United States Soccer Federation - History

History

U.S. Soccer was originally known as the United States of America Football Association. It formed on April 5, 1913 and on August 15 of that year was accepted as one of the earliest member organizations of FIFA and the first from North and Central America. The affiliation was temporary and at the following year's FIFA Congress in 1914, the USFA, as it was abbreviated at the time, was accepted as a full FIFA member along with the Spanish federation. The governing body of the sport in the United States did not have the word soccer in its name until 1945, when it became the United States Soccer Football Association. It did not drop the word football from its name until 1974, when it became the United States Soccer Federation.

The most popular professional soccer team to start in the U.S. was known as the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (NASL), with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. The legendary Pelé was credited for starting major interest in the league after coming out of semi-retirement to sign with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (NASL). Pelé single handedly was credited for the sudden world wide popularity & public awareness in soccer in the United States. The New York Cosmos were the 1st professional soccer team that was televised in the United States on ABC's Wide World of Sports. Pelé led the Cosmos to the 1977 NASL championship, in his third and final season with the club.

On October 1, 1977, Pelé retired in an exhibition match between his first and only Brazilian club called Santos vs the New York Cosmos. The game was televised in the United States on ABC's Wide World of Sports.Muhammad Ali and many other stars attended such as Bobby Moore. Pelé scored his final goal on a direct free kick in the first half. He did not play in the second half. Pelé's number 10 was retired.

U.S. Soccer had the honor of hosting the FIFA World Cup in 1994, the FIFA Women's World Cup in 1999 and 2003, and the Summer Olympics in 1984 and 1996. The women's national team has also had the distinction of winning two Women's World Cups in 1991 and 1999 (placing third in 1995, 2003, and 2007); the Olympic Gold Medal in 1996, 2004, 2008, and 2012; and seven Algarve Cups and six CONCACAF Women's Gold Cups.

The men's national team has had a less stellar history. It was invited to the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and qualified for the World Cup in 1934, finishing a respectable Third Place in 1930 out of 13 teams participating. In 1950 the United States scored one of its most surprising victories with a 1–0 win over heavily favored England, who were amongst the world's best sides at the time. The United States failed to reach another World Cup until an upstart team qualified for the 1990 FIFA World Cup with the "goal heard around the world" scored by Paul Caligiuri against Trinidad and Tobago, which started the modern era of soccer in the United States. The 1990 men's national team was quickly disposed of at the World Cup, but nonetheless had qualified for its first World Cup in 40 years. The FIFA Women's World Cup was inaugurated in 1991, and the women's national team became the first team to win the prize after beating Norway in the final. That tournament helped demonstrate the high caliber of play in women's soccer. It also set the stage for the United States to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup, setting total and average attendance records that still stand, including drawing 94,194 fans to the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final. The United States made a surprising run to the second round with a shocking victory over Colombia which saw Andrés Escobar, the player responsible for the United States' first goal (an own goal), later shot to death in his homeland. 1998 saw another disappointing addition to the history of the men's national team as it finished 32nd out of the 32 teams that qualified for the World Cup. This embarrassment, which included a total collapse of team chemistry and leadership, led to the firing of manager Steve Sampson and the hiring of Bruce Arena, who had won the first two MLS Cups in Major League Soccer history, and who went on to become the most successful United States men's national team manager in history.

The next year, the United States hosted the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time. During their tournament run, the women's national team established a new level of popularity for the women's game, culminating in a final against China that drew 90,185 fans, an all-time attendance record for a women's sports event, to a sold-out Rose Bowl. After neither team scored in regulation or extra time, the final went to a penalty shootout, which the United States won 5–4. The celebration by Brandi Chastain after she converted the winning penalty, in which she took off her shirt, revealing her sports bra in the process, is one of the most famous images in the history of women's sports.

In 2002 Bruce Arena led a mix of veterans and MLS-seasoned youth to a quarterfinal appearance, dispatching contenders Portugal in group play and archrivals Mexico in the Round of 16, before losing a closely fought game with eventual Runners-Up Germany in the quarterfinal. Bruce Arena looked to match or surpass that feat in 2006; however, the U.S. team was drawn into a group of death with eventual Winners Italy and two other highly regarded teams in the Czech Republic and Ghana. The United States lost to the Czech Republic 3–0 in their opening game, drew Italy 1–1 in their second game (a match that saw two U.S. players and an Italian player red carded), and lost to Ghana 2–1. The United States did not advance out of the group however were the only team to face eventual winners Italy without losing. In the wake of the team's disappointing performance, Arena's contract was not renewed. Bob Bradley, Chivas USA manager and Arena's assistant manager with the men's national team, eventually succeeded Arena in 2007.

The U.S. Men's National Team qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, by virtue of its 3-2 road victory against CONCACAF rival Honduras on October 10, 2009. A 2-2 draw against Costa Rica on October 14, combined with a 2-2 draw between Mexico v. Trinidad and Tobago, meant the U.S. won the qualifying tournament outright. At the World Cup, America advanced from their group by way of defeating Algeria 1-0 on a stoppage time goal by Landon Donavan. The Americans also tied England 1-1 and Slovenia 2-2. In the Round of 16, the United States played Ghana, and fell 2-1 in extra time.