Editing Marcelo Balboa (section)

==Club career==

===Youth===
Balboa, who is of Argentine descent, was born in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], [[Illinois]], and grew up in [[Cerritos, California]].  Balboa played youth soccer for Fram-Culver, which won the 1986 McGuire Cup (U-19 National Championship).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.soccertimes.com/facts/usa/youth_soccer.htm |title=USA Youth Soccer National Champions (1935–1998) |access-date=2011-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111119033642/http://www.soccertimes.com/facts/usa/youth_soccer.htm |archive-date=2011-11-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  Balboa's father, Luis Balboa who played professionally in Argentina and with the [[Chicago Mustangs (1967–68)|Chicago Mustangs]] of the North American Soccer League, coached him.  In 1985, Balboa graduated from [[Cerritos High School]].

Balboa attended [[Cerritos College]], a local two-year community college from 1986 to 1987.  At Cerritos, Balboa was both placekicker on the football team and a two-time 1st Team All-South Coast Conference soccer player.  Cerritos College has retired Balboa's jersey number – #3.<ref>[http://www.cerritos.edu/hpea/athletics/sports/m_soccer/2011/media_guide/2011%20M_Soccer.pdf Cerritos College Soccer Media Guide]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>  In 1988, Balboa transferred to [[San Diego State University]] where he was a 1988 [[List of NCAA Division I men's soccer First-Team All-America teams|First Team]] and a 1989 Second Team All American soccer player.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://goaztecs.cstv.com/genrel/balboa_marcelo00.html |title=San Diego Aztecs: Marcelo Balboa |access-date=January 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523095703/http://goaztecs.cstv.com/genrel/balboa_marcelo00.html |archive-date=May 23, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Professional===
From 1987 to 1989, Balboa played the collegiate off-seasons on an amateur contract with the professional [[San Diego Nomads]] of the [[Western Soccer League]].  He was the 1988 WSA MVP.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1988.html#WSA |title=The Year in American Soccer – 1988 |access-date=January 4, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130713141625/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1988.html#WSA |archive-date=July 13, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  In 1990, Balboa began his professional career with the [[San Francisco Bay Blackhawks]] of the [[American Professional Soccer League]].<ref>[http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1990/statswsa90.htm#SFB 1990 San Francisco Bay Blackhawks]</ref>  In 1992, he moved to the [[Colorado Foxes]].<ref>[http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/1992/stats92.htm#Colorado 1992 Colorado Foxes]</ref> He played for [[Club León|León]] in the [[Primera División de México|Mexican League]] in 1995 and 1996.

In 1996, Balboa signed with [[Major League Soccer]] and the [[Colorado Rapids]]. Balboa played six seasons for the Rapids, leading as the team's all-time leader in many statistical categories.{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}  Traded to the [[MetroStars]] in 2002, he played only five minutes all year, sitting out the rest with injuries, and retiring afterwards.

Balboa ended his MLS career with 24 goals and 23 assists in 152 games. In 2005, Balboa was named to the [[MLS All-Time Best XI]] and elected to the [[National Soccer Hall of Fame]] on the first ballot along with Nick Folan.  In 2012, he was inducted into the Colorado Hall of Fame.<ref>[http://www.coloradosports.org/Balboa_Marcelo.cfm Colorado Hall of Fame: Marcelo Balboa] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825025047/http://www.coloradosports.org/Balboa_Marcelo.cfm |date=2013-08-25 }}</ref>

A goal by Balboa for the Rapids in 2000 against the [[Columbus Crew]] was named the MLS Goal of the Year for that season.