| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Hernán Borja | ||
| Date of birth | (1959-08-24)August 24, 1959 | ||
| Place of birth | Quito,Ecuador | ||
| Date of death | January 28, 2021(2021-01-28) (aged 61) | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder /Forward | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1980 | NJIT Highlanders | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1981–1982 | New York Cosmos | 48 | (12) |
| 1981–1984 | New York Cosmos (Indoor) | 44 | (36) |
| 1983 | Team America | 17 | (3) |
| 1984 | New York Cosmos | 18 | (5) |
| 1984–1985 | Las Vegas Americans (indoor) | 28 | (24) |
| 1985–1987 | Wichita Wings (indoor) | 83 | (84) |
| 1987–1988 | Los Angeles Lazers (indoor) | 51 | (48) |
| 1988–1992 | Wichita Wings (indoor) | 119 | (90) |
| 1989–1990 | →Albany Capitals(loan) | ||
| International career | |||
| 1982–1988 | United States | 11 | (3) |
| 1992–1995 | United States futsal | (9) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1994 | Houston Hotshots (indoor) | ||
| 1995 | Houston Force | ||
| ?–1998 | Rockhurst Hawks | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Hernán "Chico" Borja (August 24, 1959 – January 25, 2021) was asoccer player and coach. He spent time in the several U.S.-based leagues including theNorth American Soccer League,Major Indoor Soccer League and theAmerican Soccer League. Born in Ecuador, he earned elevencaps with theU.S. national team.
Borja was born inQuito,Ecuador on August 24, 1959. His family immigrated to the United States when he was 14 years old and resided inBelleville, New Jersey,[1] where he played prep soccer atBelleville High School.[2]
He attendedNew Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), where Borja played on the men's soccer team. At that time, NJIT played in theNCAA Division III. In 1980, his senior year, Borja was selected as a Division IFirst Team All American, the first NJIT men's soccer player to be named an All American.[3] He finished his career with multiple entries in the NCAA record books for both single game and season scoring.[4] In 1989, New Jersey Institute of Technology inducted Borja, a 1981 graduate, into its Hall of Fame.
Borja began his professional career as a midfield winger with theNew York Cosmos of theNorth American Soccer League in 1981. In his first two years with the team, he played in two NASL championship games, losing the first and winning the second in 1982.
In 1983, theU.S. Soccer Federation, in coordination with the NASL, entered theU.S. national team, known asTeam America, into the NASL as a league franchise. The team drew on U.S. citizens playing in the NASL,Major Indoor Soccer League andAmerican Soccer League. Borja left the Cosmos and signed with Team America. When Team America finished the 1983 season with a 10–20 record, the worst in the NASL, USSF withdrew the team from the league. Borja returned to the Cosmos for the 1984 season. Although the Cosmos failed dismally, not making the playoffs, Borja's play earned him a place on the NASL North American all-star team that year. He finished his NASL career with 83 games, 20 goals and 24 assists. One of his scoring highlights came in a 1984 Cosmos 3–2 victory overArgentinos Juniors.
After the Cosmos folded, Borja joined theLas Vegas Americans ofMajor Indoor Soccer League (MISL). He played a single season with the team before it was expelled from the league on July 17, 1985.
From Las Vegas, Borja, moved to theWichita Wings for two seasons, 1986–1987 and 1987–1988 before his transfer to theLos Angeles Lazers. He was with L.A. for a single season, then returned to Wichita, with whom he remained until his retirement in 1992. He was named the MISL Pass Master (season assist leader) for the 1988–1989 season. In 1989 and 1990, Borja played on loan during the summer with theAlbany Capitals of theAmerican Soccer League.
Borja retired from the MISL eighth on the career points list (612 points) and fourth on the career assists list (338 assists). Throughout his indoor career, he was a constant scoring threat. However, he was also noted for his lack of reluctance to get physical which led to numerous penalties.[5]
Borja began playing for theUnited States men's national soccer team in 1982. He finished his playing career with elevencaps and three goals. His first game was the lone U.S. game of 1982, a 2–1 win overTrinidad and Tobago on March 21, 1982. In 1983, the U.S. played only one game, a 2–0 win overHaiti on April 8. Borja scored the second U.S. goal of the match. In 1985, he played two World Cup qualification matches, scoring a goal in a 2–1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago. He finished his national team career in a scoreless World Cup qualification game withJamaica on July 24, 1988, when he came on forBruce Murray in the 61st minute.[6]
In 1984, Borja was called up for the U.S.Olympic soccer team which competed at the1984 Summer Olympics. Borja played all three games as the U.S. ran to a 1-1-1 record in group play, failing to qualify for the second round. While the U.S. fielded its full international team at the Olympics, these games do not count as national team games as FIFA did not recognize them as full internationals.[7] Borja was also on the U.S. team at the1987 Pan American Games.[8]
While Borja retired from professional soccer in 1992, that year he played for theUnited States men's national futsal team which won the silver medal at theWorld Championship. Borja was selected to the tournament first team. He continued to play on the U.S. Futsal team until 1995, scoring a total of 9 goals, placing him in the top ten list of U.S. futsal players.[9]
After retiring from playing, Borja joined the coaching ranks. He began with theHouston Hotshots of theContinental Indoor Soccer League in 1994 and theHouston Force for their one competitive game in 1995. The Force folded after that single game. He also coached high school girls' soccer in Houston. He was on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National Staff and coached the Renegade Elite in Florida. Prior to 2012, he coached boys' soccer and girls' and boys' golf atCoral Glades High School in Coral Springs, Florida. He was also an Assistant Principal atSouth Plantation High School inPlantation, Florida.[10]
