Founding Futbol

By 1993, EA Sports was a well established video game manufacturer with titles like Madden Football, which was released in 1989 and PGA Tour Golf, which was released in 1990 already commercial successes. These franchises began the model of licensing the rights to likenesses, league and team names and beyond to help market the games. But they had been resistant to releasing a soccer title largely be...

Randy Waldrum has a storied career in the coaching ranks. He was the head coach of the women's soccer team at Notre Dame for 14 seasons years, where he led the program to incredible heights. Under his leadership, Notre Dame became a perennial power. In his time there, Waldrum led the Fighting Irish to two national championships, capturing the College Cup title in 2004 and '10. His teams won eight...

In 1941, National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) was founded. Now known as United Soccer Coaches , the largest soccer coaches organization in America (and the world) has been a key driver for the continued and evolving education of the coaching ranks. They were an initial investor in the coaching curriculum developed by US Soccer and then created their own programs later. The United...

When the US Women's National Team began winning on the international stage, much credit was given to Anson Dorrance's innovative tactical approach. He deployed a 3-4-3 to counter 4-4-2 setups most commonly utilized by other international programs. Leveraging his team's athleticism, Dorrance relied on pressing to create transitional attacking opportunities. With talents like April Heinrichs, Michel...

In 1991, FIFA staged the first ever Women's World Cup in China. The tournament took place in November, featured 12 teams from six (6)confederations and delivered performances for the ages. When the two weeks of play had ended, The US Women's National Team emerged with not only the first Women's World Cup win ever, but America's first World Cup win of any type. Michelle Akers continued her ascensio...

As the latino community grew in America during the 80s and 90s, Spanish-language television stations such as Univisión played a critical role in expanding the coverage of soccer. Broadcasting the World Cup, UEFA Champions League and top-flight European professional leagues such as La Liga and Serie A, Univisión, Telemundo, ESPN, TV Azteca and others built a culture of soccer fandom among not only...

In the early 1990s, latino immigration in the United States peaked. As millions moved to the US from Latin America, they brought with them a passion for futbol. At the same time, US Soccer was devising new ways to build and sustain the game in this country. That meant stages the world's largest events, such as the Olympics and World Cup, and proving that fans in this country would fill stadiums to...

On November 19, 1989 the US Men's National Team travel to Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago with a chance to qualify for its first World Cup since 1950. In the 32nd minute, Paul Caligiuri scored the game's first goal on a long, dipping, left-footed strike from distance that ultimately became the game winner. With a one-goal lead, the team needed to remain defensively stout. Paul Krumpe was one of...

Paul Caligiuri's iconic 1989 goal that sent the USMNT back to its first World Cup since 1950 is one of the most celebrated moments in the history of American soccer. It's been dubbed the "Shot Heard 'Round the World" and became the central plot point of the CBS sports / Paramount + documentary, " The Billion Dollar Goal ." It's impossible to tell the story of soccer's rise in this country without...

Linda Gancitano had just two caps for the US Women's National Team, but they were as part of the first 1985 squad that traveled to Italy to play in the Mundialito. In other words, she was an OG. One of the women that helped open the door to the rise of the USWNT over the subsequent decades Linda joined Founding Futbol to talk about her journey through the soccer world, including a decorated career...

Kim Wyant was the starting goalkeeper on the first ever US Women's National Team when it came together in 1985. She defied the odds, overcoming injury and lack of opportunity, to ultimately have a successful playing career in the USL W-League. Kim moved into the coaching ranks and is currently the only female head coach of a men's college team, having been at the helm of the NYU Violets since 2015...

In 1985, the United States finally assembled its first women’s national team. It was a critical step in moving this country towards international relevance – just not the way so many had anticipated. With the men’s team still struggling to gain traction, and the rapid emergence of women’s stars at the college level, a US Women’s National Team had the chance to become immediately relevant both nati...

Perry Van der Beck was one of the first rising young stars in American soccer. Drafted out of high school by the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1978, Perry joined a team that would go on to play in the Soccer Bowl -- the NASL's championship game -- his first two years. Perry quickly emerged as a key talent for US Soccer, specifically approaching the 1980 Olympic Ga...

