Marcelo Balboa

Marcelo Balboa

Personal information
Full name	Marcelo Balboa
Date of birth	August 8, 1967 (1967-08-08)
Place of birth	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
1986–1987	Cerritos J.C.
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1987–1989	San Diego Nomads
1990–1991	San Francisco Bay Blackhawks
1992–1993	Colorado Foxes
1994–1995	León	53	(3)
1996–2001	Colorado Rapids	151	(24)
2002	MetroStars	1	(0)
National team‡
1988–2000	United States	128	(13)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 May 2006. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22 June 2006

Marcelo Balboa (born August 8, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American former soccer defender who played in the 1990s for the U.S. national team, becoming its captain. After retiring from playing, he has worked as a commentator for ESPN and ABC and MLS games on HDNet and Altitude. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Playing career

Balboa, who is of Argentine descent, grew up in Cerritos, California, and was a product of the American Youth Soccer Organization program in Southern California, where he played for his father, Luis Balboa. Luis was a professional player in Argentina and also played with the Chicago Mustangs of the North American Soccer League.

After playing in college at San Diego State University, Marcelo Balboa anchored the American defense in the 1990 and the 1994 FIFA World Cups (his first cap came on January 10, 1988 against Guatemala). He was named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 1992 and 1994. In 1995, he became the first U.S. player to break the 100-cap barrier.

Marcelo played for León in the Mexican League in 1995 and 1996, before signing with Major League Soccer and the Colorado Rapids. Balboa played six seasons for the Rapids, leading as the team's all-time leader in many statistical categories. In 1998, he joined Tab Ramos and Eric Wynalda as the first U.S. players to play in three World Cups. Traded to the MetroStars in 2002, Marcelo played only five minutes all year, sitting out the rest with injuries, and retiring afterwards.

Balboa ended his U.S. career with 128 caps and 13 goals, and his MLS career with 24 goals and 23 assists in 152 games. In 2005, 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.

Balboa was known for his bicycle kicks, a near miss in the U.S. win over Colombia in the 1994 World Cup; and a goal for the Rapids in 2000 against the Columbus Crew, named the MLS Goal of the Year for that season.

After retirement

After the 2004 MLS season, Balboa assumed a front office position with the Rapids.

Balboa debuted as a sideline reporter during ABC's coverage of the 2003 MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup. In 2004, he became a regular announcer for ABC and ESPN's television coverage of the U.S. national team. Most recently, Balboa has paired up with baseball announcer Dave O'Brien as networks' #1 U.S. announcing team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

In 2007 Marcelo started a soccer radio show, From The Pitch, which airs on Denver station Mile High Sports Radio.

Balboa served as an analyst for NBC Sports coverage of Soccer at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

He has been a guest soccer analyst on Telefutura's Contacto Deportivo.

Personal life

Balboa resides in the town of Superior, Colorado, and is currently the executive director for Trebol Soccer Club in Lafayette, Colorado.

External links

• Interview on Role Models from CaptainU