A defender who returned from a long career in indoor soccer to the outdoor game in the 1990s and went on to play a key role for the United States in the 1994 World Cup.
Clavijo, who was born in Uruguay and came to the United States in his early 20s, played in the Major Indoor Soccer League for most of the 1980s, and won six league titles during his indoor career. He was one of the stars of the San Diego Sockers dynasty, and also played for the Los Angeles Lazers and St. Louis Storm. He became an American citizen in 1987, and after playing for an MISL all-star team against the U.S. national team in the summer of 1990, he made his debut in the national team at the age of 33 in November 1990. He eventually played 61 full internationals for the United States,
His last three full internationals were in the 1994 World Cup. He was brought into the starting lineup after the United States’ first game because his speed was needed on the American backline. Playing as an outside fullback, he was crucial to the successful strategy of forcing Colombia’s attack into the center of the field and was one of the unsung heros of the United States’ upset victory.
Clavijo turned to coaching after he retired as a player following that World Cup, and later coached the New England Revolution and Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer and the national team of Haiti.
Inducted in 2005.
