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Sunil 'Kumar' Gulati (born July 30, 1959) is the current president of the United States Soccer Federation or USSF and President of Kraft Soccer for the New England Revolution in Major League Soccer.[1]

Elected in March 2006, Gulati is one of the most influential figures in the development of US soccer over the past 30 years.[2] Former USSF president and Major League Soccer founder Alan Rothenberg called Gulati "the single most important person in the development of soccer in this country." [3]. Gulati served as USSF Vice-President for six years and played a key role in major USSF decisions for many years prior to his election as president.

Gulati's tenure started off with turbulence. Gulati was criticized in some media outlets for failing to land former German National Team manager (and longtime California resident) Jürgen Klinsmann as the successor to Bruce Arena after a 5-month interview period that left the American national team dormant. On December 7, 2006, Klinsmann withdrew his name from consideration for the US head coaching position. Shortly after, the USSF issued a press release naming Bob Bradley as the interim head coach. Gulati later hired Bradley outright, citing the team's development and performances during the early part of 2007.

In February 2009, Gulati announced that US Soccer will bid for the right to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. He chairs the World Cup USA Bid Committee Board of Directors. [4]

Gulati is also in his second stint as a lecturer in economics at Columbia University, where he teaches introductory economics, international economics and sports economics.[5] In practice, the USSF has a full-time professional staff in Chicago to handle the federation's day-to-day business (in addition to training/development facilities in Florida and California). He lives with his wife Marcela and two children in the New York City area.

[edit] Before USSF

Gulati was born in Allahabad, India. Gulati's family moved to a small town in Nebraska when he was five years old and he grew up playing soccer. Gulati is an alumnus of Cheshire High School in Cheshire, CT. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Bucknell University and earned his M.A. and M.Phil. in Economics at Columbia University. He served on the Columbia Economics Faculty from 1986 to 1990. In 1991, he joined the World Bank through its Young Professionals Program and served as Country Economist for Moldova. Sunil Gulati has 2 children and one wife their names are Marcela Gulati an his 2 sons Emilio Kabir Gulati and Sofia Keren Gulati,.

[edit] References

Preceded by Dr. S. Robert Contiguglia

President of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) 2006–present

Incumbent