* The US Soccer Federation signed some players directly in the lead-up to the 1994 World Cup due to the lack of a topflight league in the United States at the time.

REMEMBERING USA – COLOMBIA IN THE 1994 WORLD CUP

By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (May 21, 2013) US Soccer Players – The United States entered the 1994 World Cup in an unusual position. The Americans were hosting the tournament for the first time, but were in no way contenders for the Cup. Though any grouping would seem difficult at the time, the US got a tricky draw with Colombia, Romania and Switzerland in Group A. The biggest game in the group, the second, was against Colombia in Pasadena.

After the Americans had tied Switzerland 1-1 in Detroit, the US players entered the Colombia game needing at least a draw to keep their hopes of advancing to the second round alive. The rest of the planet was banking on a Colombia rout.

“We were nervous,” recalled defender Marcelo Balboa. “The fact that we had never beaten Columbia leading up to the World Cup. They were also one of the favorites to win the World Cup that year.”

The Americans upgraded the program following the 1990 World Cup. New coach Bora Milutinovic, used his experience to build a strong team through a residency camp and a series of friendlies. In the lead-up to the ’94 World Cup, the Americans had posted a string of positive results – including a 1-1 draw against Italy to win the inaugural US Cup. In 1993, the Americans shocked England 2-0 at the US Cup. Slowly, Milutinovic’s work was paying off just in time for the start of the World Cup. Read More