America's First Official International

On This Day in 1916, the US Sailed Across the Ocean and Recorded a Victory Over Sweden

In the summer of 1916, while the Great War raged across Europe, an unlikely diplomatic correspondence would launch American soccer onto the international stage. Thomas Cahill, secretary of the United States Football Association and editor of Spalding's Official Soccer Football Guide, had sent a copy of his publication to Christian Ludvig Kornerup, secretary of the Swedish National Gymnastic and Sporting Association. Kornerup's reply, written in memorably understated prose, suggested that it would be a good thing if the United States sent a team to Sweden. Cahill seized upon these words with characteristic enthusiasm, hastily arranging what would become America's first official international soccer tour.

The timing was fortuitous. With much of Europe embroiled in conflict, neutral Sweden and Norway offered a rare opportunity for international competition. Cahill, who had attended the FIFA Congress in Stockholm in 1912 and recognized the potential for American soccer on the world stage, jumped at the chance to showcase his country's emerging talent.

The USFA's national and international games committee produced a selection far more geographically diverse than any previous American soccer representation. The fourteen-man roster drew from the sport's established strongholds: five players from Pennsylvania teams including Bethlehem FC and Disston A.A., four from New York area clubs, three from New Jersey, one from Fall River, Massachusetts, and significantly, Matt Diederichsen from St. Louis's Innis Falls F.C.—the first western player ever selected for American international duty.

Captain Thomas Swords of the Fall River Rovers embodied the team's spirit. Elected by his teammates during the voyage aboard the steamship Frederik VIII, the energetic forward had recently suffered defeat in the Challenge Cup final against Bethlehem Steel but would lead his club to consecutive finals in the coming years. His bustling style reflected the premium the Americans placed on speed and stamina over the more technical European approach.

Praised as "about as good a combination as could reasonably be expected to make the trip and will without doubt give a good account of itself," and yet, domestic interest remained tepid. The team departed from Hoboken in July with hardly a handful of enthusiasts gathered at the pier to bid farewell. Under the guidance of trainer Harry A. Davenport, the Americans maintained fitness during the Atlantic crossing through an eclectic regimen that included baseball, rope-skipping and six-a-side soccer matches on deck. This unconventional preparation would prove surprisingly effective as the team arrived in Stockholm match-fit and eager to compete.

Sweden presented formidable opposition for America's international debut. The hosts had been competing internationally since 1908, accumulating a record of 15 wins, 12 defeats, and 4 draws across 37 matches, primarily against neighboring Norway and Finland. Their soccer tradition dates to the 1890s, and they hosted the 1912 Olympics, though they suffered an early elimination to the Netherlands.

After opening the tour with a creditable 1-1 draw against All-Stockholm before 20,000 spectators—a result achieved through James Ford's midfield surge and John "Rabbit" Heminsley's clinical finish—the Americans faced their sternest test five days later on August 20. Sweden fielded an entirely different lineup for what would be recognized as America's first official international match. At the same time, the visitors made just one change: Charles Ellis of Brooklyn Celtics replaced Albert Blakey at left halfback.

A crowd of 21,000, including King Gustav V, braved light rain at the Stockholm Stadium. Cahill served as one of the linesmen in this historic encounter. The wet conditions created treacherous footing that would favor Sweden's more technical passing game over America's high-tempo style.

The opening thirty-five minutes belonged to neither side as both teams struggled with the slippery surface. Then Swords seized his moment. Collecting the ball approximately forty yards from goal on the right wing, the Fall River forward embarked on a determined individual run. With only one Swedish defender standing between him and the goal, Swords slipped past his defender on the dribble before firing past goalkeeper Frithiof Ruden into the net. America's first official international goal had been scored with characteristic directness and determination.

The visitors maintained their 1-0 advantage through halftime, but the second period would produce a goal-scoring flourish that showcased both teams' attacking capabilities. 15 minutes after halftime, the Americans doubled their lead through a moment of sublime combination play. Heminsley and Harry Cooper orchestrated a swift attack that created the opening for Ellis, who celebrated his first international appearance by converting America's second goal. With a two-goal cushion, the Americans appeared to ease their intensity—a decision that nearly proved costly. Ten minutes later, Swedish inside-left Hjelm capitalized on the visitors' momentary lapse to pull one back for the hosts, suddenly injecting urgency into the proceedings. 

Any Swedish hopes of completing a comeback were extinguished by Harry Cooper's individual brilliance. The Continental F.C. of New York winger embarked on a dazzling run down the left flank that left Swedish defenders in his wake before calmly slotting home to restore America's two-goal advantage. The 25,000 spectators, initially hopeful for their team's prospects, began to resign themselves to Swedish defeat. Drama remained, however, as Swedish captain and center-forward Karl Gustafsson managed to score from close range with just five minutes remaining, converting from a scramble in front of George Tintle's goal. The final minutes ticked away with mounting tension, but the Americans held firm to secure a historic 3-2 victory.

The triumph represented far more than a single match result. This game captured the essence of early American soccer: technically inferior to European standards but compensating through physical commitment and tactical simplicity. Where Swedish players had grown accustomed to a more measured passing game, the Americans employed what some critics dismissed as the style of "beginners" or representatives of "a more primitive era." Yet this directness proved effective, making the home side appear as though they were engaged in "exercise for older gents."

The victory established several vital precedents for American soccer. Swords' opening goal marked the first by an American in official international competition. At the same time, the team's tactical approach—emphasizing speed, stamina, and aggressive pressing—would become hallmarks of American play for generations. More significantly, the match demonstrated that American players could compete credibly against established European opposition when properly organized and motivated.

Cahill's vision of promoting American soccer through international exposure had been vindicated. The substantial Swedish crowds—far exceeding anything the players had experienced domestically—proved that American soccer could generate genuine interest abroad. This tour would establish the template for future American international endeavors: assembling geographically diverse rosters, emphasizing physical preparation, and approaching matches with the conviction that determination could overcome technical deficiencies.

On that rainy afternoon in Stockholm, fourteen American amateurs had achieved something unprecedented: proving that their nation's soccer could compete on the world stage. The 3-2 victory over Sweden represented not just America's first official international triumph, but the first chapter in a story that would eventually span more than a century of international competition.