Cobi Jones was a panelist for the Forum’s discussion on Sports and Health.
Cobi Jones is a true Southern California sports legend, scoring the first goal in Los Angeles Galaxy club history and maintaining the title of the longest standing member of the MLS dynasty. LA’s “original Cobi,” spent 15 seasons with the Galaxy, as both a player and coach from 1996 – 2010. His #13 is the only number in club history to be retired.
In 2012 Cobi entered the broadcast booth, where he continues to be the team’s analyst with Time Warner Cable SportsNet, the Galaxy’s broadcast partner. One of the foremost soccer minds in the country, Cobi is a steady member of the Fox Sports soccer commentator line-up. He also provides color commentary for many international matches and tournaments, including FIFA World Cup, Gold Cup, and CONCACAF Champions League. In 2014, he was the lead in-studio analyst for beIN Sport’s coverage of World Cup Qualifying and the World Cup. A 1992 Olympian, Cobi joined NBC for their men’s soccer coverage at the 2012 London Olympics.
In March 2007, Jones announced that his 12th season of MLS would be the final campaign of his long and distinguished playing career, staying on with the Galaxy as an assistant coach beginning in 2008. He was the assistant coach for three seasons, helping guide the Galaxy to the 2009 MLS Cup Final.
Jones, 45, is the only player in MLS history to have played each of the first 12 seasons with the same team, having joined the Galaxy in March 1996. The club’s all-time leader in nearly every statistical category, Jones scored 70 goals and added 91 assists in 306 career regular season games.
A 2011 US Soccer Hall of Fame inductee and the CONCACAF representative for the 2010 World Cup Draw in Germany, Cobi is a two-time MLS Cup winner (2002 and 2005) with a storied international career with the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team. A permanent fixture with the team from 1992- 2004, he played in three World Cups (1994, 1998, 2002), amassing 164 caps, and scoring 15 goals and 22 assists, second most in National Team history.
A native of Westlake Village, Calif., Cobi played soccer at UCLA, leading the Bruins to the 1990 NCAA Championship. Enshrined into the UCLA Hall of Fame in 2002, Jones finished his college career with 23 goals and 37 assists in 90 games. After representing the U.S. at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Cobi went on to play overseas in Europe and South America, spending time with Coventry City of the English Premier League and the Brazilian side, Vasco de Gama.
Cobi, considered to be one of the best soccer players the United States has ever produced, works closely with youth soccer organizations around the country as an ambassador to Cal South, AYSO, the US Soccer Foundation, AmericaSCORES, Grassroot Soccer and others. Cobi has had the honor to represent the White House as part of the Presidential Delegation that attended both the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final in Canada and the 2014 FIFA Men’s World Cup Final in Brazil.
Cobi was given the distinguished honor of being named to the “Who’s Who in Black LA” list. The University California, Merced recognized him with their “Cobi Jones Male Student Athlete of the Year Award” going to the standout collegiate player.
