Spotlight on Soccer

On June 11, 1975, American soccer changed forever when the international soccer star Pelé signed with the New York Cosmos. In the following decades, youth teams emerged across the country, the U.S. won the first FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991, hosted the FIFA 1994 Men’s World Cup, and won fourth place in the Men’s Soccer tournament in the 2000 Summer Olympics. Explore soccer-related artifacts from across the Smithsonian’s museums, including jerseys worn by legends like Pelé and Mia Hamm, historic soccer balls, stamps, trophies, and more.