Marcelo Balboa (born August 8, 1967) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a defender in the 1990s for the United States national team, becoming its captain.

He is the head boys' soccer coach for Monarch High School in Louisville, Colorado,[2] Balboa, who is of Argentine descent, was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in Cerritos, California.

[5] 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.

[citation needed] Traded to the MetroStars in 2002, he played only five minutes all year, sitting out the rest with injuries, and retiring afterwards.

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.

He anchored the American defense in the 1990 and the 1994 FIFA World Cups, in the latter receiving international attention for his near miss with a bicycle kick[10] in the United States' win over Colombia.

In 1998, he joined Tab Ramos and Eric Wynalda as the first United States players to play in three World Cups.

Balboa ended his United States career with 128 caps and 13 goals, and his final appearance came in a friendly against Iran on January 16, 2000.