Who are the most famous soccer players in the United States? It’s a question that sparks a debate like no other in the sport.
We have identified 85 talented and iconic soccer players who deserve hall of fame status. Many of the names you may have never heard of.
These are listed in alphabetical order.
Michelle Akers
Often called the most outstanding woman soccer player of all time, Akers was a vital member of the United States teams that won the Women’s World Cup in 1991 and 1999.
Michelle Akers scored ten goals in six games at the 1991 Women’s World Cup, including both American goals of the United States’ 2-1 victory over Norway in the final.
In 1999, after having moved back from forward to a more defensive role, she anchored the American midfield throughout the tournament. The famous soccer player was inducted in 2004.
Carlos Alberto Torres
One of the mainstays of the greatest New York Cosmos teams in the late 1970s and early 1980s and deserves to be seen as one of the most famous soccer players in the US.
The Brazilian sweeper joined the Cosmos in the middle of the 1977 North American Soccer League season and helped to spark the late-season surge that carried them to the NASL championship.
Carlos Alberto Torres won additional NASL titles with the Cosmos in 1978, 1980, and 1982. Before joining the Cosmos, he had played for over a decade for major Brazilian clubs and was captain of the Brazil team that won the 1970 World Cup. Inducted in 2003.
Desmond Armstrong
Desmond played for the United States in the 1988 Olympic Games and the 1990 World Cup. Armstrong played 81 full internationals for the United States between 1987 and 1994, including four games in the United States’ landmark victory in the 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Desmond Armstrong played three seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League and three seasons in the American Professional Soccer League and the leagues that preceded it.
Andrew Auld
Andrew Auld was a regular in the United States team at the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay, playing every minute of all three U.S. games.
The Scottish-born midfielder was one of the stars of the original American Soccer League of the 1920s, playing for Providence from 1924 to 1930 and for several other ASL clubs in later years.
Andrew Auld played a total of 315 ASL games and certainly was a famous soccer player. He was inducted in 1986.
Adolph Bachmeier
A longtime Chicago-area star who captained the U.S. Men’s National Team in the late 1960s. Bachmeier, a defender and midfielder, played 22 games for the United States, including nine World Cup qualifiers.
He was the team captain for the six qualifiers played in 1968 and 1969. Bachmeier played most of his club soccer for the Chicago Kickers of the National Soccer League of Chicago and was a star of the Chicago Mustangs in the first season of the NASL.
Adolph Bachmeier was inducted in 2002.
Walter Bahr
A midfielder who starred in the U.S. Men’s National Team and led the Philadelphia Nationals to a string of American Soccer League titles.
Bahr made the shot that was deflected into the net by Joe Gaetjens for the goal that beat England in the 1950 World Cup. He played ten full internationals for the United States, including World Cup qualifiers in 1949, 1954, and 1957, and captained the U.S. team at the 1948 Olympics.
His 13 seasons in the ASL included championships in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1955, and 1956. Walter Bahr was inducted in 1976.
Fred Beardsworth
Halfback who played for the New Bedford Whalers and Fall River Rovers of the Southern New England Soccer League and Robins Dry Dock of the National Association Foot Ball League after emigrating from England in 1914.
Fred Beardsworth played for the Robins team that won both the U.S. Open Cup and the American Football Association Cup in 1921 and reached the 1918 U.S. Open Cup final with Fall River. Inducted in 1965.
Ray Bernabei
One of the famous soccer players in the United States was captain of the Harmarville (Pa.) Hurricanes team that won the U.S. Open Cup in 1952 and 1956. Bernabei also led the Harmarville teams that reached the U.S. Open Cup final in 1953 and the National Amateur Cup final in 1950 and 1951.
Ray Bernabei was named to West Penn League all-star teams every season from 1949 to 1960 and played in 10 West Penn finals. Inducted in 1978.
Vladislav “Bogie” Bogicevic
Bogicevic starred for the New York Cosmos and ranked among the best at his position in North American Soccer League history. He won NASL championships with the Cosmos in 1978, 1980, and 1982 and was chosen as a first-team NASL all-star five times in his seven NASL seasons.
Before joining the Cosmos in 1978, the midfielder had played 13 seasons for Red Star Belgrade in Yugoslavia, winning five first-division titles, and was among Yugoslavia’s stars at the 1974 World Cup.
Vladislav Bogicevic was inducted in 2002.
Michael “Mike” Bookie
Forward for several top Cleveland teams and was a member of the United States squad at the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay.
Before moving to Cleveland in 1926, he had played two seasons in the American Soccer League for Boston and New Bedford.
In the late 1920s and early 1930s, he played primarily for Slavia and Magyar, the two top teams in the Cleveland league. Inducted in 1986.
