bornstein was apparently unenthusiastic, fearing that such a move could cost him his place in the U.S. national team.

Bornstein got his first cap, and first goal on an assist from Justin Mapp, for the US national team on January 20, 2007 against Denmark. As 2007 continued, Bornstein became the first choice left back for Bob Bradley, now at the helm of the national team. He played for the USA in Copa América 2007. He received his first World Cup Qualifying appearance in a start against Guatemala in the semifinal round of World Cup Qualifying.

In 2008, Bornstein lost his starting place to Heath Pearce and also struggled with injuries. He started the group stage matches at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup but was relegated back to the bench when Carlos Bocanegra returned from injury.

After the Confederations Cup, Bornstein eventually replaced Pearce as first-choice again and remained so for the rest of the qualifiers. He scored the equalising goal in the United States' final World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica in the fifth minute of injury time. The goal meant that Honduras, when combined with their win over El Salvador, qualified automatically for the 2010 World Cup. Incidentally, Hondurans chanted Bornstein's name in the streets during nationwide celebrations following the game.

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