Humans United FC Joe Shaw

"Fa'afafine is such a part of our culture we don't feel the need to explain it. It's a coming of age story as opposed to a 'coming out' story others in the rainbow community have."These are the words of Jaiyah Saelua as she details what it means to be fa'afafine and the first ever transgender athlete to play in a World Cup Qualifying match back in 2011 for American Samoa. Though, Thomas Rongen received all the headlines when he lead that American Samoa team to their 2-1 WCQ victory over ...

31-0Australia set a world record for the largest victory in an international soccer match when they defeated American Samoa on April 11, 2001 as part of the 2002 World Cup Qualifying campaign.10 years later, Thomas Rongen was asked to coach the American Samoa national team and do 2 things for them:Move them up from the bottom of the FIFA World RankingsHave them win a World Cup Qualifying matchWhat followed was truly part of soccer history!Thomas Rongen, played professionally in the old North ...

Mike Geddes has always loved the beautiful game but it wasn't until he started covering the game as a journalist that he discovered his true purpose.Mike's passion for making the world a better place led him down the path towards what would ultimately become Oakland Roots SC, a United Soccer League (USL) Championship club (US's 2nd professional soccer tier). Oakland are much more than simply a soccer club. Oakland are trying to overturn systems of inequity, build community...

Humans United FC is a multimedia storytelling brand committed to sharing the human experience through the lens of sport. We’re a multi-talented collective of people elevating stories of the beautiful game which often go overlooked. From the bright lights of Miami, Florida to the quiet streets of Saginaw, Michigan folks are playing soccer. Whether you’re using a makeshift or a handstitched ball, footballers come from all walks of life.Come join host Joe Shaw as we explore some of the most inte...

Happy Holidays!I hope your end to 2023 has been fantastic!Even though this series technically wrapped up with Chapter 25, it still felt as if there was one more episode which needed to be released.At the end of every episode, I asked my guest 2 questions:1. What is the legacy of the Miami Fusion, to you?2. What do you want new fans of MLS to know about the Fusion?For this "epilogue" of the series, I mashed together everyone's responses to send us out of 2023 in style.Enjoy!In 2001, ...

In Chapter XXV: "You're asking me to be Blackbeard". Legendary announcer, player, and former coach of the Miami Fusion: Mr. Ray Hudson sends us off in style!For this whole year, we've been charting the good, the bad, and the unbelievable stories of this magical club in South Florida that existed from 1998-2001. We told the oral history of the Miami Fusion from those who actually lived it, speaking to former players, coaches, staff, fans, even the owner himself!And now, what better way to clos...