Harold Brittan
Forward who won four American Soccer League titles and two U.S. Open Cup championships in the 1920s.
Brittan, who had an early spell with Chelsea in his native England, captured his first ASL title in 1922 with Philadelphia F.C., the transplanted Bethlehem Steel team, and also was the ASL’s league scorer that season with 27 goals.
Later that year, he signed with the Fall River Marksmen and won ASL titles with Fall River in 1924, 1925, and 1926, and U.S. Open Cup victories in 1924 and 1927. Harold Brittan was inducted in 1951.
David “Davey” Brown
Forward who was one of the greatest goalscorers of the original American Soccer League. Brown, who lived his entire life in Kearny, N.J., scored 189 goals during his 11 ASL seasons.
His best was the 1926-27 season when he scored 21 goals in October and finished the season with 52 goals in 38 games, the highest season total in the league’s history.
One of the famous soccer players in his era, David Brown played for four ASL teams, primarily the New York Giants, and scored three goals in his three U.S. National Team games. Inducted in 1951.
Ralph Carrafi
Midfielder who played for assorted clubs in Western Pennsylvania, New England and Ohio during his career.
Carrafi played in the 1930 U.S. Open Cup final for Bruell Insurance of Cleveland, a club he starred in from 1926, when it was called Cleveland Magyar, until 1934.
Ralph Carrafi had played for Vestaburg near Pittsburgh and Fall River Rovers and Fall River United from 1919 to 1922. Inducted in 1959.
Efrain “Chico” Chacurian
Forward who played in both the American Soccer League and the German-American Soccer League, including eight seasons with New York Swiss of the GASL.
Chacurian, who emigrated to the United States from Argentina in 1947, played four games in the U.S. Men’s National Team, including three World Cup qualifiers against Mexico and Haiti in 1954.
Efrain Chacurian was inducted in 1992.
Fernando Clavijo
Defender who played a key role for the United States in the 1994 World Cup.
Clavijo, who emigrated from Uruguay in 1979, played in the American Soccer League, the North American Soccer League, and the Major Indoor Soccer League before making his debut in the U.S. Men’s National Team in 1990 at the age of 33, three years after becoming an American citizen.
Fernando Clavijo eventually won 61 caps for the United States, including three games at the 1994 World Cup. Inducted in 2005.
Charles Colombo
Midfielder who was one of the leading members of the United States team in the 1950 World Cup. Colombo, known for always wearing gloves when he played, regardless of the weather, also won U.S. Open Cup titles in 1949 and 1950 with Simpkins of St. Louis.
Charles Colombo played ten full internationals for the United States, including three at the 1950 World Cup and four in World Cup qualifying, and represented the United States in the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games. Inducted in 1976.
Geoff Coombes
Forward who played for teams in Detroit and Chicago from the 1930s through the 1950s and was a member of the United States squad at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.
Coombes, born in England, was a member of the Chicago Vikings team that won the U.S. Open Cup in 1946. That same year, he played the first two seasons for Detroit in the North American Soccer Football League.
One of the famous soccer players in the United States before and after the war, Geoff Coombes was inducted in 1976.
Robert W. Craddock
Forward who was a member of the United States squad at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.
Craddock played most of his career for Pittsburgh clubs Castle Shannon and Harmarville, and he won U.S. Open Cup titles in 1952 and 1956 with Harmarville.
Although Robert Craddock didn’t get into a game in the 1950 World Cup, he later played for the United States in a World Cup qualifier against Haiti in 1952. Inducted in 1997.
Paul “Duts” Danilo
Forward who played for a series of outstanding Pittsburgh teams from the 1930s through the 1950s.
Danilo was a member of the Pittsburgh Indians team that won the North American Soccer Football League title in 1947 and played for the same team in 1946.
Earlier, he had played several seasons for Morgan and Heidelberg in Pittsburgh-area leagues and Paul Danilo scored the winning goal for Morgan in the 1940 National Amateur Cup final. Inducted in 1997.
Walter Dick
Forward who played for the United States in the 1934 World Cup. Dick played only one full international for the United States, but he also played for the ASL selection that faced a Scottish all-star team in 1935.
Walter Dick started his career with the Providence and Fall River teams of the original ASL. He later was a member of the Pawtucket Rangers teams that reached the U.S. Open Cup final in 1934, 1935, and 1941 and the Kearny Scots teams that won ASL titles in 1937 and 1938.
Inducted in 1989.
Aldo “Buff” Donelli
Forward who was the surprise star of the United States team at the 1934 World Cup in Italy.
The four goals he scored in a World Cup qualifier against Mexico in 1934 still share the record as the most ever in the U.S. Men’s National Team.
