Known as the "Iron Man" for his steely service to the U.S. National Team and his role as the United States' team captain, the 28-year-old Balboa has distinguished himself in two World Cups as a crunching defender who enjoys moving into attack, characteristics that bode well for the Rapids in 1996.

"With the addition of the United States' most exciting player and team captain in Marcelo Balboa, the Colorado Rapids continue their dedication to entertaining soccer on the field," said Rapids General Manager Richard A. Levine. "We are thrilled the league was able to sign Marcelo and delighted that he will playing here in Colorado. As the captain for the U.S. National Team we have gained the finest ambassador for soccer in this country."

Balboa joins fellow U.S. National Team members forward Roy Wegerle and midfielder Dominic Kinnear as three of the four marquee plays allocated to the Rapids squad, which open their season April 13 in Kansas City. The Rapids home opener will be Sunday, April 21, at Mile High Stadium (2 p.m. MDT). For ticket information, call (303) 299-1599.

The Rapids will announce their final allocated player -- a top-flight international goal scorer -- and introduce its first-round selection Tuesday at its team headquarters as part of the MLS Inaugural Player Draft festivities. Balboa will be available via teleconference Tuesday afternoon.

Balboa, a 1990 and 1994 World Cup veteran, who has played for Mexican Premier League club Leon the past two seasons, is the U.S. National Team's all-time leader -- and among the world's leaders -- in international appearances with 109.

He twice has been selected as U.S. Soccer's Athlete of the year (1992 and 1994) and he won the 1994 Honda Player of the Year Award, for which he is a four-time finalist, after leading the Americans to the second round of the '94 World Cup. He also has scored 12 goals for the national team, fifth on the all time U.S. scoring list.

Balboa's meteoric rise from his father's youth team in Cerritos, Calif., to among the world's stars, has enabled him to play soccer all over the world. He has represented his country since the age of 16. After serving as captain for the U.S. Under-20 National Team in the 1987 World Youth Championship in Chile, Balboa was a mainstay with the U.S. National Team, playing in all seven U.S. World Cup Team matches in 1990 and 1994.

After a stellar performance in the '94 World Cup, which included the miraculous bicycle kick that came within inches of the goal late in the USA's 2-1 win over Colombia, the 6-foot-1, 180 lb., defender was selected to play in the 1995 FIFA World All-Star Game in Japan, which benefited KOBE Earthquake victims.

Playing for the Rapids will provide Balboa, for the first time, the opportunity to play professionally for the home fans at the highest level.

"Major League Soccer is a dream come true for U.S. Soccer players," said Balboa. "I hope to lead the Colorado Rapids to a championship in the inaugural MLS season. Having played in two World Cups and the Mexican First Division, I now want to bring that same level of passion for our sport back to the United States."

Position: Defender
Ht: 6-1
Wt: 175
Age: 28
Born: August 8,1967
Citizenship: USA
Hometown: Cerritos, Calif.
College: San Diego State
How Acquired: Third MLS Allocation
Last Club: Leon (Mexican First Division)
Pro Outdoor Experience: Colorado Rapids, MLS (1996)
         U.S. National Team (1988-present)
         Leon, Mexican First Division (1995-96)
         Colorado Foxes, APSL (I 992)
         San Francisco Blackhawks, APSL (1990-91)
         San Diego Nomads, APSL (1989)

U.S. NATIONAL TEAM: Was one of only five U.S. players to participate in every minute of the United States' four games of the 1994 World Cup ... Received international acclaim for the miraculous bicycle kick that came within inches of the goal late in the USAs 2-1 win over Colombia ... Dubbed by the American press as the "Iron Man," the newly-named USA captain is one of the world's most feared defenders, having made 109 international appearances and scored 12 goals for the U.S. National Team ... Scored the second goal during the United States' 3-2 win over Nigeria on June 11, 1995, becoming the first U.S. player to reach 100 international appearances ... Winner of U.S. Soccer's 1994 and 1992 Male Athlete of the Year ... Winner of the 1994 USA World Cup Most Valuable Player ... Winner of the 1994 Honda Player of the Year, as voted by the U.S. media ... Played in the FIFA World All-Star Game Sept. 2, 1995, in Tokyo with Brazil's Dunga and Jorginho and Columbia's Valderrama ... In a game against Iceland in 1993, Balboa suffered a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, returning to the game after a miraculous 7 1/2 month rehabilitation ... Scored two goals in 1991, including the winning goal on a bicycle kick in the first game of the 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago ... Played in all three of the U.S. World Cup Team's 1990 matches in Italy, starting twice ... Captained the U.S. National U-20 Team in the 1987 World Youth Championship in the FIFA/Coca Cola Cup in Chile.

PRO OUTDOOR CAREER: Is currently playing in the Mexican First Division with Leon, which he signed with last January, saving the team from relegation during the 1994-95 season, and has led Leon into playoff contention this year ... In his six years in the APSL, Balboa played with the San Diego Nomads, San Francisco Blackhawks and the Colorado Foxes ... In 1992, his only year with the Foxes, he led the team to the APSL championship.

COLLEGE CAREER: Spent the 1988 and 1989 seasons at San Diego State University, where he scored 12 goals and assisted on 13 others ... A two-year defensive standout at SDSU who was a first team All-American in 1988 and a second-team selection in 1989 ... Balboa was a two-time Far West Region All-American Led the Aztecs to the NCAA tournament twice ... Named one of the Top-10 players in the nation by Soccer America in 1988 ... Played in the 1988 World University Games, and was a member of the '88 U.S. Olympic team.

PERSONAL: Balboa grew up in Cerritos, Calif., and was a product of the American Youth Soccer Association program in Southern California, where he played for his father, Luis ... His father is a former professional player in Argentina who also played with the Chicago Mustangs of the North American Professional Soccer League ... Balboa won the 1986 under-19 national championship with his club Fram-Culver ... He is engaged to Cindy, and they are planning a summer 1996 wedding.

MARCELO BALBOA'S YEAR-BY-YEAR U.S. NATIONAL TEAM STATISTICS

YEAR             GP/GS         MIN          G      A
1988                 9/8        755         0      0
1989                 4/4        360         0      0
1990                15/5        998         1      0
1991               16/16       1469         2      0
1992               21/21       1879         3      0
1993                10/9        707         0      0
1994               24/22       1833         4      0
1995                 6/6        466         1      0
TOTALS            105191       8467         11     0