Paul Caligiuri

Infobox Football biography
playername= Paul Caligiuri
fullname = Paul David Caligiuri
nickname =


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1964|5|9
cityofbirth = Westminster, California
countryofbirth = United States
height = height|ft=5|in=10
currentclub = Retired
clubnumber = 20
position = Midfielder / Defender
youthyears = 1990-1994
youthclubs = UCLA
years = 1986
1987-1988
1988-1990
1991
1994-1995
1995
1995-1996
1996
1997-2001
clubs = San Diego Nomads
Hamburg
SV Meppen
FC Hansa Rostock
SC Freiburg
Los Angeles Salsa
→ FC St. Pauli ("loan")
Columbus Crew
Los Angeles Galaxy
caps(goals) = 010 (2)
000 (0)
045 (1)
022 (0)
018 (0)
015 (0)
025 (3)
136 (8)
nationalyears = 1984–1997
nationalteam = United States
nationalcaps(goals) = 110 (5)
manageryears = 2002-
managerclubs = Cal Poly Pomona
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Paul David Caligiuri (born May 9, 1964, in Westminster, California) is a former American soccer player and current head coach of the Cal Poly Pomona men's college soccer team. Caliguiri's professional career spanned 16 years, during which he played for numerous teams in the United States and Germany. His greatest acclaim came with the U.S. national team. During his 14 years as a defender and defensive midfielder with the national team, he earned 110 caps and scored five goals.

Caligiuri is best remembered for his game-winning goal widely dubbed the "Shot heard round the world," [ cite news
last = Robledo
first = Fred J
title = Kick Start: Ten years later, one goal still means a lot
pages =
publisher = The (Los Angeles) Daily News
date = 1999-11-19
url = http://www.thefreelibrary.com/KICK+START%3B+TEN+YEARS+LATER,+ONE+GOAL+STILL+MEANS+A+LOT.(Sports)-a083629709
accessdate =2007-12-01] which he scored in a 1-0 World Cup qualifier victory over Trinidad and Tobago on November 19, 1989. The victory qualified the United States for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, its first World Cup berth since 1950. There Caligiuri notched the first World Cup goal for the U.S. national team in 40 years, scoring in a 5-1 defeat against Czechoslovakia. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Playing career

High school and college

After graduating from Walnut High School, Caligiuri attended UCLA from 1982 to 1985. During his four seasons with the Bruins, he was twice named an NCAA All-American. He also captained the Bruins to an NCAA Championship his junior year.

an Diego Nomads

After graduating from UCLA, Caligiuri played the 1986 season with the San Diego Nomads of the Western Soccer Alliance, earning the league's Most Valuable Player award. He was also named the 1986 U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year.

Germany

Caligiuri's rookie professional accomplishments attracted the attention of German Bundesliga club Hamburger SV, who signed him after his appearance in the 1986 FIFA/UNICEF All Star Game. However, he did not manage to break into Hamburger's first team.

In 1988, Hamburger transferred Caligiuri to SV Meppen of the German Second Bundesliga, where he played for two seasons. From Meppen, he moved to FC Hansa Rostock in East Germany, with whom he would win the East German professional championship.

USSF

On March 14, 1990, Caligiuri signed a contract with USSF making him a full time national team member. ^{[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE5DF1F31F936A25750C0A966958260]} He remained on contract with USSF for several years. In 1993, he briefly considered moving to a British or German club after being omitted from the U.S. team's Gold Cup roster, but ultimately chose to dedicate himself to the national team as it prepared for the 1994 World Cup.

Return to Germany

Following the 1994 World Cup, he returned to Germany to play for Second Bundesliga club SC Freiburg.

Los Angeles Salsa/FC St. Pauli

On May 4, 1995, Caliguiri returned to the United States from Germany to sign with the Los Angeles Salsa of the American Professional Soccer League to gain match fitness before the U.S. national team's games that summer. He donated his entire salary from the Salsa to the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. ^{[http://www.socceramerica.com/article.asp?Art_ID=948]} In August, the Salsa loaned Caligiuri to Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli, where he appeared in 14 games. In January 1996, the team elected not to exercise an option in Caligiuri's contract and allowed him to return to the United States, where he signed with the emergent Major League Soccer.

MLS

Despite a contract clause that dictated he play for his hometown Los Angeles Galaxy, MLS allocated Caligiuri to the Columbus Crew. Caligiuri sued MLS, and after an extended legal battle during his season with the Crew, he was placed with Los Angeles for the 1997 season. He played there until his 2001 retirement, finishing his MLS career with nine goals and 14 assists accumulated during 135 games, including 123 starts.

National team

While at UCLA Caligiuri had earned his first cap for the national team, playing October 9, 1984 against El Salvador. Caligiuri eventually tallied 110 appearances for the United States, and scored five goals from his position in the midfield. Caligiuri was a central figure in the national team from the 1980s through the mid-1990s, and started every U.S. match in both the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. In 1997 he played his final game for the national team.

Caligiuri played with the U.S. Futsal team in 1996, earning four caps and scoring one goal.

Coaching

Caligiuri easily found work after retiring as a player, and was appointed head coach of both the men and women's soccer teams at Cal Poly Pomona university before the beginning of their 2001 fall seasons, although he did not take over until 2002.

In 2004, Caligiuri was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame. He serves as an athlete representative on the board of directors of the United States Soccer Federation.

Caligiuri has two daughters: Ashley, a freshman at Walnut High School, and Kayley, a sixth grader at Suzanne Middle School.

References

External links

* [http://dsa.csupomona.edu/athletics/menssoccer/pcaligiuri.asp?setactive=page Cal Poly Bio]
* [http://www.slate.com/id/2168476/slideshow/2168583/fs/0//entry/2168578/ Video of goal versus Trinidad and Tobago]
* [http://www.soccerhall.org/famers/Paul_Caligiuri.htm National Soccer Hall of Fame bio]

Persondata
NAME=Caligiuri, Paul David
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Professional soccer player
DATE OF BIRTH=May 9, 1964
PLACE OF BIRTH=Westminster, California
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=