Aldo Donelli had led the Pittsburgh league in scoring every season from 1922 to 1928 and then played for Heidelberg and Curry in the early 1930s.
He briefly came out of retirement to play for Morgan in the 1944 U.S. Open Cup final. Was one of the most famous players in the 1930s, the forward was inducted in 1954.
Alexandre Ely
Midfielder who starred for the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals from 1959 to 1965 through most of their reign as the top team in American soccer.
Alexandre Ely was a member of the Uke Nats teams that won the U.S. Open Cup in 1960 and 1963 and the American Soccer League championship in 1961, 1962, 1963, and 1964.
Ely played three full internationals for the United States, a World Cup qualifier against Mexico in 1960, and two more qualifiers against Mexico in 1965. He was inducted in 1997.
Joy Fawcett
A defender who played for the United States in four Women’s World Cups, winning two of those, and three Olympic Games, winning two. Joy was one of the most famous players to ever represent her nation.
Fawcett played in the U.S. Women’s National Team from 1987 to 2004, accumulating 239 caps. She started 39 of the 40 United States games in her four World Cups and three Olympics.
Joy Fawcett played three seasons in the Women’s United Soccer Association and was a Women’s United Soccer Association all-star in 2003. She was inducted in 2009.
John “Jock” Ferguson
Defender who starred for the greatest Bethlehem Steel teams before 1920, winning the U.S. Open cup four times with Bethlehem Steel, and the American Football Association Cup five times.
Except for one season, John Ferguson played for Bethlehem Steel from 1914 to 1928. He won American Soccer League championships in 1922 and 1927 with Bethlehem Steel (which played as Philadelphia F.C. in 1922) and 1923 with J&P Coats of Pawtucket. Inducted in 1950.
Thomas “Whitey” Fleming
Forward for Bethlehem Steel in its glory years of 1915-1919. Fleming was a mainstay of the Bethlehem Steel team throughout its string of U.S. Open Cup, AFA Cup, and league championships.
In addition to his four U.S. Open Cup titles and five AFA Cup titles, Thomas Fleming played for three ASL champion teams, Bethlehem Steel in 1922, J&P Coats in 1923, and Boston Wonder Workers in 1928. Inducted in 2005.
Werner Fricker
The U.S. Soccer Federation president who headed the effort that won for the United States the right to host the 1994 World Cup.
Fricker was president of the U.S. Soccer Federation from 1984 to 1990 and played a significant role in improving the U.S. Soccer Federation’s financial situation, but is best known for the successful World Cup bid.
It also was on Werner Fricker’s watch, in 1989, that the United States qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 40 years.
Had earlier been an outstanding amateur player and captain of the United German-Hungarians from 1958 to 1969, including the National Amateur Cup winning team of 1965. Inducted in 1992.
William J. Fryer
Midfielder who played in the Fall River Marksmen’s powerful teams of the 1920s.
Fryer, who emigrated from England in 1921, played for Fall River for only four of his 10 American Soccer League seasons, from 1924 to 1927, but he won three ASL titles and two U.S. Open Cups in those four seasons.
During his ASL career, William Fryer also played for Todd Shipyards, Paterson, New York Giants, Brooklyn Wanderers, and Newark Skeeters. Inducted in 1952.
Carin (Jennings) Gabarra
Forward who was part of the United States “Triple-Edged Sword” of attackers in its victory at the 1991 Women’s World Cup. Jennings scored six goals in six games in that World Cup.
She finished her national team career five years later with 53 goals in 117 games. In addition to that World Cup, Carin Gabarra also played for the United States in the 1995 Women’s World Cup and the 1996 Olympic Games, winning a gold medal in the latter.
Loved by fans and one of the most famous soccer players of her era, Carin was inducted in 2000.
James “Jim” Gentle
Forward who was a member of the United States squad at the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay. James Gentle played for the Boston Wonder Workers in the 1925-26 American Soccer League season and was playing for Philadelphia Field Club at the time of his selection to the World Cup squad in 1930.
Later won a bronze medal in field hockey at the 1932 Olympic Games. Inducted in 1986.
Rudy Getzinger
Midfielder who played for Chicago clubs in both the National Soccer League of Chicago and the North American Soccer League.
Getzinger played eight full internationals for the United States, including three World Cup qualifiers in 1972.
In addition, Rudy Getzinger played in two Olympic qualifiers in 1964 and 1967 and won a National Amateur Cup with Schwaben of Chicago in 1964. He was inducted in 1991.
Edward “Teddy” Glover
A defender who starred in both the original American Soccer League and the re-formed version in the 1930s.
After emigrating from England in 1928, Glover was a member of the New York Giants team that won the 1931 ASL championship and the New York Americans team that reached the U.S. Open Cup final in 1933.
