The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional soccer club based in San Jose, California. The Earthquakes compete as a member club of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). Originally as the San Jose Clash, the franchise began play in 1996 as one of the charter members of the league. The Earthquakes took part in the first game in MLS history, defeating D.C. United 1–0. The Earthquakes have won two MLS Cup titles and two Supporters' Shields. In 2002, the team played in its first CONCACAF Champions Cup, making it to the quarterfinals. The team holds a fierce rivalry with the LA Galaxy known as the California Clásico.
Los Angeles Galaxy, also known as the LA Galaxy, are an American professional men's soccer club based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Galaxy competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), as a member of the Western Conference. The club began play in 1996 as one of the league's 10 charter members.
Dignity Health Sports Park is a multi-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. The complex consists of the 27,000-seat Dignity Health Sports Park soccer stadium, the Dignity Health Sports Park tennis stadium, a track-and-field facility, and the VELO Sports Center velodrome. It is approximately 14 miles (23 km) south of downtown Los Angeles, and its primary tenant is the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer (MLS). The main stadium was also home to the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL in 2020. The LA Galaxy II of MLS Next Pro play their home matches at the complex's track and field facility. For 2020 and 2021, the stadium served as the temporary home of the San Diego State Aztecs football team.
Landon Timothy Donovan is an American former professional soccer player. Donovan is co-founder and vice-president of soccer operations for USL Championship side San Diego Loyal SC. Considered as the greatest American player of all time, he is frequently debated with Clint Dempsey for the title. Donovan holds the world record for the male with the most international assists (58) and is tied with Dempsey for the most international goals scored by an American player (57).
Frank Walter Yallop is a British-Canadian professional soccer coach. Yallop is currently the head coach and sporting director of USL Championship side Monterey Bay FC.
Paul David Caligiuri is an American former professional soccer player who played as a defensive midfielder.
Joseph Cannon is an American former professional soccer player. He spent the majority of his 16 professional seasons playing in Major League Soccer. His 86 MLS career shutouts ranks him fourth in league history. He won the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award twice, and finished runner-up for the award three times.
Ryan Shepard Suarez is an American soccer former player, who last played in United Soccer Leagues for the California Victory.
Kelly Gray is a former American soccer player. He does commentary for San Jose Earthquakes games on Comcast Sports Net Bay Area
Gavin Glinton is a Turks and Caicos Islands football coach and former professional player. He played for the LA Galaxy, Dallas Burn, and San Jose Earthquakes in the MLS. He also played for the Charleston Battery and Carolina Railhawks in the USL. He is currently the Technical Director at Sacramento United Soccer Club, having previously serving as an Assistant Coach for New Mexico United, and the U13 and U14 Academy Coach at Sacramento Republic FC.
Lawrence Lozzano is a former U.S. soccer player who earned seven caps with the U.S. national team.
The California Clásico is the name given to the soccer rivalry between the LA Galaxy and the San Jose Earthquakes. This Major League Soccer rivalry reached its zenith from 2001 to 2005, during which time the Earthquakes and the Galaxy combined to win four MLS Cup titles. The term "Clasico" is commonly used to refer to other rivalries in Spanish-speaking countries, most prominently, the Spanish Clásico between Barcelona and Real Madrid, or the Argentine Superclásico between Boca Juniors and River Plate.
Guillermo Jara is an American former soccer forward who played four seasons in Major League Soccer.
Bryan Philip Jordan is an American former soccer player.
Alex Bengard is a retired American soccer player.
MLS Cup 2012, the 17th edition of Major League Soccer's championship match, was a rematch between the Houston Dynamo and the Los Angeles Galaxy to decide the champion of the 2012 season. The soccer match was played at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California on December 1, 2012. Los Angeles defeated Houston 3–1 giving the Galaxy their second-straight league title and their fourth overall.
Carlos Alvarez is an American soccer coach and former professional player who played as a midfielder. He works as a youth coach for San Diego Surf.
David Romney is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Major League Soccer club New England Revolution.
The United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) is an American soccer league that was founded in Santa Ana in Southern California, with teams in regionalized conferences throughout the United States, and recently Canada and Mexico. The league was founded in 2011 by Santa Ana Winds FC President Leonel López as a regional league for teams in Greater Los Angeles, but expanded to include 400 teams from 41 states as of the 2022 season.
Soccer has enjoyed longstanding popularity in Los Angeles. As of 2023, Los Angeles County has three top-level professional teams. The LA Galaxy and Los Angeles FC play in Major League Soccer, and Angel City FC plays in the National Women's Soccer League. The Greater Los Angeles area is also home to one 2nd division professional team, Orange County SC, of the USL Championship, and four 3rd division professional teams, LAFC2 and LA Galaxy II, of MLS Next Pro, and Los Angeles Force and California United Strikers FC of the National Independent Soccer Association. There are also many semi-professional clubs and leagues including the United Premier Soccer League, SoCal Premier League and National Premier Soccer League, among others. In 2019, two more professional teams, Cal FC and California United Strikers FC joined a new, unsanctioned, professional league called the NPSL Founders Cup They both later left, with Cal FC joining the United Premier Soccer League.
