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Then And Now: A Look Back At USA Soccer
A list of 11 of the most influential soccer players who helped the set the Americans on course to the USA's run of six straight successful World Cup qualifications.
Oct 14, 2009 7:14:45 PM
The history of the USA in soccer had a bright beginning, as the team
was one of the first to participate in the 1930 inaugural World Cup. Not long after, however, the sport was neglected in America and the national
team suffered as a result.
Some key players emerged to pull the USA out of that dark period, leading the way forward to the progress the team has made now on the world stage. Goal.com has put together a Starting XI of the most influential contributors.
Paul Caliguiri - Cal, as he was affectionately known during his playing career, did more than hit the legendary shot that put the USA into the 1990 World Cup. He also scored a goal for the US in that prestigious competition. Caliguiri was also the first American-born player signed to a pro contract in Germany and that opened the way for more players to pursue that path in the future.
A bruising defender/midfielder with enough skill to surprise the opposition at opportune moments, Caliguiri was a mainstay of the team for many years and started every USA match in both the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.
Still, the importance of that one goal cannot be overstated. To have the USA earn its way to the World Cup before the country hosted legitimized the soccer program at a crucial time and helped establish the foundation that exists today.
Tab Ramos: The silky midfielder always seemed to surprise opponents with his skill, and one could almost read the thoughts by their perplexed expression: "I thought American players could only run fast."
Ramos broke the mold of the hard-running American midfielder with his crafty passes and ability to keep the ball. His display in the 1990 World Cup helped him earn a contract in Spain. He was at the top of his form in the 1994 World Cup, bedeviling Brazil until an elbow from Leonardo cracked into the side of his head and put him out of the game. Ramos recovered, but perhaps not fully. Though the magic was never there as strong as before, however Ramos undoubtedly proved that there was room, nay, even a desperate need, for more players of technical merit on the US squad.
Cle Kooiman: It's possible that Kooiman's name is more famous south of the border than in his native USA. The tough defender is still remembered fondly by many Cruz Azul fans, for he was the captain of the team most of his stint there in the early '90s - the first American-born player ever to earn that honor. Kooiman worked his way up the ranks of Mexican league soccer, starting at Juarez before moving to Cruz Azul and then on to Morelia before returning to the USA to play in Major League Soccer.
Now there are a number of American players in various club teams in Mexico, most of them dual citizens, but Kooiman's willingness to adjust to a different culture and his success there may well have been what started those clubs looking for talent up north in the first place.
Some key players emerged to pull the USA out of that dark period, leading the way forward to the progress the team has made now on the world stage. Goal.com has put together a Starting XI of the most influential contributors.
Paul Caliguiri - Cal, as he was affectionately known during his playing career, did more than hit the legendary shot that put the USA into the 1990 World Cup. He also scored a goal for the US in that prestigious competition. Caliguiri was also the first American-born player signed to a pro contract in Germany and that opened the way for more players to pursue that path in the future.
A bruising defender/midfielder with enough skill to surprise the opposition at opportune moments, Caliguiri was a mainstay of the team for many years and started every USA match in both the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.
Still, the importance of that one goal cannot be overstated. To have the USA earn its way to the World Cup before the country hosted legitimized the soccer program at a crucial time and helped establish the foundation that exists today.
Tab Ramos: The silky midfielder always seemed to surprise opponents with his skill, and one could almost read the thoughts by their perplexed expression: "I thought American players could only run fast."
Ramos broke the mold of the hard-running American midfielder with his crafty passes and ability to keep the ball. His display in the 1990 World Cup helped him earn a contract in Spain. He was at the top of his form in the 1994 World Cup, bedeviling Brazil until an elbow from Leonardo cracked into the side of his head and put him out of the game. Ramos recovered, but perhaps not fully. Though the magic was never there as strong as before, however Ramos undoubtedly proved that there was room, nay, even a desperate need, for more players of technical merit on the US squad.
Cle Kooiman: It's possible that Kooiman's name is more famous south of the border than in his native USA. The tough defender is still remembered fondly by many Cruz Azul fans, for he was the captain of the team most of his stint there in the early '90s - the first American-born player ever to earn that honor. Kooiman worked his way up the ranks of Mexican league soccer, starting at Juarez before moving to Cruz Azul and then on to Morelia before returning to the USA to play in Major League Soccer.
Now there are a number of American players in various club teams in Mexico, most of them dual citizens, but Kooiman's willingness to adjust to a different culture and his success there may well have been what started those clubs looking for talent up north in the first place.