Edward Glover finished his ASL career with six seasons for Brookhattan beginning in 1934. Inducted in 1965.
Adelino “Billy” Gonsalves
Forward and midfielder who was one of the most storied players in American soccer history, starring in two World Cups and winning the U.S. Open Cup eight times.
Adelino Gonsalves played in the American Soccer League, the St. Louis Soccer League, and the National Soccer League of Chicago during a career that lasted from 1927 to 1947.
He won the cup three times with the Fall River Marksmen, twice with Stix, Baer & Fuller of St. Louis, once with Central Breweries of St. Louis, and twice with Brooklyn Hispano. Inducted in 1950.
Robert “Bob” Gormley
Forward who played 17 seasons for the Philadelphia Americans of the American Soccer League, serving as captain of the team in 12 of those seasons.
Robert Gormley played for the Americans from 1937 to 1954 and won ASL titles in 1942, 1944, 1947, 1948, and 1952.
Played one full international for the United States, a World Cup qualifier against Haiti in 1954. Robert Gormley was undoubtedly one of the most famous soccer players from Philadelphia who was inducted in 1989.
Albert Harker
Defender who starred for the Philadelphia Americans team that won a string of national honors in the 1930s and ’40s.
Harker, who was a member of the United States team at the 1934 World Cup in Italy, played for the Americans, who originally were named the German-Americans, from 1932 to 1948, winning American Soccer League titles in 1935, 1942, 1944, and 1947, the U.S. Open Cup in 1936 and the National Amateur Cup in 1933 and 1934.
Albert Harker was inducted in 1979.
John “Jack” Hynes
Forward who played in the top levels of American soccer from 1938 to 1960. Hynes played the most significant part of his professional career, 12 seasons, for New York Americans of the American Soccer League.
Still, he won his greatest honors with other clubs, taking ASL titles with Hakoah of New York in 1957 and Colombo of New York in 1960, and a U.S. Open Cup with St. Mary’s Celtic of Brooklyn in 1939.
John Hynes played four full internationals for the United States, all World Cup qualifiers in 1949. Inducted in 1977.
John Jaap
Forward who was a mainstay of the Bethlehem Steel team in the 1920s. Jaap, born in Scotland and grew up near Pittsburgh, played for several outstanding Pittsburgh-area teams before joining Bethlehem Steel in 1921.
John Jaap won American Soccer League championships with the Steelworkers in 1922 and 1927 and a U.S. Open Cup in 1926 when he scored one of Bethlehem’s goals in the final against Ben Millers of St. Louis. Inducted in 1953.
Harry Keough
Defender who was one of the stars of the U.S. Men’s National Team in the 1940s and ’50s and of the Kutis powerhouse from St. Louis.
Keough’s 19 games for the United States were highlighted by the 1-0 victory over England in the 1950 World Cup, in which he was the star of the American backline.
Harry Keough, the captain of the Kutis team that won the U.S. Open Cup in 1957 and the National Amateur Cup six times in a row between 1956 and 1961, played in the 1952 and 1956 Olympics. Inducted in 1976.
Nicholas Kropfelder
Forward who was one of the stars of the Philadelphia Nationals teams that won the American Soccer League title three times in four years between 1949 and 1952.
Kropfelder had won an ASL title in 1946 with Baltimore Americans and then was one of several players who moved to Philadelphia after the Baltimore team folded in 1948.
In addition to his ASL titles, Nicholas Kropfelder won the Lewis Cup with Philadelphia Nationals three times and reached the U.S. Open Cup final in 1949 and 1952. Inducted in 1996.
Rudolph “Rudy” Kuntner
Forward who played in the Olympics and won a U.S. Open Cup title 17 years apart. Kuntner, born in Austria and grew up in New York, was the star of the U.S. team at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam.
He then played for New York clubs in the American Soccer League for years and was a mainstay in the Brookhattan team that won the ASL-U.S. Open Cup-Lewis Cup triple in 1945. Rudolph Kuntner was inducted in 1963.
Alexi Lalas
Defender whose on-field success and red-bearded appearance made him the most recognizable face of American soccer in the 1990s.
Lalas played for the United States in events that included the 1992 Olympics, the 1993 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the 1994 World Cup, the 1995 Copa America, and the 1996 Olympics.
Alexi Lalas played two seasons for Padova in the Italian first division before returning home to finish his career with seven Major League Soccer seasons, winning an MLS title in 2002 with the L.A. Galaxy.
After returning from Italy, he was of the most famous soccer players at the end of the century and was inducted in 2006.
Kristine Lilly
Midfielder who played in five World Cups and three Olympic Games and was the most capped player in the history of women’s soccer.
