THE THING ABOUT Carlos Bocanegra that stands out is that he shouldn’t have ever been this good.

Not on paper, at least. Too short to be a world-class center back, not pacey enough to dominate as a fullback. A classic tweener.

It sounds corny but in the case of Bocanegra, who announced yesterday he’s retiring from pro soccer at the end of this season, it’s apt: there’s not yet a metric to measure grit and will, work ethic and determination. And finally, leadership. Yes, Bocanegra had some natural gifts—great timing and anticipation, good hops, and a lot of strength—and he maximized them to great effect. He had to if he was going to succeed in the modern game because he didn’t fit the prototype for either central defense or outside back.

“Carlos led by always giving his all and by being a player that could always be counted on. He always had a real presence in the team and was respected and well liked,” Bob Bradley told American Soccer Now from Norway. Bradley drafted Bocanegra out of college and then coached him with the U.S. national team.

“He was a strong defender with excellent timing in the air and was able to handle any role in the back. It was a credit to his competitiveness and willingness to do anything to help the team.”

Generously listed at six-feet tall, he was undersized for a modern center back and often found himself pushed to left back where he was forced to deal with speedy midfielders despite lacking the same natural pace. And yet, he was able to not just persevere, but stand out.

Here's a quick recap: All-American and NCAA champion during his three years at UCLA; MLS Rookie of the Year and two-time Defender of the Year (the first to win it twice) during his stint with the Fire, which he helped to a Supporters' Shield and two appearances in MLS Cup before leaving for Europe; more than 100 appearances for Premier League side Fulham and 99 more in Ligue One in France before finishing his European tour with Rangers and Racing Santander of the Spanish second flight. His return to MLS with hometown Chivas USA hasn’t been covered in glory but that says far more about that organization—and Father Time being undefeated—than it does about Bocanegra.

Where Bocanegra really made a name for himself was with the U.S. national team, particularly between 2003, when he became a regular for Bruce Arena, and 2010, when he captained the U.S. in South Africa for Bradley. He played in two World Cups, a Confederations Cup final, and won two Gold Cups.

“From his first days with the Chicago Fire to captaining the national team, Carlos was always a player that gave everything for the team,” Bradley said. “His presence and competitiveness were respected by everyone.”

We rarely recognize national team careers ending as they happen and such was the case when Bocanegra made his final appearance for the U.S. in a 2-2 draw with Russia late in 2012. In that match Bocanegra tweaked a hamstring and had to be replaced by Clarence Goodson in the 18th minute.

Had we known at the time this represented the end of his tenure with the U.S., more would have been made of the moment. After all, he was earning his 110th cap against Russia, which tied Bocanegra with Paul Caligiuri for 6th all-time among American players (DaMarcus Beasley has since passed him) and third among defenders.

Bocanegra had tremendous timing—especially in the air—which led to him scoring 14 times for the national team, which is the most by an American defender and 12th all-time. Put another way, of all the forwards and midfielders who have played for the U.S., only 11 have scored more than Bocanegra, a defender.

He was never flashy and rarely dominant but Bocanegra was always reliable and his ability to play wide or centrally kept him in the lineup and made him as indispensable in his own way as Landon Donovan and Steve Cherundolo—fellow Southern Californians who have been rocks for the U.S. this century and who all are hanging up their boots in 2014. That’s going to make for a hell of Hall of Fame ceremony in four years, when all three are first eligible.

If there’s any justice it will be Bocanegra who gives the first speech, as leading was as much a part of his career as his play. His personality and will drew others to him and while he wasn’t the most rah-rah of captains, he was certainly effective—the U.S. went 34-17-13 in the games “Los” wore the armband.

“Carlos is one of the finest defenders that the United States has ever produced. He is a tremendous competitor, a great leader, and the type of person you always wanted on your team,” Arena said in a release put out by U.S. Soccer. “His career and contributions to MLS, U.S. Soccer and abroad are something to be respected. I want to wish Carlos all the best as he takes the next step in his life.”

Go ahead—tell the world what you think of Bocanegra in the Comments section below.

Brooke Tunstall is an American Soccer Now contributing editor and ASN 100 panelist. You can follow him on Twitter.