Happy 91st Anniversary!

On Aug. 20, 1916, the United States Football Association’s Men’s National Team played its first-ever official match under the banner of FIFA after gaining full membership just over two years earlier. In Stockholm, the U.S. earned a 3-2 win against Sweden on goals by Charles Ellis, C.H. Spalding and Harry Cooper. All three scorers made just one more official appearance for the U.S., a 1-1 draw against Norway on Sept. 3, 1916, in Oslo, with Ellis depositing the lone goal for the USA. Now 91 years later, the U.S. MNT has played a total of 495 matches, appeared in eight World Cup finals and won four confederation championships. Here’s the USA’s lineup from the inaugural match against Sweden:

George Tintele, James Roberston, C.H. Spalding (1), Thomas Murray, Neil Clarke, Clarence Smith, James Ford, Thomas Swords, John Hemingsley, Charles Ellis (1), Harry Cooper (1)

The team would go almost eight years before playing its next full international when it participated in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. Of the starting XI on that day in Stockholm, only one player earned a cap after 1916. James Robertson started in the 6-1 win against Canada on Nov. 8, 1925, in Brooklyn, N.Y.

By the way, did you get a load of the photo on the front page of ussoccer.com? Definitely glad to have those guys on our side. They look mighty tough...