Nelson Vargas
Encyclopedia
Nélson Vargas
Nélson Vargas de Jesús is a retired male road racing cyclist from Colombia.-Career:19992001-References:...
Nelson Vargas (born August 6, 1974 in Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range of mountains. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 39,880...
) is a former U.S. soccer player. He spent five seasons in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
. He was also a member of the U.S. soccer team
United States at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The United States was the host nation for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.- Gold:* Justin Huish — Archery, Men's Individual Competition* Justin Huish, Richard Johnson, and Rod White — Archery, Men's Team Competition...
at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
.
Youth
Vargas attended Miami Coral Park High SchoolMiami Coral Park High School
Miami Coral Park Senior High School is a secondary school, located at 8865 S.W. 16th Street in the Westchester neighborhood of Miami, Florida, United States. The school was opened in 1963. It was the first school with A/C in south Florida. The principal is Dr. Nick JacAngelo...
and played youth soccer with Inter Juventus in Miami. After high school, he chose to forego college and he moved to Europe to train with Valencienne in France, and Sporting Club of Portugal. Vargas signed his first professional contract at the age of 16 to play for Standard Liege
Standard Liège
Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège Royal Standard de Liège, commonly referred to as Standard Liège (Dutch: Standard Luik [], German: Standard Lüttich , is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège....
in Belgium.
MLS
The Tampa Bay MutinyTampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
selected Vargas in the twelfth round (117th overall) in the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft
The MLS Inaugural Player Draft, held before Major League Soccer's initial 1996 season, distributed players who had already graduated from college to the league's ten inaugural teams. The draft occurred on February 6 and 7, 1996...
. He spent two seasons with the Mutiny before the Miami Fusion
Miami Fusion
Miami Fusion F.C. was a professional soccer club located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that participated in Major League Soccer from 1998 to 2001. The club played in Lockhart Stadium, which was a former high school stadium converted into a soccer-specific stadium...
selected Vargas in the 1997 MLS Expansion Draft
1997 MLS Expansion Draft
The 1997 MLS Expansion Draft was held November 6, 1997. Two teams participated, the Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion F.C., both expansion Major League Soccer clubs planned for the 1998 season.-Format:...
. On July 25 2000 while playing in an Open Cup game in Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
, Vargas sustained a right ankle sprain that turned out to be a career ending injury. After three seasons in Miami, the Fusion waived Vargas on November 2000.http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/miamifusion/message/2
U.S. national teams
In 1991, Vargas was a member of the U.S. team at the U-17 World Youth Championship1991 FIFA U-17 World Championship
The 1991 FIFA U-17 World Championship was held in the cities of Florence, Montecatini, Viareggio, Massa, Carrara, and Livorno in Italy between 16 August and 31 August 1991...
which went 3-0 in the first round. In the second round, the team tied Qatar 1-1 in regulation only to fall 5-4 in penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
s.
That same year, he earned his first of four caps with the U.S. national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
when he came on at half time for Mike Slivinski
Mike Slivinski
-Youth and college:Slivinski, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, grew up immersed in that city’s soccer culture. Beginning playing when he was five, Slivinski became a member of the Scott Gallagher soccer club...
in a September 14 win over Jamaica
Jamaica national football team
The Jamaica national football team is the national team of Jamaica and is controlled by the Jamaica Football Federation. After decades in CONCACAF obscurity, they gained many fans throughout the world after they qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup...
. At the time, Slivinski was the youngest U.S. player to earn a cap and Vargas was only three months older. Vargas did not play again with the senior national team until November 19, 1994 in a loss to Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago national football team
The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
. He then played two more games that year, his last coming on December 11th.
In 1993, Vargas was selected for the U.S. team which qualified for the 1993 U-20 World Cup
1993 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Australia for second time from 5 to 20 March 1993. The 1993 championship was the 9th contested. The tournament took place in five venues: Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide....
to be held in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He scored two goal in the CONCACAF
CONCACAF
The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
qualifying games. At the World Cup, the U.S. went 1-1-1 in group play, qualifying for the second round where it fell to Brazil.
In 1996, U.S. coach Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena
Bruce Arena is a former coach of the United States men's national soccer team as well as a former professional soccer and lacrosse player...
named Vargas to the U.S. soccer team
United States at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The United States was the host nation for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.- Gold:* Justin Huish — Archery, Men's Individual Competition* Justin Huish, Richard Johnson, and Rod White — Archery, Men's Team Competition...
at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. Once again, the team went 1-1-1, but this time failed to make the second round.
Acting
In 2005, Vargas played the part of John SouzaJohn Souza
John "Clarkie" Souza-Benavides is a former soccer player who earned 14 caps and scored 3 goals for the United States men's national soccer team, and played in the U.S. team's historic 1–0 victory over England in the 1950 FIFA World Cup...
in The Game of Their Lives, a movie about the U.S. victory over England in the 1950 FIFA World Cup
1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1328374/ He also starred in a Powerade and Allsport commercial that also featured Alexi Lalas.