Soccer Players from Missouri

Here are the top soccer players from Missouri Some have played professionally around the world, others have played in the Olympics, others in the World Cup. One thing is for sure; Missouri has been a hotbed for soccer for the past several decades.

The 1950 U.S. World Cup Soccer Team story

The United States national soccer team’s participation in the 1950 FIFA World Cup is notable for one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history. The tournament was held in Brazil from June 24 to July 16, 1950, and the U.S. team was made up mostly of amateur players.

The U.S. team was drawn into Group 2 alongside England, Chile, and Spain. In their opening match on June 25, 1950, the U.S. faced England at the Estádio Independência in Belo Horizonte. The U.S. team, comprised of part-time players, defeated England 1-0 with a goal scored by Joe Gaetjens in the 37th minute. This victory is still considered one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history. And that group of legends was made up of Missourians. Team members Fran Wallace, Gino Pariani, Charles Columbo, Frank Borghi and Harry Keogh were all from the St. Louis area known as “The Hill.”

The United States’ remaining group matches didn’t go as well. They lost 5-2 to Chile on June 28 and 3-1 to Spain on July 2. Despite these losses, the U.S. team’s victory over England had already secured their place in the next round.

Due to the unique World Cup format at the time, the group stage was followed by a round-robin final group stage, where the top two teams from each of the four groups (including the U.S.) played against each other. The U.S. was placed in the final group with Uruguay, Brazil, and Bolivia.

In the final group stage, the United States played three matches but did not secure any more victories. They lost 3-1 to Spain, 7-1 to Uruguay, and 8-0 to Brazil. Despite the losses, the U.S. team’s performance in the tournament remains significant due to their surprising victory over England and their overall participation as amateur players in a field dominated by professional teams.

The U.S. team’s success in 1950 was somewhat of an anomaly in the context of their World Cup history up to that point. The team had previously participated in the inaugural World Cup in 1930 but had not progressed beyond the group stage. It would be several decades before the United States became a more consistent presence on the international soccer stage.