 Alexi Lalas gave personality to his defender role |
Alexi Lalas: A gritty, fearless defender, Lalas nevertheless made a
bigger impact in breaking the mold of American players as a
vanilla-interchangeable squad. He stood out, and that helped the USA
establish an identity based upon those lines. It's not a bad thing for
a developing sport to garner a reputation that's more non-conforming,
even rebellious.
With uncanny showmanship savvy, Lalas parlayed his notoriety into a
public platform for the sport, helping bring attention and interest to
US soccer at every opportunity.
The USA now has another lovable oddball central defender, Jimmy Conrad, but he's nowhere as flamboyant as Lalas in his prime.
Eric Wynalda: The fiery striker brought oodles of attitude and verve to
his play on the field. His scoring touch kept him in demand for teams
in Germany, Mexico and the USA, but his argumentative approach made it
difficult for Wynalda to settle anyplace for too long. Yet despite the
bouncing around of his professional career, Wynalda kept performing for
the USA national team, helping the US team become a force to be
reckoned with.
Yes, he was sent off in the 1990 World Cup, but he
scored a gorgeous free kick in 1994 and was one of the top players in
the 1995 Copa America. Wynalda was brash, but he often backed up his
superstar attitude by playing like one.
Cobi Jones and Kristine Lilly made #13 lucky for US Soccer
Cobi Jones: Jones burst on to the US Soccer scene as the embodiment of
the athletic, quick player that became for many the stereotype of what
American players were like. Yet Jones proved that he was in fact
unique, becoming a crucial component of different editions of the USA
team by learning to adjust his game to whatever the new coach needed or
wanted.
The sparkplug in 1994 was the savvy veteran in 2002, eventually
earning the most international caps in US Soccer history. Jones also
helped push the awareness of soccer to another level, promoting the
game through appearances on MTV and keeping the visibility of the game
high with his trademark dreadlocks and charismatic quips.
Hugo Perez: The Salvadoran-born midfielder moved to the USA at age 11,
became a citizen and then a key player for the American national team.
No less than Johan Cruyff tried to sign Perez, whose silky dribble
moves and slick passes were honed from years of bouncing back and forth
between indoor and outdoor soccer, as well as contributing to clubs all
over the world, from Paris to Sweden to Saudi Arabia. The tricky
midfielder was instrumental in leading the US from a soccer also-ran in
the 1980s to a regular World Cup participant in the 1990s.
Tony Meola: It didn't get the attention that Caliguiri's goal did, but
it was a 20-year-old Meola who backstopped the USA effort in Trinidad
and Tobago when the desperate Trini squad knew only one goal would
rescue their World Cup dream. The insurance goal never came to the US,
and it was Meola's work to preserve the shutout that was just as vital
a reason that the USA advanced to the World Cup. Meola was in goal for
both the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, and had off-the-field ventures as
well, starring in a musical and trying out as a placekicker for the
NFL.
 Meola kept the US goal in the 1989 miracle win over Trinidad and Tobago |
Thomas Dooley: The best of the German-born contingent with Army brat
American bloodlines, Dooley integrated himself into the American squad
comprehensively, becoming the team captain by 1998. Dooley was calm,
efficient and organized, bringing a professional competency to a squad
that tended toward college frat-boy personalities. In truth, due to a
lack of a top domestic league, the American players were often straight
from college and desperately needed Dooley's example of the standards
of the European club world. Dooley was consistently solid for the USA -
the chaos wrecked on the US effort at the 1998 World Cup wasn't his
fault.
Ernie Stewart: The American/Dutch midfielder was a crucial player for
the US squad for years. He scored the winning goal to defeat Colombia
in the 1994 World Cup, helping the USA advance out of their group and
turn in a credible performance as hosts. Stewart wasn't an especially
fast player, but his soccer IQ was high - he instinctively found open
spots and anticipated plays. This made him one of the most effective
players ever to pull on the US shirt.
Claudio Reyna: The end came ignominiously for Claudio Reyna on the world
stage, but if Bruce Arena hung on to Captain America for too long, it
was because Reyna was for so long worth the trouble. Reyna's talent was
his composure on the ball and the ability to spot chances while still
moving with the ball. Reyna was probably the most respected
American-developed player abroad for many years, even as his career was
impinged by injuries. The midfielder was an important player in three
World Cups - 1998, 2002 and 2006 - a remarkable accomplishment for any
player.
Active players were excluded from consideration for this list. Check out the Now of the Then and Now series.
Andrea Canales, Goal.com
Visit the U.S. national team page on Goal.com for more
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