CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:

FULHAMERICA

Fulham FC is among the most storied clubs in the history of English football. And, uniquely, it holds a special place in the history of soccer in America as well. After Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed bought the club in 1997, he promised the club would return to the England’s top flight within five years. The owner began spending in the transfer market to improve the club’s roster. And one unexpected source of talent emerged starting in 1999 with the arrival of Marcus Hahnemann from Colorado Rapids on Major League Soccer (MLS) – the United States. Within a few years, Fulham brought key players into its squad from the US, those players became club legends, and the concept of Fulhamerica was born.

Tony Banks, journalist and author of The Great Adventure: Al-Fayed’s Rollercoaster Ride with Fulham FC, joined Founding Futbol to walk through the progression of the Fulhamerica evolution. He shares his thoughts on what prompted the influx of American talent, how some players fit and how the new era of American talent at the club differs from the first wave.