“Who was the first American to play for a major European soccer team?” asks Kurt Perleberg.
When the USMNT started to qualify for the World Cup on a regular basis in the 1990s, US internationals – and goalkeepers in particular – became a regular sight in European football. But John Harkes, Tony Meola (remember his spells at Brighton and Watford? Nope, nor did we), Paul Caligiuri, Kasey Keller and the rest weren’t the first wave of American footballers to cross the pond.
Niche nerds across the globe owe thanks to Tim Dockery, who has sent a list of some of the earliest Americans to…
