Two-time SDSU All-American and Five-time MLS All-Star Marcelo Balboa
has announced his retirement from professional soccer.
from our news group Soccer-Football Fans Worldwide
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sffw

His Biggest Milestones:

One of only three U.S. players to have played a game in three
different World Cup finals (1990, '94 and '98)

Became the first U.S. soccer player, male or female, to reach 100
international appearances (on June 11, 1995, in a 3-2 win over
Nigeria)

Along with Kasey Keller, is the only two-time winner of U.S. Soccer's
Male Athlete of the Year award ('92, '94)

Played two seasons at San Diego State University (1988 and 1989),
before turning pro. A two-time All-American at SDSU, he Led the
Aztecs to the NCAA tournament twice.

His MLS Career:

Balboa, 35, joined the the MLS Colorado Rapids in February 1996. He
scored the first goal for Colorado, and scored two of the three goals
in the first win in team history on April 21, 1996. He started in
146 of 151 regular-season games for Colorado.

During a six-year stay with the Rapids he became the franchise's
career leader in minutes played (13,379), games started (146) and
games played (151), and on May 30, 2001 he became the first defender
in MLS history to record more than 20 goals and 20 assists in his
career.

Colorado traded Balboa to the MetroStars before the 2002 season. He
was limited by a knee injury to five minutes playing time last
season.

His current life:

He and his wife, Cindi, reside in Superior, CO, and have one son,
Nicholas Jacob, born Feb. 28, 2003.
original written by U.S. men's team news group Go USA at Yahoo,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Go_USA_2003