Lilly, who played 352 full internationals for the United States between 1987 and 2010, starred for the U.S. teams that won the Women’s World Cup in 1991 and 1999 and Olympic titles in 1996 and 2004.
She was captain of the United States team at the 2007 Women’s World Cup and played in the 1995 and 2003 World Cups and the 2000 Olympics. Kristine Lilly was inducted in 2014.
William “Bill” Looby
Forward who was the goalscoring star of the Kutis powerhouse in the 1950s and a vital member of the U.S. National Team.
Looby played eight full internationals for the United States between 1954 and 1959, but his most remarkable exploits were at the amateur level.
William Looby scored six goals in six games at the 1959 Pan-American Games and played for Kutis in the six consecutive National Amateur Cups it won between 1956 and 1961. Inducted in 2001.
Joseph Maca
Defender who played in the U.S. team that upset England in the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. Maca, who had emigrated from Belgium a few years before, played for Brooklyn Hispano in the American Soccer League in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
He represented the ASL in games against touring European teams several times and Joseph Maca was chosen as the ASL’s most valuable player in the 1949-50 season. Inducted in 1976.
Pat McBride
Midfielder who played nine seasons in the North American Soccer League and captained the U.S. Men’s National Team in World Cup qualifying.
McBride played five full internationals for the United States, three of which were World Cup qualifiers in 1972.
He was the first American-born player to sign with the NASL and played his entire NASL career for the St. Louis Stars, appearing in 175 games. Pat McBride was inducted in 1994 and became of the most famous soccer players of his era.
John “Jack” McGuire
Forward who played five seasons in the original American Soccer League of the 1920s and won two U.S. Open Cup titles.
McGuire got his Open Cup victories with Robins Dry Dock in 1921 and Paterson FC in 1923. In his ASL career, he appeared in 108 games for Todd Shipyards, Paterson, New York FC, New Bedford Whalers, and Brooklyn Wanderers.
John McGuire played one full international for the United States against Canada in 1925. Inducted in 1951.
Edward “Ed” McIlvenny
Midfielder who captained the United States in its upset win against England at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.
McIlvenny had emigrated from Scotland in 1949. He won an American Soccer League championship with Philadelphia Nationals in 1950. Still, after the World Cup, he signed with Manchester United and played in England and Ireland through most of the 1950s.
Edward McIlvenny played in all three United States’ games at the 1950 World Cup. Inducted in 1976.
Bernard “Benny” McLaughlin
Forward who starred in the U.S. Men’s National Team for several years but missed the 1950 World Cup because of work commitments.
McLaughlin played in the American Soccer League from 1945 to 1961, primarily with the Philadelphia Nationals, where he won ASL titles in 1949, 1950, 1951, and 1953.
Played for the United States in World Cup qualifiers in 1949 and 1954, in the game against Scotland in 1952 that drew a crowd of 107,765, and in the 1948 Olympic Games. Bernard McLaughlin wa inducted in 1977.
Alex McNab
Forward who played for several famous teams in Fall River and St. Louis in the 1920s and ’30s, winning six U.S. Open Cups in a row from 1930 to 1935.
Alex McNab had played 190 games in the Scottish first division and was a regular in the Scottish national team before moving to America in 1924.
He played in the ASL for Boston, Fall River, and New Bedford from 1924 to 1932 and the St. Louis league for Stix, Baer & Fuller, Central Breweries, and Shamrocks from 1932 to 1936, winning seven league titles. Inducted in 2005.
Robert “Bob” Millar
Forward who won the U.S. Open Cup four times and later coached the U.S. team in the inaugural World Cup in 1930.
Millar, who played for nine different teams during his pro playing career, won U.S. Open Cup titles with Brooklyn Field Club in 1914, Bethlehem Steel in 1915 and 1919, and New York Nationals in 1928.
In Bethlehem’s 1914-15 season, Robert Millar scored a team-record 59 goals in 34 games. Inducted in 1950.
Lloyd Monsen
Forward who was captain of the New York Americans team that won the American Soccer League-U.S. Open Cup double in 1954.
Monsen played nine seasons in the ASL, all of them for New York Americans and the team that it merged with, Hakoah, with whom he won ASL titles in 1957, 1958, and 1959.
Played five full internationals for the United States between 1952 and 1957, including one in front of a crowd of 107,765 in Scotland. Lloyd Monsen was inducted in 1994.
Joe-Max Moore
A midfielder and forward who was a member of United States teams at three World Cups and also starred for several club teams.
Moore played 100 full internationals for the United States between 1992 and 2002 and scored both goals of the qualifying win over Jamaica that clinched the United States’ place in the 2002 World Cup.
Joe-Max Moore played six seasons in MLS, three in the English Premier League and two in the German second division. Inducted in 2013.
