I just learned a fascinating story about Aldo Donelli, a guy who literally crushed Mexico in 1934 and who was also a figure in the Mundiales and Steers de la NFL. It's not something that's talked about much, but this match is a milestone in the rivalry between the two national teams.

It all started because the United States wanted to participate in the 1934 World Cup in Italy. FIFA had established a qualification system for the first time, and in North America, only one spot was available. Mexico, Cuba, and Haiti competed for that spot, but when everything seemed settled, the U.S. requested to enter the tournament, arguing that they had reached the semifinals in 1930. Jules Rimet, FIFA president, authorized a single match between Mexico and the U.S. on May 24 in Rome to decide who would go to the tournament.

The match was tense from the start. Two Mexican players, Luis 'Pirata' Fuente and Fernando Marcos, were detained days earlier by Italian authorities. Apparently, they imitated the fascist salute mockingly against Mussolini, so they couldn't play. The atmosphere was charged, with Benito Mussolini in the stands.

That's where Donelli appears. This guy was a forward for the U.S. national team, but what's most interesting is that he also played American football at Duquesne University. Pennsylvania newspapers nicknamed him 'The Buffalo' because of his physical strength. He was born in 1907 in Morgan, Pennsylvania, into an Italian family, and he played in amateur leagues in Pittsburgh, where he was the top scorer during the 1920s.

Coach David Gould saw him at an American football practice at Duquesne and was impressed. He brought him in for trials with the national team, and Donelli responded by scoring a hat trick in the 8-0 victory over Pennsylvania League All-Stars. That secured his spot in the final roster.

In the match, Mexico took the lead 1-0 with a goal from Manuel Alonso in the 23rd minute. But Donelli equalized five minutes later with a low shot after receiving a pass from Czerkiewicz. Then McLean set him up again, and 'The Buffalo' made it 2-1. In the second half, Antonio Azpiri was sent off trying to stop Donelli in the 52nd minute. With a numerical advantage, the American star sealed his spectacular performance with two more goals, finishing the afternoon with a quadruple. The final score was 4-2.

This feat places him among the top scorers in the rivalry's history. Only Landon Donovan with 6 goals, Alfredo Hernández with 5, and Michael Bradley with 5 surpass him in head-to-head matches between the two teams.

What's interesting is that after this match, Donelli completely focused on American football. Three days later, the U.S. lost 7-1 to Italy in the Round of 16, but Donelli scored the only U.S. goal. He then became a coach at Duquesne, where he achieved undefeated seasons in 1939 and 1941. In 1941, he made history as the only person to coach both at the university level and in the NFL with the Steers de la NFL. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he coached the Cleveland Rams and several universities. In 1954, he was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame for his performance in that 1934 match.

Donelli died in August 1994 at the age of 87, weeks after the United States hosted the World Cup where Brazil won its fourth title. That 1934 duel inaugurated a rivalry that transcended decades and left a deep mark in World Cup history.