For years, American players have had to fight for respect in Europe. As part of Black History Month, let's take a look at the African-American players who have blazed a trail into Europe, as well as those who have made a significant impact on the sport in the United States.
American soccer history is full of Black players, coaches, and other contributors that have helped shape how we view our soccer. From the very first Black soccer players, the Watson brothers, to players currently on the USWNT or USMNT like Sophia Smith, Jaedyn Shaw, or Tyler Adams, that are the present and future of our teams.
Black American soccer history is American soccer history. Our history is shaped by the many contributions that Black soccer players have made and the lessons that they have bestowed upon us are ones that we should continue to hold high when we think about the history of the beautiful game in this country.
The journey of knowledge that I embarked on 6 years ago continues, and as always, I invite you to join me in that journey. The best way for us to improve our soccer is to learn and re-learn the history that brought us to this point, to recognize the hardships that people of color continue to endure in the sport, and to have the hard conversations with each other and think deeply about the changes that need to happen.
Pioneering Figures
Kim Crabbe
One can’t correlate Black history to American soccer without initially referencing the pioneer herself, Kim Crabbe. Crabbe, the first black woman called up to the United States Women’s National Team, would cement a legacy and lasting impact on future generations of black players.
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Crabbe grew up in Reston, Virginia and attended George Mason University where she won a National Championship in 1985. Surrounded by people who didn’t share the same physical features, she embraced those differences and refused to allow underrepresentation to squander her dreams. Her mission of equal opportunity and progressing the game didn’t stop when her national team career ended in 1988.
She’s currently the Director Of Programming and Outreach for Wilmington Hammerheads FC, a non-profit youth soccer organization in North Carolina. Her accolades include 2021 Youth Coach of the Year and Virginia-DC Hall of Fame inductee.
In 1986, Crabbe became the first Black player to earn a call-up to the senior national team. Soccer award in her honor, the Kim Crabbe Game Changers Award, given to a member of the soccer community who made a long-lasting impact in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Sandi Gordon
While Crabbe paved the way, the color barrier was broken again in 1987 when Sandi Gordon became the first black woman to earn a cap for the United States.
Gordon’s passion for soccer began as a child after her family moved to Washington. She played for a youth club team, the Tacoma Sounderettes, which later graduated to a senior team, the Cozars. She was named the state’s top player in 1981.
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During a 2020 interview, Gordon details how there were few opportunities during her adolescence to obtain national recognition within soccer. Although losing 2-1 to Sweden in her debut for her country, her historical achievement would stand to be far more memorable.
USWNT head coach at the time, Anson Dorrance, said Gordon’s competitiveness and versatility was unbelievable and he enjoyed coaching her. The 24 year-old’s special talent earned her six additional caps as a defender.
Briana Scurry
With the topic of greatness comes the world-class save from Briana Scurry. Two-time Olympic Gold Medalists and World Cup Champion, Scurry was the first Black Female player to earn both accolades.
History was made in July 1999 when a sold out crowd in Pasadena, California, anxiously awaited the victor between the United States and China in the Women’s World Cup final. After both teams failed to score during regulation and periods of extra time, the match came down to a penalty shootout. Following two successful shots from each side, Scurry took her position once again in front of the net. This time, she saved the penalty. She came off her line, dove to the left and punched the ball wide. The southern California stadium erupted and Scurry pumped her first in the air with excitement.
The National Museum of African American History and Culture showcases Scurry’s contributions in a permanent Title IX exhibit. The standout goalkeeper retired in 2010 and finished her senior career with 173 caps. She has set the precedent for what overcoming barriers in this country looks like. She’s the first Black Female in the National Soccer Hall of Fame. She is openly gay. And she is certainly one of the greatest goalkeepers in the world.
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In her memoir, “My Greatest Save”, Scurry wrote, “I wouldn’t change a thing. I love who I am.
Desmond Armstrong
For Black soccer players in the 1980s, it was considered impossible until Eddie Hawkins broke the color barrier in 1984.
Desmond Armstrong was born in 1964 in Washington D.C. and eventually moved to Wheaton, Maryland. From living next to a KKK member, unfair treatment from the police, to a bomb being thrown in his school bathroom as schools integrated, Armstrong faced adversity constantly on and off the field.
The United States defender grew up playing basketball, but it wasn’t until an altercation on the basketball court that resulted in Armstrong joining the soccer team of his previous foe. At that point, Armstrong started competing for the Wheaton Boys and Girls Club travel teams as he learned the game quickly using his pace and quickness as his main asset.
After a travel team trip to Sutton, England, Armstrong was hooked and knew he wanted to have a career as a professional soccer player.
Armstrong came back to the States and attended the University of Maryland, receiving All-ACC first-team honors twice. After graduation, he was selected third overall in the 1986 Major Indoor Soccer League by the Cleveland Force.
While competing for the Force, Desmond also pursued an outdoor career with the United States Men’s National Team making his debut in 1987 and eventually would make 81 total appearances for the red, white and blue.
Armstrong remains heavily involved in the game as he co-founded the East Nash Soccer in 2018- a premier youth soccer league that prioritizes player development while honoring human diversity, family participation, and community wellness.
“Soccer is a universal sport,” Armstrong says. “Soccer is a tool that can be used for several different things. I want to use it to have a lasting impact in the community, in the lives of the people that I engage with, the kids themselves, their families, or players who played for me venturing into their own life.
Table of Pioneering African American Soccer Players
| Player Name | Achievements |
|---|---|
| Kim Crabbe | First black woman called up to the USWNT |
| Sandi Gordon | First black woman to earn a cap for the USWNT |
| Briana Scurry | First Black Female player to earn both accolades |
| Desmond Armstrong | 81 appearances for the USMNT |
Early Trailblazers in Europe
Throughout the 1990s, American soccer was fighting for whatever scraps they could get. The sport was still in its infancy in the States, with the 1994 World Cup beginning a change that felt long overdue.
