Balboa, who is of Argentine descent, was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in Cerritos, California. Balboa played youth soccer for Fram-Culver, which won the 1986 McGuire Cup. Balboa's father, Luis Balboa who played professionally in Argentina and with the Chicago Mustangs of the North American Soccer League, coached him. In 1985, Balboa graduated from Cerritos High School. Balboa attended Cerritos College, a local two-year community college from 1986 to 1987. At Cerritos, Balboa was both placekicker on the football team and a two-time 1st Team All-South Coast Conference soccer player. Cerritos College has retired Balboa's jersey number – #3. In 1988, Balboa transferred to San Diego State University where he was a 1988 First Team and a 1989 Second TeamAll American soccer player.
Professional
From 1987 to 1989, Balboa played the collegiate off-seasons on an amateur contract with the professional San Diego Nomads of the Western Soccer League. He was the 1988 WSA MVP. In 1990, Balboa began his professional career with the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks of the American Professional Soccer League. In 1992, he moved to the Colorado Foxes. Marcelo played for León in the Mexican League in 1995 and 1996. In 1996, he signed with Major League Soccer and the Colorado Rapids. Balboa played six seasons for the Rapids, leading as the team's all-time leader in many statistical categories. Traded to the MetroStars in 2002, Marcelo played only five minutes all year, sitting out the rest with injuries, and retiring afterwards. Balboa ended his MLS career with 24 goals and 23 assists in 152 games. In 2005, Balboa was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI and elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame on the first ballot along with Nick Folan. In 2012, he was inducted into the Colorado Hall of Fame. Balboa was known for a goal for the Rapids in 2000 against the Columbus Crew, named the MLS Goal of the Year for that season.
International
Marcelo Balboa earned his first cap on January 10, 1988 against Guatemala. He anchored the American defense in the 1990 and the 1994 FIFA World Cups, in the latter receiving international attention for his near miss with a bicycle kick in the U.S. win over Colombia. He was named U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 1992 and 1994. In 1995, he became the first U.S. player to break the 100-cap barrier. In 1998, he joined Tab Ramos and Eric Wynalda as the first U.S. players to play in three World Cups. Balboa ended his U.S. career with 128 caps and 13 goals, and his final appearance came in a friendly against Iran on January 16, 2000.
Balboa debuted as a sideline reporter during ABC's coverage of the 2003 MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup. In 2004, he became a regular announcer for ABC and ESPN's television coverage of the U.S. national team. Most recently, Balboa has paired up with baseball announcer Dave O'Brien as networks' #1 U.S. announcing team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In 2007, Marcelo started a soccer radio show, From The Pitch, which airs on Denver station Mile High Sports Radio. Balboa served as an analyst for NBC Sports coverage of Soccer at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He has been a guest soccer analyst on Telefutura's Contacto Deportivo. In 2014, he was comentator of the U.S. team matches for Univision at the World Cup in Brazil.
Coaching
In 2012, Monarch High School hired Balboa to coach the boys' soccer team.