Johnny Moore
Forward who played 11 full internationals for the United States, including four World Cup qualifiers in 1972.
Moore, who had emigrated from Scotland years before, played five seasons in the North American Soccer League between 1974 and 1978, four for the San Jose Earthquakes and one for the Oakland Stompers.
The famous soccer player became general manager of the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer. Johnny Moore was inducted in 1997.
George Moorhouse
Defender and midfielder who played for the United States in both the 1930 and 1934 World Cups, serving as captain in 1934, and had a long career in both the original and second American Soccer League.
Moorhouse played seven full internationals for the United States between 1926 and 1934 and 13 seasons in the American Soccer League.
George Moorhouse won his only U.S. Open Cup title in his final pro season with the New York Americans in 1937. Inducted in 1986.
Robert Morrison
Midfielder who was one of the early stars of the Bethlehem Steel team. Morrison, who emigrated from Scotland in 1910, played for Bethlehem from 1913 to 1918, when it rose from local to national prominence.
He was a member of the Bethlehem teams that won U.S. Open Cup titles in 1915 and 1916 and American Football Association Cup titles in 1914, 1916, and 1917. Robert Morrison was inducted in 1951.
Ed Murphy
Forward who was one of the leading stars of the U.S. Men’s National Team in the 1950s and ’60s.
Murphy, born in Scotland, played 18 full internationals for the United States between 1955 and 1969, including 13 World Cup qualifiers in 1957, 1960, 1965, and 1969.
He also scored eight goals in six games for the U.S. team that finished third in the 1959 Pan-American Games and Ed Murphy played his entire club career for Chicago teams, including Maroon, Slovak, and Norwegian-Americans. Inducted in 1998.
Bruce Murray
Forward who played 85 full internationals for the United States between 1986 and 1993. When he retired from the national team, he was its all-time leader in both caps and goals, with 21.
Murray played in all three of the United States’ games at the 1990 World Cup, scoring a goal against Austria, and all five of the United States’ games in winning the 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup, scoring two goals in that tournament. Bruce Murray was inducted in 2011.
William “Shamus” O’Brien
Forward who played in the American Soccer League from 1925 to 1938, winning two league championships.
O’Brien, born in Scotland and came to America at the age of 11, scored two key goals for the New York Giants in their comeback from a seven-goal deficit in the two-leg ASL final in January 1932.
In 1934, the first season of the reformed ASL, William O’Brien won a second title playing for the Kearny Irish in his adopted hometown. Inducted in 1990.
Arnold “Arnie” Oliver
Forward who was a member of the United States squad at the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay.
Oliver, who won a National Amateur Cup title in 1926 with New Bedford Defenders from his Massachusetts hometown, played in the original American Soccer League from 1925 to 1931 with teams that included J&P Coats, the Providence Gold Bugs, and the New Bedford Whalers.
Arnold “Arnie” Oliver was inducted in 1968 and was one of the most famous soccer players in the 1930s.
Len Oliver
Midfielder who played in the American Soccer League and for first-division teams in San Francisco in the 1950s and ’60s.
Oliver, who won an ASL championship in 1956 with Uhrik Truckers, was hampered by injuries and illnesses at inopportune times through most of his career.
Still, Len Oliver finally broke into national amateur teams for the 1963 Pan-American Games and 1964 Olympic qualifiers. He was inducted in 1996.
Gino Pariani
Forward who played in the United States team that beat England in the 1950 World Cup. Pariani, who had scored a goal against Spain in the United States’ previous game, played five full internationals for the United States and was a U.S. squad member at the 1948 Olympic Games in London.
Gino Pariani played for various St. Louis teams from the 1940s to the 1960s, including the Simpkins teams that won the U.S. Open Cup in 1948 and 1950. Inducted in 1976.
Bertram Patenaude
Forward who played for the United States in the 1930 World Cup and scored the first hat trick in World Cup history with his three goals against Paraguay.
At the time, Patenaude was playing for the Fall River Marksmen of the American Soccer League, with whom he had just won an ASL-U.S. Open Cup-Lewis Cup triple.
Bertram Patenaude won another Open Cup title in 1931 with Fall River and a third in 1935 with Central Breweries of St. Louis. Inducted in 1971.
Hugo Perez
Midfielder who played 73 full internationals and scored 13 goals for the United States during a 10-year career in the national team.
Perez, who was born in El Salvador and came to the United States as a child, played in the final three seasons of the North American Soccer League and made his national-team debut in 1984.
He played several World Cup qualifiers in 1988 and 1989, although he missed the 1990 World Cup itself because of injury, and then was a reserve in the 1994 World Cup, playing one of the four U.S. games.
Hugo Perez was inducted in 2008.
