There is no place like home, especially for soccer player John Harkes. The University of Virginia star traveled to England to take on the finest soccer talent in the world. After becoming the best American ever to play in Europe, Harkes returned to the United States in 1994 to lead the American World Cup team to a surprise victory over soccer power Colombia. In 1996, he joined the Washington D.C. United team of Major League Soccer (MLS), the new U.S. professional soccer circuit. In a successful homecoming, Harkes led his team to back-to-back MLS championships.

Growing up

Soccertown, USA

John Harkes was born March 8, 1967, in Kearny, New Jersey. His parents, Jim and Jessie Harkes, are both Scottish immigrants. Jim Harkes played soccer with other Scots in Kearny, a mill town. He had also played the game in Scotland for the Dundee Junior team. Harkes spent every other summer...