The DC United Story - Part 1 - The Early Days
A look at the start of soccer in our nations capital
DC United are historically one of the biggest and more successful MLS franchises in the 30 year history of Major League Soccer, being one of the founding members in 1995 as the country's thirst for soccer was at a fever pitch in the wake of an incredible 1994 World Cup hosted in the United States. Our nation's capital has a history with soccer, dating back to 1974 with the Washington Diplomats in the now defunct NASL. While the NASL ultimately went bust, it laid the important groundwork for the MLS and soccer as a whole in the United States. From Pele and Franz Beckenbauer to George Best, the NASL was able to attract some of soccer's greats, then in the twilight of their careers, paving the way for the likes of Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and David Beckham, some of the most famous players to have played in the MLS in recent years. Washington wasn't left without a star however, as the Diplomats were able to acquire the services of three time Ballon d'Or winner Johan Cruyff, who played in DC for the 1980-81 season, scoring 12 in 29. While the Diplomats folded following the end of the 1980-81 NASL season, the impact they made is still felt today.
In the years following the collapse of the NASL, DC locals were largely without a team for more then 10 years, the only exception being the brief spell of a new club, also named the Washington Diplomats (1987 - 1990), who competed in the American Soccer League. Then came USA ‘94. The kits, the players, the drama - the spark American soccer needed. From Roberto Baggio’s missed penalty to Alexi Lalas’ wild hair, this tournament had it all. Within two years of the final whistle of the competition at the Rose Bowl, a new era of American soccer had begun. Introducing: Major League Soccer. And the first ever MLS game? DC United vs San Jose Clash; April 6th 1996.
Within the first 5 years of the new league, DC United won 3 league titles, and came runners up in another. Aided by some of the leagues first stars, DC won the league title in the 1996 season, with El Salvadorian forward Raul Diaz Arce scoring 23 goals in 28 games, a tally that still is joint top for a single season in DC United club history. Aiding the prolific Diaz Arce was the midfield maestro Marco Etcheverry, who racked up 16 assists in the 26 games he featured in. The 1997 season was even more successful, as not only did the team complete a back to back title victory, they finished 1st in the overall league table as well during the regular season. The same duo of Diaz Arce and Marco Etcheverry were bolstered by a 23 year old Bolivian forward by the name of Jaime Moreno. As the league grew however, DC started to fall by the wayside, finishing outside the top 7 teams league-wide in 4 consecutive seasons from 2000 to 2003. The next year saw somewhat of a renaissance for the club, which was still less than 10 years old. In the 2004 season, DC United were able to regain their spot at the top, finishing 4th in the overall league table. They would go on to win the MLS Cup, with a team starring the legendary Jaime Moreno and the teenage phenomenon who made his MLS debut at age 14 - Freddy Adu. From the 2004 season, DC seemed to be back on their perch, finishing in 3rd place in 2005, and back to back first place finishes in 2006 and 2007, although they did not manage to win the MLS Cup.
In the next part of this 3-part series covering the history of DC United, we will break down the middle years of the club and look into what began to go wrong.