Eddie Pope
Defender who played for the United States in three World Cups and scored one of the most dramatic goals in American soccer history.
Pope played 82 full internationals for the United States between 1996 and 2006, including nine in the World Cup and 31 in World Cup qualifying.
During his 12 seasons in Major League Soccer, Hugo Perez won three league titles and scored the overtime goal that decided the first MLS championship in 1996. Inducted in 2011.
Predrag “Preki” Radosavljevic
Midfielder who broke into the national team after becoming an American citizen in 1996 and was the first man to win the Major League Soccer most valuable player award twice.
Preki, who emigrated from Yugoslavia in 1984, played 28 full internationals for the United States between 1996 and 2001, including 10 World Cup qualifiers and two games at the 1998 World Cup.
During his ten seasons in MLS as one of the most famous soccer players, Predrag Radosavljevic was named to the postseason Best XI four times and won one league title in 2000. Inducted in 2010.
Tab Ramos
Midfielder who played in three World Cups for the United States. Ramos appeared in 81 full internationals for the United States during a national team career from 1988 to 2000.
Those caps included 15 in World Cup qualifiers and nine in the 1990, 1994, and 1998 World Cups. Ramos, born in Uruguay and came to the United States as a child, was one of the pioneering American pros in Europe, playing several seasons in Spain in the early 1990s.
Tab Ramos was inducted in 2005.
Harry Ratican
Forward who was the first major star from St. Louis on the national scene. Ratican, who had played in St. Louis for Ben Millers, moved east in 1915 and played for several eastern teams.
Harry Ratican won three U.S. Open Cup titles, with Bethlehem Steel in 1918 and 1919 and Robins Dry Dock in 1921.
In addition, Ratican twice made Scandinavian tours with American teams, with Bethlehem Steel in 1919 and with a team of St. Louis all-stars in 1920. Inducted in 1950.
Jimmy Roe
Forward who starred in the Stix-Breweries-Shamrocks dynasty that dominated St. Louis soccer in the 1930s. Roe won three U.S. Open Cup titles, with Stix, Baer & Fuller in 1933 and 1934 and Central Breweries in 1935.
Roe, who joined Stix in 1930, played in the Open Cup final for six consecutive years and won St. Louis league championships in 1933, 1934, and 1935. Jimmy Roe was inducted in 1997.
Kyle Rote Jr
Forward who was one of the leading American players in the North American Soccer League, drew considerable attention to the sport.
Rote, the son of an American football icon, played six seasons in the NASL and led it in scoring in his rookie year, 1973. During his NASL career, he scored 44 goals in 150 games.
In addition, Kyle Rote Jr played five full internationals for the United States between 1973 and 1975. He was inducted in 2010.
Werner Roth
Defender who was captain of the New York Cosmos team that won the NASL championship in 1977.
Roth, who played for the Cosmos from 1972 to 1979, was one of the few Americans who could maintain his regular place in the team after the Cosmos began signing large numbers of major foreign stars in the mid-1970s.
Werner Roth played 15 full internationals for the United States between 1972 and 1975, including two World Cup qualifiers in 1972. One of the most famous soccer players of the Cosmos was inducted in 1989.
Francis “Hun” Ryan
Midfielder who played for the United States at the 1934 World Cup in Italy and the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany.
Ryan was a star of the Philadelphia German-American team from 1931 to 1937, winning the National Amateur Cup in 1933 and 1934, the American Soccer League championship in 1935, and the U.S. Open Cup in 1936.
Francis “Hun” Ryan played for other Philadelphia clubs for several more ASL seasons. Inducted in 1958.
Fabri Salcedo
Forward who was a prolific goalscorer for New York, Chicago and Philadelphia teams from 1934 to 1948.
Salcedo spent most of his career playing for Brooklyn Hispano of the American Soccer League, winning an ASL title with Hispano in 1943 and U.S. Open Cups in 1943 and 1944.
He reached the cup final in 1939 with Manhattan Beer of Chicago and won a second ASL title in 1948 with the Philadelphia Nationals.
Fabri Salcedo won the ASL scoring title three times, in 1938, 1941, and 1946. Inducted in 2005.
Philip Slone
Midfielder who was a member of the United States squad at the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay. Slone had begun his American Soccer League career in 1929 with New York Giants, and after the end of the original ASL.
Philip Slone played for Brookhattan in the second ASL throughout the 1930s. Played one full international for the United States, a friendly against Brazil in 1930. Inducted in 1986.
Ed Souza
Forward who played in the United States’ victory over England in the 1950 World Cup. That game was among six full internationals that Souza played for the United States between 1947 and 1954.
He won a U.S. Open Cup title in 1947 with Ponta Delgada of Fall River and captured the National Amateur Cup three times, with Ponta Delgada in 1947 and 1950 and German-Hungarians of Brooklyn in 1951.
