Captain America

It was 1996. My wife an I had just settled into our seats at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama to watch the US Olympic soccer team take on the vaunted team from Argentina. The two teams were very famliar to each other since they practiced together over the summer. Just a few seconds into the match the Americans suprised the Argentines with a lightning fast goal. It's scorer was the team captain, Claudio Reyna.


Reyna went on to build one of the most prolific careers of any American soccer player. Last season, in the waning years of his career, he played limited minutes for Manchester City of the English Premier League alongside fellow American and World Cup teammate, Demarcus Beasley. He became so popular in Europe, they dubbed him "Captain America."

This season, Claudio Reyna will be playing his first season in the MLS for the New York Red Bulls. With all the hype surrounding David Beckham, it's still great to see an American Reyna back on his home soil playing soccer. Finally Captain America is back home. Let's hope he gets the welcome he deserves.