The Pittsburgh Steelers and Their Twin Soccer Team

This week, we look at the story of the Pittsburgh Steelers and their curious connection with a historic first-division team from Chile. Although thousands of miles apart — and playing completely different sports — they both practically share the same logo. During my current trip to Chile, I set out to get to the bottom of this puzzling mystery. Plus, we celebrate a special anniversary for the Fall River Marksmen, examine Hawaii’s official national team kits, and much more.

This week’s stories:

• 🎂 Marksmen’s 102

• 🌴 Hawaii National Team Kits

• ⚔️ The Pittsburgh Steelers and Their Twin Soccer Team

• 💅 Life in Plastic

• 🗳️ Poll + Last Week’s Answers

• ➡️ And More

OUR HISTORY
Marksmen’s 102

Today in 1922, New England's iconic Fall River Marksmen played their first-ever game.

They’d go on to become one of the most storied clubs in our soccer history, and the start of their journey 102 years ago was nothing short of amazing.

Their debut game took place on September 24th at Mark’s Stadium, one of the earliest examples of a soccer-specific stadium in the United States.

Funnily enough, the building wasn’t even done by the time the Marksmen took the pitch. But it didn’t matter. A crowd of 3,000 fervent fans showed up for the occasion, saw a thrilling 3-3 comeback draw, and witnessed the birth of one of the most successful clubs in our country.

During what many call the golden age of American Soccer (1921-1931), the Fall River Marksmen won an impressive six ASL championships and four US Open Cups. Over a century later, it’s good to remember them on the day when they kicked off that glorious run on the field.

FASHION
Hawaii National Team Kits

Who knew Hawaii had a national team? And they just dropped new jerseys? Crazy.

Turns out, the Hawaii National Team is a member of the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA), which boasts 41 members so far. They’re all teams outside of FIFA, and they even host World Cups for both men's and women’s teams. I guess you learn something new every day.

Hawaii’s latest kits are honestly quite impressive, and hopefully, they’ll bring them luck in any upcoming CONIFA competitions. You can check them out right here. 

COVER STORY
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Their Twin Soccer Team

It’s hard to fathom that the Pittsburgh Steelers — one of the winningest NFL teams of all time — would ever have something in common with a pro soccer club in Chile (the 2023 champions, no less). Yet, the evidence is there for all to see: the logos are nearly identical.

But how did this even happen?

To get to the bottom of this mystery, we have to first uncover the story of the “Steelmark” on both crests (the yellow, red, and blue diamonds encircled by white). This was a logo created by the American Iron and Steel Institute to promote steel and its manufacturers over competitors like plastic and aluminum. Soon enough, these marketing efforts found their way into American Football.

In 1962, a company named Republic Steel paid the Pittsburgh Steelers a pretty penny to place the Steelmark on their helmets as product placement, and eventually, the team wound up incorporating it into its official logo. A true marketing masterclass.

On the other side of the globe, a similar story was unfolding. In 1966, Huachipato FC — who came from a steel mining province in Chile — was due for a rebrand ahead of its first season in the top flight. Of course, since the team had been founded by steelworkers a few decades earlier, the club decided to voluntarily adopt the Steelmark into their crest. They felt it represented their region perfectly, and there’s a chance they saw or heard about this logo from dealing with American workers in their industry circles.

Still, what’s even more shocking to learn, is that Hauchipato’s nickname has always been “Los Acereros,” which translates to “The Steelers.” A crazy example of convergent evolution in sports.

Perhaps more importantly, though, this story shows us how deep American influence runs in the beautiful game. Directly or indirectly, big or small, we’ve helped impact soccer in every corner of the globe.

FANTASY
Life in Plastic

It’s fantastic. Seeing Messi play in a baseball stadium will never cease to amaze. One of those things not even the sickest of sickos had on their bingo cards. But that wasn’t even the main storyline when the GOAT landed in New York.

The day started with NYCFC fans throwing stuff at the Inter Miami bus, flipping off the visitors, and unfurling a gorgeous tifo speaking out against “plastic fans.” They also added a phrase urging people to support their local clubs, even when Messi comes to town.

It was an emotionally charged afternoon on Saturday at Yankee Stadium, and the great Kyros Morales was there to capture it all. 

Still, there was one question left lingering on everyone’s mind after the day was over ⬇️

CLUBELEVEN
The Supporters Section

Drop your opinions and hot takes! This was a divisive topic the past few days. We’ll highlight your best answers next week.

CLUBELEVEN
Aggregates

Bet of the Century: He’s the talk of the town. Nick Markanich broke the USL Championship record for most goals in a single season after scoring twice over the weekend. Plus, he’s got a move to Europe inked for January. Here’s how he got to this point.

Milking It: The new VAR rules have made refs turn extra dramatic. They love keeping us in suspense, and it can be pretty hilarious (if you’re a neutral). Here’s the latest trolling incident. 

Big Bucks: The owner of the Milwaukee Bucks is nearing a purchase of the North Carolina Courage. The valuation is set at a cool $108M. Not bad. Not bad at all.

Riveters: Keeping on this week’s Pittsburgh theme, it’s only right to highlight the city’s latest women’s soccer club and its brand-new name. 

Hot Ones Does Zlatan: It’s hard not to love him. Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a memorable appearance on this spicy talk show. Never thought I’d see him chow down some wings.

ART
NWSL Boston’s First Collection

It’s a great initiative by NWSL Boston. It seems like they’ll be partnering up with local artists to drop various capsules ahead of their league debut in 2026, and they’ve started with a bang.

Last week, local creative Amanda 陳 Beard Garcia shared some insight into her creative process for this first capsule, her connection to the city, what professional women’s sports mean to her, and the meaning behind her designs in these pieces.

You can check out the quick interview with Amanda and learn more about this first drop from NWSL Boston here.

GRASSROOTS
Road to the 2025 Open Cup

A record 114 teams have entered the competition via the Qualifying Rounds this fall, and they’re all vying for 14 available slots in the 2025 US Open Cup Proper, which kicks off next spring.

The sheer size of the qualifying field is a testament to how much this tournament means to lower-league and amateur sides. Now, make sure you do your part too.

Check out the participants and match-ups here. If you can, try to catch any games near your town and give your local team a boost from the stands. Who knows, you could end up with a USOC fixture in your backyard next year.

CLUBELEVEN
Your Takes 🗯️ 

Last week, we asked you who you thought was the best Mexican player to have ever played in MLS? Here are some of your answers:

• “Carlos Vela. He had the best season in MLS history in 2019.” - Dario

• “Jorge Campos. His colorful shirts were iconic and he’s a symbol of early MLS to this day.” - D

In the poll, “Carlos Vela” came in first with 47% of the vote, while “Cuauhtémoc Blanco” came in second with 20% of the vote. It’s hard to argue with this one. There are very few players in general who’ve had the impact Vela did, especially at such a crucial moment for the growth of the league.

UP NEXT
Back Home

It was a great week to recalibrate in Chile. Now there’s more travel on the horizon. I’ll be heading to a couple of cities along the East Coast to work on a few special CLUBELEVEN projects and catch up with some soccer friends along the way.

In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything you’d like to see from us this fall! We’re already materializing a few plans.

Enjoying This?

Make sure to forward this email to a friend and help us spread the soccer gospel far and wide! We’ll see you next week with even more untold stories of soccer.

Have a great Tuesday!

Pablo