Founding Futbol is about moments that helped grow soccer in America. But there is one event we’ve decided to cover that breaks that mold – the 1980 Olympic Boycott. The US Men’s National Team was unable to compete in Moscow in 1980, setting the program and this country’s pursuit of international success back years, possibly decades. In many ways, it also contributed to the continuing decline of th...

Anson Dorrance had a chance to share his story with Founding Futbol. But what is it like to play for him? The legendary coach has recruited and coached some of the best players in American soccer history. Amber Brooks played four years at North Carolina, winning NCAA Championships in 2009 and 2012. She was a two-year captain on Tar Heels teams that included Crystal Dunn and Kealia (Ohai) Watt, bef...

In 1979, Anson Dorrance, already the men’s soccer coach at the University of North Carolina, was hired to coach the women’s team as well. It was transitioning from a club team to varsity team through the opportunities afforded women’s collegiate athletics by Title IX. Despite having the men’s job, Dorrance was tapped to take on a second team and within two years, the landscape of women’s college s...

After the North American Soccer League folded in 1984, many of the league’s top American players moved to the Major Indoor Soccer League. Some, in fact, moved with their franchises, who also found a new home as part of the indoor game. One such club was the San Diego Sockers. Their star defender, Kevin Crow , had achieved All-Star status in the NASL and then became five-time Defender of the Year i...

When ESPN began broadcasting in 1979, no one knew if a 24-hour sports cable station would work. The concept was new. The format was new. And there was no data to suggest the American public would watch.  But ESPN not only worked, it changed the sports culture globally by giving airtime to sports that previously went unbroadcast and by creating a highlight culture. Soccer benefited from these facto...

Journalist Lawrie Mifflin joined us to talk about her experience covering Pelé and the New York Cosmos. Mifflin was the first woman sports reporter at the New York Daily News, which is where she earned the Cosmos beat. During our interview, she recounts how that came to pass. She covered the team for four years, and shares some of her memories of Pelé and her reflections on his time in New York. M...

Founding Futbol is a year-long exploration of the critical moments that have led to soccer's emerging popularity in America. Before there was Beckham or Messi coming to America to play for Major League Soccer Franchises, there was Pelé and his stint with the New York Cosmos. From 1975-1977 the world’s most recognized footballer spent the twilight of his career helping this country fall in love wit...

Founding Futbol is a year-long exploration of the critical moments that have led to soccer's emerging popularity in America. Extra Time is an additional weekly episode that brings additional guests into the fold. After releasing the Prologue and the first four Chapters of Founding Futbol, we share a few reflections on the initial topics and interviews. Then, we are joined by Stefan Szymanski and S...

Founding Futbol is a year-long exploration of the critical moments that have led to soccer's emerging popularity in America. Despite the existence of other youth soccer organizations, US Youth Soccer’s formation in 1974 helped organize and cultivate pathways for youth soccer players in America. The approach USYS took to coordinating state, regional and national competition gave structure to a prev...

Founding Futbol is a year-long exploration of the critical moments that have led to soccer's emerging popularity in America. In 1972, historic legislation was passed intended to create equity in the American education system. Title IX wasn’t about soccer; in fact, it wasn’t originally about sports at all. And, yet, it single-handedly gave women more the opportunity to pursue college through sports...

In 1959, the first year the NCAA staged a national soccer championship, St. Louis University converted its club program to varsity status. It was unlikely that the Billikens would immediately become a powerhouse. After all, some programs had already been in existence for nearly five decades and hundreds of others for at least a decade. How would this upstart team compete? But head coach Bob Guelke...

Soccer didn’t start in America on June 29th, 1950. But the 1950 US Men’s National team’s impossible victory over England in the World Cup was an anchor moment – our first moment – in the decades long journey that soccer has taken back to prominence in America. In Chapter One of Founding Futbol, we explore why that game had meaning, what made it special and what key information soccer fans should k...