Miro Rys: US football’s first teenage star was killed before his prime

The striker looked like he could be the future of soccer in America. But fans never got to discover how far he could go

During a locker room celebration after a World Cup qualifying win over Canada on 20 October 1976, Miro Rys could not have been more elated. The 19-year-old striker not only scored the opener of the US's 2-0 triumph but also his first international goal.

I've got the ball right here," Rys proudly told reporters. I'm going to take it home and hang it on the wall. I predicted before the game I would score, but when I scored, I felt incredible."