Founding Futbol

Nancy Armour is a sports columnist for USA Today who frequently covers the intersection of sports, culture, politics and how they influence each other. Her evolution in that role parallels the evolution of Alex Morgan on the national and international soccer scene. She has extensively covered the USWNT star over the years and, upon Morgan's announced retirement, wrote about the impact she had on t...

Tom Sermanni is one of the most accomplished coaches in the history of world women's soccer. Currently in his third (though, interim) stint as the head coach of the Australian Women's National Team, Sermanni also coached the US Women's National Team from 2013-2014 and then the Orlando Pride in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). In both settings, Alex Morgan was the team's star. When Serman...

In March of 2010, a standout soccer star at the University of California, Berkeley -- better known as Cal -- stepped onto the field to play for the US Women's National Team for the first time. Alex Morgan was known within the soccer world, but lesser recognized by the broader sporting public. Over the next two years, with standout performances in the 2011 World Cup and 2012 Olympics, that would ch...

At the same time players like Clint Dempsey were building the game overseas -- scoring legendary goals for the likes of Fulham in the Europa League -- a group of players were making their mark on the game domestically. One such player was Jimmy Conrad . The California native made his way to UCLA, where he wasn't guaranteed a spot on the team, bet on himself and became a standout. Then when Major L...

Clint Dempsey is one of the most successful men's players in international soccer history. He starred for the USMNT, delivering big goals in multiple World Cups, and captained teams to tournament victories. But his biggest impact on American soccer may be the success he had playing in England for Fulham. From his arrival in January 2007, Dempsey became a big part of Fulham's plans. He helped the C...

One of the unique attributes of the 2009 US Men's National Team that beat Spain in the Confederations Cup was the dynamic makeup of the roster. From established stars like Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey, to young emerging talent like Jozy Altidore, as well as young talents like Jonathan Bornstein. But once player's story became well known because of its unlikelihood. Jay DeMerit was a starting c...

The US Men's National Team went to the Confederations Cup in 2009 hoping to continue its ascendancy in the global game, in advance of the 2010 World Cup. With teams like Brazil, Italy an Spain in the field, the Americans would have a chance to prove they belonged. However, the tournament got off to a bad start for the US, with two decisive losses. They scraped through to the knockout round by the...

Before the the Boys Development Academy came into being in 2007, it needed a model. Something the represented new concept of training and youth development for America's growing soccer population. When US Soccer established the Bradenton residency of its U17 Men's National Team, John Ellinger was the man to run it. Ellinger built a curriculum of development for forty of the countries top soccer ta...

Youth soccer in America has gone through multiple progressions. US Youth Soccer created pathways for players to make their way to the national team. The evolution club soccer in the late 90s and early 2000s changed the competitive dynamic even more. But there was still more needed for the US to take a critical step competing globally. The U17 Bradenton residency was the first step in this progress...

Joe Cannon was one of the best goalkeepers in MLS history. He was a key factor in San Jose Earthquakes 2001 MLS Cup win. And he was 2002 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Cannon later won the same award for the Colorado Rapids in 2004, and over the next two seasons helped his team to the Western Conference final. For 2007 he was surprisingly traded to the LA Galaxy, and would soon play with David Beckha...

After contracting in 2002, Major League Soccer (MLS) was searching for a way to bring fan support and financial stability to the league. Some executives turned to a familiar playbook -- bringing a global superstar to the league, hoping fans would follow. It was the strategy behind Pelé's arrival in New York when he joined the Cosmos of the North American Soccer League in the mid 70s. Some believed...

Linda Hamilton was a critical member of the on the 1991 Women's World Cup championship team. And, as she trained to stay fit for international competition, the 2022 National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee also worked in the call center of local soccer catalog retailer Eurosport. Alongside her was women's soccer legend, Mia Hamm. It was a job that helped her earn some money while she was still in a s...

At one time, it was nearly impossible to get the best soccer cleats, gear and apparel in America. That was very clear to Mike Moylan who, as an elite high school soccer player committed to Georgetown, wanted better options. So he decided to do something about it. As part of a high school project, Mike began Eurosport, a catalog business designed to deliver better soccer equipment options to the pl...

