Marcelo Balboa was born on August 8,1967 and is an American former professional soccer who played as a defender in the 1990s for the United States national team, becoming its captain.
22 Facts About Marcelo Balboa
2.
Marcelo Balboa is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
3.
Marcelo Balboa is the head boys' soccer coach for Monarch High School in Louisville, Colorado.
4.
Marcelo Balboa played youth soccer for Fram-Culver, which won the 1986 McGuire Cup.
5.
Marcelo Balboa attended Cerritos College, a local two-year community college from 1986 to 1987.
6.
At Cerritos, Marcelo Balboa was both placekicker on the football team and a two-time 1st Team All-South Coast Conference soccer player.
7.
In 1988, Marcelo Balboa transferred to San Diego State University where he was a 1988 First Team and a 1989 Second Team All American soccer player.
8.
From 1987 to 1989, Marcelo Balboa played the collegiate off-seasons on an amateur contract with the professional San Diego Nomads of the Western Soccer League.
9.
In 1990, Marcelo Balboa began his professional career with the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks of the American Professional Soccer League.
10.
Marcelo Balboa played for Leon in the Mexican League in 1995 and 1996.
11.
In 1996, Marcelo Balboa signed with Major League Soccer and the Colorado Rapids.
12.
Marcelo Balboa played six seasons for the Rapids, leading as the team's all-time leader in many statistical categories.
13.
Marcelo Balboa ended his MLS career with 24 goals and 23 assists in 152 games.
14.
In 2005, Marcelo Balboa was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI and elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame on the first ballot along with Nick Folan.
15.
Marcelo Balboa earned his first cap with United States national team on January 10,1988 against Guatemala.
16.
Marcelo Balboa anchored the American defense in the 1990 and the 1994 FIFA World Cups, in the latter receiving international attention for his near miss with a bicycle kick in the United States' win over Colombia.
17.
Marcelo Balboa was named US Soccer Athlete of the Year in 1992 and 1994.
18.
Marcelo Balboa ended his United States career with 128 caps and 13 goals, and his final appearance came in a friendly against Iran on January 16,2000.
19.
Marcelo Balboa debuted as a sideline reporter during ABC's coverage of the 2003 MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup.
20.
Marcelo Balboa served as an analyst for NBC Sports coverage of Soccer at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
21.
Marcelo Balboa has been a guest soccer analyst on Telefutura's Contacto Deportivo.
22.
Marcelo Balboa, who is the son of Argentine immigrants, resides in the town of Superior, Colorado.