Top Moments from Tony Sanneh’s Hall of Fame Career
Sanneh named to National Soccer Hall of Fame 2026 class, will be inducted at ceremony on May 1 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas
Whether it was in the MLS Cup, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup or the FIFA World Cup, Tony Sanneh always provided what his team needed. His performances throughout his decorated career contributed to theU.S. Men’s National Team defender being named to the six-member 2026 class for the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Known for his versatility, Sanneh played several positions on the field and began his career as an attacker. The St. Paul, Minn., native was a star for University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the early 90s and earned NCAA Division I second team All-American honors in 1993. He finished his time with the Panthers as the all-time scoring leader with 53 goals to go along with 32 assists.
In the years leading up to the inaugural MLS season in 1996, Sanneh kept busy playing in multiple domestic leagues. He competed for the Milwaukee Rampage and Minnesota Thunder of the U.S. Interregional Soccer League while also playing indoor for the Chicago Power and Milwaukee Wave of the National Professional Soccer League. The 6-foot-2 athlete continued to excel on the attacking end, scoring more than 30 goals in the indoor league while also occasionally playing as a goalkeeper.
Sanneh moved to midfield when he signed with D.C. United in 1996. In his first MLS season, he started 24 of 25 games and recorded four goals and eight assists to help the Black-and-Red reach the first-ever MLS Cup Final.
It was a slow start for United against the Los Angeles Galaxy on a puddled-filled pitch at Foxboro Stadium. The Galaxy created a 2-0 lead early in the second half, resulting in D.C. head coach Bruce Arena bringing Sanneh off the bench.
The momentum immediately shifted. After earning a free kick in a dangerous position, Sanneh headed in the cross to cut the deficit in half. Shawn Medved, who entered the match with Sanneh, equalized in the 81st minute to send the game to sudden death extra time. Defender Eddie Pope, who later competed on the USMNT with Sanneh, scored the golden goal off a corner kick in the 94th minute to complete the epic comeback and clinch the MLS title for D.C. United.
Ten days later, Sanneh and the team lifted another trophy. In the first U.S. Open Cup to feature MLS clubs, D.C. United won its quarterfinal and semifinal matchups to advance to the Final against A-League side Rochester Raging Rhinos. Sanneh was again a substitute, this time entering the game at halftime with his side holding a 1-0 advantage. Pope doubled the lead in the 63rd minute, and Sanneh assisted forward Jaime Moreno just before the final whistle to secure the 3-0 victory.
D.C. kept rolling the following MLS season to win back-to-back titles. After Sanneh tallied career-highs in goals (5) and assists (11) during the regular season, he scored twice in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals as D.C. went on to beat Columbus Crew 4-2 on aggregate. In the 1997 MLS Cup Final against Colorado Rapids, Sanneh connected with Moreno again for the opener before Sanneh headed in the eventual game-winner in the 2-1 victory.
Sanneh began his international career that same year and made his USMNT debut on Jan. 29 against China. He scored his first international goal against Germany on Feb. 6, 1999, and soon after became a mainstay with the team under former club coach Arena, who was named head coach of the National Team in October 1998. Sanneh started 14 of 16 matches through World Cup qualifying and was named to the 23-player squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Playing at right back, Sanneh was one of three U.S. players who competed in every minute of the USA’s five games of the tournament. In the iconic 3-2 upset over Portugal in the first group stage match, Sanneh’s cross from the right flank was headed in by his former Milwaukee Rampage teammate Brian McBride for the USA’s third goal of the match. Sanneh also stood out in the 1-0 Quarterfinal loss to Germany. He made multiple defensive stops and nearly scored the equalizer in second-half stoppage time.
Sanneh played his last game for the U.S. in 2005, culminating in the 2005 Concacaf Gold Cup title. He finished his international career with three goals and four assists in 43 appearances.
Sanneh spent five years abroad competing with German clubs Hertha Berlin and FC Nuremberg before returning to MLS in 2004. Continuing his winning ways, he helped Columbus Crew to the Supporters Shield in 2004 and another Open Cup title with Chicago Fire in 2006. He also played for Colorado Rapids before retiring with the LA Galaxy in 2009.
Following his career, Sanneh continues to give back through The Sanneh Foundation, a non-profit organization that empowers youth and underserved communities through education, mentorship and soccer-based programming. Last year, he earned the third annual Carla Overbeck Leadership Award and will be inducted at the National Soccer Hall of Fame on Friday, May 1, 2026. The induction ceremony will be streamed live on U.S. Soccer YouTube starting at 7 p.m. ET.