June 10 (1990)

Steve Trittschuh is a big winner even though the U.S. loses, 5-1, to Czechoslovakia in the teams’ opening match in Group A of the World Cup in Florence, Italy. The Granite City, Ill., native catches the eye of Czechoslovakia’s assistant coach and will sign with Sparta of Prague, where he will help Sparta win its league title during the 1990-91 season. He will be the first American to play in the European Cup. He later will help the St. Louis Ambush win the 1995 NPSL championship. He will end his playing career in 2001 with the MLS Tampa Bay Mutiny. He will go on to be an assistant with the MLS Colorado Rapids and head coach of the USL’s Colorado Springs Switchbacks. Trittschuch will be the last head coach of the USL’s St. Louis FC. Today, he is the academy director at St. Louis Scott Gallagher and head coach of SLSG’s U17 and U19 teams.