[3] Feilhaber was six years old when his family moved from Brazil to settle in the United States and attended Nottingham Country Elementary in Katy, Texas.
After his second year at UCLA Feilhaber was called up by the U.S. U-20 national soccer team to play in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands.
His performances in the tournament caught the attention of scouts from several European teams and, after representing the U.S. in the 2005 Maccabiah Games in Israel where he won a silver medal playing for it alongside Jonathan Bornstein and Leonid Krupnik,[7][8] Feilhaber signed for Hamburger SV in July 2005.
On August 9, 2007, Feilhaber obtained a work permit to play for newly promoted Premier League side Derby County.
[9] His signing was completed on August 10, 2007,[10] and Feilhaber made his debut for the club on September 17, 2007, coming on as an eightieth-minute substitute in a 1–0 win over Newcastle United.
After the sacking of manager Billy Davies and the appointment of Paul Jewell, Feilhaber saw little playing time at Pride Park.
[12] He also scored a superb goal from a free kick three minutes into added time against Køge securing a vital 3–2 win.
After the winter break, AGF continued their winning streak in order to secure promotion to the Danish Superliga, but Feilhaber was mostly benched with a minor injury.
His performance in the white jersey paved the way for his participation in the World Cup finals in South Africa with the U.S. national team.
[22] After leaving Kansas City at the end of their 2019 season, Feilhaber officially announced his retirement from playing professional soccer on March 11, 2020.
[23] Feilhaber was called up twice to the senior United States national team for friendlies against Scotland on November 12, 2005, and Germany on March 22, 2006, but did not play in either game.
Feilhaber made his first career start for the United States team in the March 25 game against Ecuador, and scored his first international goal against China on June 2.
He orchestrated the second goal, rounding Gerard Pique to find Landon Donovan, who found Clint Dempsey for the finish in the center.
The United States finished at the top of Group C.[26] In the Round of 16, Feilhaber was substituted in for Robbie Findley in the second half of the match against Ghana.
Commentators remarked on his ability to generate plays and praised his readiness to make decisions, many of which were key passes to set up chances to score.
Feilhaber was not called up to a national camp from January 2014 until October 2017,[27] even during and after his 2015 MLS Landon Donovan MVP Award finalist season.
Feilhaber went on to mention Sacha Kljestan, Dax McCarty, Matt Hedges, and Eric Lichaj as other players performing well that have not been called up by Klinsmann.
[28][29][30] Klinsmann responded that Feilhaber was not able to perform as well as the national team staff hoped in prior camps, and saying that "He doesn't have a coach's perspective.