After that World Cup, Cobi Jones became one of American soccer's first pop culture icons. His performance in 1994 vaulted him into the national spotlight, but it also opened doors to Europe. Jones spent one season with Coventry City in the Premier League right after the tournament, making 24 appearances, before joining Brazilian side Vasco da Gama for a brief spell. His road, ultimately, brought him back to MLS, but Jones was one of the first Americans to cross over and make an impact in the Premier League.
His 1994 World Cup teammate Earnie Stewart was thriving in the Netherlands at the same time. His impact on the Dutch top-flight is still felt today, with Stewart now serving as PSV's director of football, using his platform to sign Sergino Dest, Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi.
DaMarcus Beasley: 100 Caps with the U.S. Men's National Team
If you're going to argue which American has had the best European career, few can match up with DaMarcus Beasley. After becoming a star at age 20 at the 2002 World Cup, Beasley eventually made the move to PSV. With the Dutch side, he went all the way to the Champions League semifinal, becoming the first American to reach that stage of the competition. Once there, Beasley and PSV lost on away goals, suffering elimination at the hands of a legendary AC Milan side.
Beasley went on to feature for some of Europe's biggest clubs: Manchester City, Rangers and Hannover, before coming back to North America for stints with Puebla and Houston.
He's one of the best American soccer has ever seen, and perhaps more than any other player, he blazed a trail through Europe that many ended up following.
Manchester United, at that time, were the biggest team in the world. And, in 2003, they went out and signed Tim Howard to be their goalkeeper.
His time at Old Trafford didn't last long, but there's no denying what Howard ended up thriving in the Premier League. As Everton's No.1, Howard proved time and time again that he was one of the best goalkeepers in England. At a time when American goalkeepers were earning respect in the Premier League, Howard might just have been the best of the bunch as he established himself as a legend at Goodison Park.
Few Americans have a connection to a club quite like Howard does with Everton, and few ever will.
Pathway Opens Up
By the mid-2000s, the pathway had begun to open up. Some of America's top stars were headed to Europe determined to prove themselves for both club and country.
Maurice Edu became a folk hero at Rangers, scoring a legendary winner against Celtic, before going on to play for Stoke City.
Cory Gibbs, Eddie Johnson and Charlie Davies all created their own pathway to Europe, and all are actively involved in the game today. Gibbs is an agent, representing some of the best and brightest American soccer has to offer; Johnson works heavily within the youth space, helping develop up-and-coming talent; and Davies, like Edu, is a mainstay on TV, becoming one of the top pundits in the American game.
Perhaps the best goalscorer American soccer's ever seen, Jozy Altidore is responsible for quite possibly the best season an American player has ever had in Europe. His 51 goals across two campaigns with AZ, headlined by 31 in 2012-13, showed how dominant he could be. His move to Sunderland didn't go to plan, but that won't erase just how decisive Altidore was in the Eredivisie.
Current Generation
And that brings us to the here and now, to a USMNT loaded with Black players plying their craft at higher levels than ever before.
Of the 26 players that made the USMNT's 2022 World Cup squad, 12 were Black. And, of those 12, eight were playing in Europe at the highest levels.
The likes of Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Tyler Adams are blazing a new trail, playing for teams at a higher level than any of their predecessors. McKennie is a key figure at Juventus, one of the world's biggest clubs, alongside Weah. Adams is at Bournemouth in the Premier League, and he already has a Champions League quarterfinal goal on his resume from his time with RB Leipzig.
Yunus Musah is at AC Milan, Antonee Robinson is killing it for Fulham, Haji Wright continues to score in the Championship... the list goes on and on. And there are several Black players on their way up, too, with youngsters like Josh Wynder, Chris Richards, Kevin Paredes and Malik Tillman climbing the ranks.
USWNT Stars
On the USWNT side, the European game hasn't been quite as enticing as it has been to men's stars. The game has, generally, been better on this side of the pond, leaving little incentive for many to go abroad.
However, as England's top-flight grapples with its own diversity issues after a controversial Arsenal team photo, several Black USWNT stars have had quite an impact on the game in England.
In the past, players like Crystal Dunn and Christen Press have showcased their talents for megaclubs. Dunn 's time with Chelsea was brief, but she had her moments, helping the Blues reach the quarterfinals of the 2017-18 Champions League. Press, meanwhile, bounced all over Europe, playing in Sweden for several years before a stint with Manchester United in 2020. She scored 14 times during her time in Manchester before returning home to join Angel City FC in 2022.
Currently, two of the USWNT's most promising stars are plying their trade at Chelsea under future national team manager Emma Hayes. Mia Fishel is coming into her own, having joined the club after scoring goals for fun at Tigres to establish herself as a potential USWNT No.9 of the future. Catarina Macario, meanwhile, is nearing a return from injury as she'll look to add another dimension to the national team attack when healthy.
The USWNT's core is more diverse than ever, with several Black players among the most promising prospects in the pool today.
The United States have made strides towards providing a more inclusive and diverse environment for Black Female athletes. The power of Black History Month grants current players the time to reflect on where additional progress and improvements can be made. Players like Christen Press and Sophia Smith are not only living up to the standard of their predecessors, but they remain inspirations for the Nation’s youth.
Press, the MAC Hermann Trophy winner in 2010, was the first Black Female to win the college honor. This would be the first time a black female name was etched on the trophy.
Both Press and Smith are members of the Black Women’s Player Collective, a non-profit created by black players in the NWSL.
