How many people reading this would believe that we were once one the world's leading soccer powers? How many people know that in the first FIFA World Cup (1930 in Uruguay), the United States finished in third place? How many people know that as late as 1950, the United States defeated England in the World Cup Finals competition? Unless you are a soccer fanatic like myself, very few. However, this is all a part of the history of American soccer.
Sadly, the 40-year period from 1950 to 1990 was a dark age for American soccer. For forty years, the United States didn't so much as qualify for the finals stage of the World Cup. For forty years, the United States was absent from the world's premier single-sport quadrennial event. For forty years, American soccer fans had to find another nation to cheer for every fourth summer. That changed for Americans in 1990.
In the autumn of 1989, the United States was one match away from qualifying for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. All the United States needed was a victory over Trinidad and Tobago. A Trinidad victory or a draw would have sent that small Caribbean nation to its first ever World Cup finals. It was a stuggle. A late goal by Paul Caligiuri vaulted the United States from the obscure closets of global soccer onto its grandest stage in one of the world's most soccer-mad countries.
There were no big victories in Italy. No England's like in 1950. However, the United States played well in its first appearance in forty years. A late save from Italy's great keeper Walter Zenga preserved an Italian win over the plucky Americans. The U.S. had arrived. U.S. soccer was back.
For American soccer fans, simply qualifying wasn't enough. We wanted the United States to become a force in global soccer. Hence was the genesis of U.S.A. 2010. This is the effort to bring the World Cup to the United States by the year 2010. This is a concerted effort from the entire soccer community in the United States. Looking at the recent performance of our national team, our youth teams, and youth leagues all across this great land of ours, we are well on the way to bringing the World Cup to the U.S.
1994 was a breakthrough year for U.S. soccer. A win over Colombia in the round-robin phase along with a draw with the Swiss propelled the United States into a second-round match with the Brazilians on the Fourth of July. Though Tab Ramos was knocked out of the match by way of a dirty foul by Leonardo, the U.S. gave a creditable performance in a tough 1-0 loss. By now, the world had began taking U.S. soccer seriously.
Any Latin Americans who didn't take U.S. soccer seriously got a rude awakening in 1995. As one of the top two North American teams, the United States (along with Mexico) was invited to participate in South America's premier international cup competition, the Copa America in Uruguay. The United States shocked the world when they dominated global power Argentina 3-0 to win their group. Then the U.S. went on to defeat Mexico in the quarterfinals. The world awakened to U.S. soccer. No one would take the United States lightly ever again after the '95 Copa.
The 1998 World Cup was a disappointment, but now, under the guidence of Bruce Arena, the United States is vaulting up in the world of soccer. In the current round of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup finals, the United States is dominating its group. Halfway through the ten match competition, the Americans have won 4 matches and drawn one. The U.S. is cruising through a competition in which the top three qualify for Korea-Japan. In fact, a win at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City against the reeling Mexicans will clinch a World Cup berth for the Americans, the first time EVER done before October for the United States.
Not only is the national team playing well, but the U.S. is also doing well at the junior level. The United States is the only country to have qualified for each and every world U-20 championships since that biennial competition started in 1985 in China. In 1999, the exciting Landon Donavon was voted the best player of the tournament. Earlier this week, the U.S. downed Chile after losing a tough match to group favorite China. A win Friday against Ukraine will guarentee the U.S. moving forward to the next round.
Watching last nights qualifying match against Trinidad, it hit me just how much we have improved. On that fateful autumn night twelve years ago in Port of Spain, Trinidad, it was a struggle for the U.S. to beat a talented Trinidad side who had their sights on the World Cup. Last night, the Americans completely dominated another talented set of Trinidad players, led by Manchester United forward Dwight Yorke.
Will the U.S. win the World Cup by 2010? Who knows? What we all know now is that the U.S. is now a force in the world of soccer. No one will take us lightly anymore. The fan club of the U.S. (Sam's Army) is among the world's most active and is the envy of teams of other sports in the United States. We have gained the respect of the world in the world's game. The United States has indeed arrived. Go USA. See you in Korea-Japan in 2002!