Andrew Petcash is the founder of Profluence Sports , a venture fund specializing in sports assets that has evolved from a incredibly prolific brand and community company. Andrew has become known for his research and synthesis of the business of sports, frequently posting extensive breakdowns on social media. Petcash, who played Division I basketball at Boston University, and Profluence recently in...

Simon Hallett was born in England, but has long since been working in the United States. That's why, technically, as owner of Plymouth Argyle FC he falls into the category of American owners of English football teams. But, his ownership is far more than a technicality as Argyle was his childhood club. It just so happens that the life he built in America helped him ultimately become owner and chair...

When the Glazer family bought into Manchester United in 2003, American ownership of Premier League teams simply didn't exist. By the time they took full control of the team in 2005, English football was still scarce on television in the United States. But, the Glazers ownership, as well as the recognition of a team that had toured the US as part of the ChampionsWorld Series, made for a combination...

Brian Ching was first Hawaiian to ever play for the USMNT, after rising in the Major League Soccer ranks. Ching started his career with the LA Galaxy, then made his way to the San Jose Earthquakes and moved with the franchise to Houston when it became the Dynamo. He was crucial to the Houston Dynamo the MLS Cup title in 2006 over the New England Revolution.  Ching initially earned his first USMNT...

Jason Davis is a host of soccer programming on SiriusXM FC. Best known for his long-running show, "The United States of Soccer," Davis now co-hosts "Wynalda Talks Football" with Eric Wynalda. Before his time at Sirius, Davis hosted Soccer Morning on World Soccer Talk and in podcast form. He is well known for both his long-form interviews with players, coaches, front office staff, owners, and journ...

Brian Maisonneuve grew up in Michigan before making his way to play soccer at Indiana University. There he won the Hermann Trophy his senior year, and left the Hoosier as the Big Ten's all-time top goalscorer with 44. Maisonneuve then spent a year training with the US Men's National Team in preparation for the 1996 Olympics, before establishing himself as a fixture of the Columbus Crew midfield, w...

Werner Roth began his soccer career in American at a time when there was no top flight domestic professional league. Roth began his career with the German American-Hungarians and would remain with New York clubs for the duration of his career. He became a member of the storied New York Cosmos during their glory years in the 1970’s. Roth was also part of the US National Team from 1972-75. He joined...

Marcelo Balboa was a fixture on US Men's National Team during its ascension in the early 1990s. He played a key role on the 1990 World Cup team and is among the most memorable figures on the 1994 World Cup roster. In fact, Balboa is so inextricably intertwined with the evolution of American soccer at that time, that he is maybe best remembered for a near-miss bicycle kick in the team's win over Co...

John Harkes played a critical role in the evolution of the US Men's National Team in the late 80s and early 90s. A product of Kearny, New Jersey, Harkes had an outstanding college career at the University of Virginia, then broke into the USMNT scene. At the same time, he became the first American to truly emerge as an outstanding contributor in England, where he played for Sheffield Wednesday. Har...

The 1999 US Women's National Team made history with its second World Cup win. While names like Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers, Julie Foudy and Brandu Chastain typically stole the headlines, the hallmark of that squad was its team dynamic. The leadership of Foudy and Carla Overbeck ensured that every member of the squad felt valued and had a role to play. Saskia Webber embodied that concept. Despite bein...

When Freddy Adu joined DC United in 2004, he would become teammates with two other players that had made their professional debute as teenagers. One of those players was Santino Quaranta . The Baltimore native exploded onto the national soccer scene, made his way to IMG Academy like Freddy would, and then became the youngest MLS player ever, beating Bobby Convey's record, when he made his DC Unite...

Jonathan Tannenwald is one of the leading soccer writers in the country. Before he was covering the game for The Philadelphia Inquirer , Tannenwald was a native of the Washington DC area, who watched the Freddy Adu story through the eyes of a fan. He later covered Adu's time with the Philadelphia Union. And he has subsequently written about the most recent surge of teenage talent in the soccer wor...