Ed Souza was inducted in 1976.
John “Clarkie” Souza
Forward who played alongside Ed Souza, to whom he was not related, in the victory over England in the 1950 World Cup. Souza played 16 full internationals for the United States, including the game against Scotland before a crowd of 107,765 in 1952.
John Souza represented the United States in the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games, winning a U.S. Open Cup title in 1947 and National Amateur Cup titles in 1946, 1947, 1948, and 1951. Inducted in 1976.
Charles “Dick” Spalding
Defender who scored the first goal ever for the United States in a full international, against Sweden in 1916.
Spalding, who played for Disston A.A. in Philadelphia at the time, later played two seasons in the original American Soccer League for Harrison AA and Fleischer Yarn and eventually became a Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies and Washington Senators.
Charles Spalding was inducted in 1950. After changing sports, he become one of the most famous soccer players in the early days of US soccer.
Thomas Swords
Forward who was captain of the first U.S. Men’s National Team, the squad that made a Scandinavian tour in the summer of 1916.
Swords played the most significant part of his career for the Fall River Rovers from 1904 to 1909 and 1914 to 1920.
Thomas Swords scored the only goal of Fall River’s 1-0 victory over Bethlehem Steel in the 1917 U.S. Open Cup final and also played in the cup final in 1916 and 1918. He was inducted in 1951.
Raphael “Ralph” Tracey
Midfielder who played for the United States in the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay.
Tracey played all three United States games in that World Cup but could not play the second half of the semifinal against Argentina after suffering a knee injury 20 minutes into the game.
He played for several St. Louis clubs and reached the final of the U.S. Open Cup in 1926 with Ben Millers. Raphael Tracey was inducted in 1986.
Frank Vaughn
Defender who was a member of the United States squad at the inaugural World Cup in Uruguay in 1930. At the time of his selection to that World Cup team, Vaughn was playing for Ben Millers of the St. Louis Soccer League, one of several outstanding St. Louis teams he played for during his long and successful career.
Along with his club teammate Ralph Tracey, they started the tradition of St. Louis players on U.S. World Cup rosters. He was inducted in 1986.
Alex Weir
Defender who played in the American Soccer League from 1936 to 1949.
Weir, who emigrated from Scotland at 19, played for St. Mary’s Celtic of Brooklyn, New York Americans, Brooklyn Wanderers, and Brookhattan Galicia during his ASL career.
Alex Weir was captain of the St. Mary’s Celtic team that reached the final of the U.S. Open Cup in 1938. Inducted in 1975.
Alan Willey
Forward who was the No. 2 goalscorer in North American Soccer League history, surpassed only by Giorgio Chinaglia.
Willey played nine seasons in the NASL for the Minnesota Kicks, Montreal Manic, and Minnesota Strikers. He appeared in 264 NASL games and scored 142 goals in those games.
Before moving to the NASL in 1976, Alan Willey had played several seasons for Middlesborough in the English first division. Inducted in 2003.
Peter Wilson
Defender who played for several strong American teams after emigrating from Scotland in 1898. Wilson played for Scots-Americans of Kearny, N.J., Paterson Rangers, Pawtucket Rangers, and Philadelphia Hibernians.
Counting the two seasons Peter Wilson had played for St. Johnstone in Scotland, he was a professional soccer player for 25 years. Inducted in 1950.
Adam Wolanin
Forward who played for the United States in the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, appearing in the United States’ game against Spain in that World Cup.
Wolanin, born in Poland, played for several teams in the National Soccer League of Chicago, including the Maroons, Eagles, and Falcons.
Adam Wolanin played for the Falcons team that won the 1953 U.S. Open Cup. Inducted in 1976.
Alexander Wood
Defender who played for the United States in the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay.
Wood, who was born in Scotland and emigrated to the United States as a teenager in 1921, played four full internationals for the United States, three at the 1930 World Cup and one during the trip home from that World Cup.
Before 1930, Alexander Wood had played for midwestern teams like Chicago Bricklayers and Holley Carburetor of Detroit and then played several seasons for English pro teams in the 1930s. Inducted in 1986.
Al Zerhusen
Midfielder who played for the United States in World Cup qualifiers in 1957, 1960 and 1965.
Zerhusen played nine full internationals for the United States. Still, his most memorable days in a U.S. uniform may have been at the 1959 Pan-American Games, where he scored ten goals in the United States six games.
Al Zerhusen was captain of the Los Angeles Kickers for ten years, including the teams that won the U.S. Open Cup in 1958 and 1964.
The midfielder was a fan favorite. He was one of the most famous soccer players of the 1960s and was inducted in 1978.