17) Kyle Martino - Premier League studio analyst, NBC Sports Group | Co-Owner, Real Mallorca

Kyle Martino is a retired professional player with a career that was cut short at 28 years old due to multiple serious injuries. He represented the Columbus Crew and LA Galaxy in the MLS, as well as the US National Team. After being forced into early retirement, and realizing he wasn’t going to achieve his dream of playing in the World Cup, he decided to get as far away from soccer as possible, which led him to an unexpected position at a Wall Street firm, right in the lead up to the 2008 financial crisis. He realized banking wasn’t for him and eventually found his way back to the game, via ESPN and Fox Sports to his current position at NBC’s Premier League coverage. Today he is considered one of the most prominent analysts in the country. Join us as we discuss his journey and go in-depth on the studio job, the behind the scenes and amount of preparation that goes into it, and what it’s like to be the only American on the show. We delve into his playing career from the early days at University of Virginia to becoming the MLS Rookie of the Year and being called into the National Team. This profile also touches on the post-career depression he suffered from for years, his admiration for players such as Landon Donovan, Claudio Reyna, and Clint Mathis, trials in Europe, and what it’s like to be a team owner - together with his friends Steve Nash (retired NBA player) and Stu Holden (retired Premier League & US National Team player, now studio analyst on FOX Soccer) he invested in Real Mallorca of the Spanish Second Division. All that and much more! Accomplishments:8 Caps US National Team, 2002-2006 MLS Rookie of the Year, 2002 Follow: Twitter @kylemartinoInstagram kylemartino Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.