George Moorhouse - National Team

National Team

Moorhouse earned his first cap in a 6-1 victory over Canada on November 6, 1926. While he was not called into the team for either of the U.S. games in 1928, he was selected for the U.S. squad at the 1930 FIFA World Cup. The Americans accepted the offer from FIFA to participate in the World Cup and Moorhouse would play in all three matches in Uruguay as a defender. The first U.S. game, a 3-0 victory over Belgium on July 13, 1930 at Parque Central in Montevideo, made Moorhouse the first native-born Englishman to play in the World Cup. Moorhouse then played the next two matches as the U.S. went to the semifinals only to fall to Argentina in a particularly physical game. Several U.S. players were injured and the team finished with only eight fit field players and a lame goalkeeper as substitutes were not allowed.

The U.S. did not have any international matches until the 1934 FIFA World Cup in Italy. Moorhouse was selected as team captain for the cup. Because the U.S. had applied late for entry into the Cup, the team had to play a qualification match against Mexico in Italy. The U.S. won, 4-2, but was eliminated in the first round by Italy.

He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1986.