Description

This Team USA Soccer 1994 Upper Deck Photocard Limited Edition #15160/45000 is the exact item you will receive and has been certified Authentic by Upper Deck, Team USA and REM Fine Collectibles. On July 4, 1988, FIFA made the controversial decision to give the 1994 World Cup to the United States. The U.S. team had qualified for the 1988 Olympics, proving that the sport did have a pulse, however small, in the U.S. and FIFA wanted to help reinvigorate soccer in America. The U.S. beat out finalists Brazil and Morocco for the right to host the tournament and FIFA was widely criticized. One journalist even compared the decision to “holding a major skiing competition in an African country.” America only had a microscopic soccer culture at that point and even though it was one of the most popular sports to participate in among American youths, it still had not grabbed the attention of the populace. Professional soccer in America had died when the North American Soccer League folded in 1984 and few seemed to care. World Cup USA 1994 was the most successful event in FIFA history, demonstrating that the United States is without peer in staging major international events, and that Americans can embrace the world’s most popular sport. The cumulative attendance of 3,587,538 broke the previous record by more than 1 million, and the average attendance for the 52-game tournament of 68,991 also established a new mark. U.S. stadia were filled to approximately 96 percent capacity during the World Cup. The success of the U.S. team, which advanced to the round of 16 for the first time since 1930, helped boost already high U.S. television ratings. Approximately 11 million Americans were tuned in to the USA vs. Brazil round of 16 match on July 4, an all-time high for soccer in the United States. Eric Boswell Wynalda (born June 9, 1969) is an American soccer coach, television commentator, and retired player. He was formerly an analyst and color commentator for soccer coverage on Fox Sports 1 and ESPN. Previously, he served as head coach and technical director of Las Vegas Lights FC in the USL Championship and he was previously the host of WTF: Wynalda Talks Football on SiriusXM FC. Wynalda was one of the first Americans to play professionally in Europe before returning to his home country in 1996 to play in Major League Soccer and scoring the first goal in the league's history. Until 2008, he was the all-time leading goal scorer for the United States national team. Wynalda was described as a "shifty, dynamic player off the dribble with a heavy shot." He was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2004. Marcelo Balboa (born August 8, 1967) is an American former professional soccer who played as a defender in the 1990s for the United States national team, becoming its captain. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Balboa earned his first cap with United States national team on January 10, 1988 against Guatemala. He 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[9] in the United States' win over Colombia. He was named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 1992 and 1994. In 1995, he became the first United States player to break the 100-cap barrier. In 1998, he joined Tab Ramos and Eric Wynalda as the first United States players to play in three World Cups. 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. Balboa attended Cerritos College, a local two-year community college from 1986 to 1987. At Cerritos, Balboa was both placekicker on the football team and a two-time 1st Team All-South Coast Conference soccer player. Cerritos College has retired Balboa's jersey number – #3. In 1988, Balboa transferred to San Diego State University where he was a 1988 First Team and a 1989 Second Team All American soccer player. Jeffrey Alan Agoos (born May 2, 1968) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a defender. He is one of the all-time appearance leaders for the United States national team. Agoos served as the Sporting Director for the New York Red Bulls, and currently is the Vice President of Competition for Major League Soccer. Agoos won a record five MLS championships: three with D.C. United, and two with the San Jose Earthquakes. He also won the 1996 U.S. Open Cup, and was the 2001 MLS Defender of the Year. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2009. Agoos represented Team USA at the 1985 Maccabiah Games in Israel. At 17 years of age, he was the youngest player on the team. Agoos made his debut with the United States national team on January 10, 1988, against Guatemala.[8] His first national team goal came just three days later on January 13, 1988, also against Guatemala. He was the last member to be cut from the U.S. squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup and he burned his uniform upon hearing the news. He made the squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France but did not play a single minute, in favor of David Regis. In the World Cup in South Korea/Japan at the age of 34, Agoos started the first three games (he scored an own goal to finish the scoring in the surprising win against Portugal) until he suffered a calf injury against Poland. He later missed the rest of the tournament. He was capped a total of 134 times for the U.S. Agoos earned his last cap against Wales on May 26, 2003. Agoos was also a member of the 1992 Team USA Futsal team which won a silver medal at Hong Kong. He earned ten caps and scored two goals with the futsal team. In the 1994 final, after a scoreless regulation and overtime, Brazil defeated Italy on penalty kicks 3-2 to become the first country to win four World Cup titles. World Cup matches were played at nine venues — the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. (including the final); Foxboro (Mass.) Stadium; Soldier Field in Chicago; the Cotton Bowl in Dallas; the Pontiac (Mich.) Silverdome; Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.; the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla.; Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, Calif.; and RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. World Cup USA 1994 also left behind a legacy for soccer in the U.S. A surplus of approximately $50 million — more than double original projections — was contributed to the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the U.S. Soccer organization created to administer the World Cup surplus. Improved training facilities and renovated stadiums in World Cup communities, upgraded to meet FIFA standards, will serve as a reminder of the success of World Cup USA 1994 for years to come.