Chivas USA and U.S. international defender Jonny Bornstein is auctioning off the pair of boots he wore when he scored a goal for the U.S. on the final day of World Cup qualifying that sealed Honduras’ trip to South Africa and made him a national hero in the Central American nation.
Bornstein, of Los Alamitos, has autographed the boots and put them up for sale on eBay today with 100 percent of the proceeds to go to the American Red Cross to aid in their relief efforts in Haiti.
“The devastation and suffering in Haiti is a tragedy for everyone,” said Bornstein. “One of our teammates, Jozy Altidore, is the son of Haitian immigrants and still has many family members there. It’s heartbreaking to see what is happening, and we hope to be able to help in any way we can.”
The auction runs through Wednesday and bidding has reached $750 as I write this post.
To bid, click here..
And if you’re unfamiliar with Bornstein’s dramatic contribution to Honduran football history, read this from the U.S. Soccer press release:
On Oct. 14, 2009, the final day of qualifying and the end of a journey lasting nearly 18 months, the U.S. had already earned a spot in the World Cup by defeating Honduras four days earlier and was committed to winning first place in the group. In order for Honduras to qualify that day, they needed to win against El Salvador and for the U.S. to at least tie against Costa Rica.
Having secured their victory against El Salvador and watching helplessly as the U.S. trailed Costa Rica with only seconds remaining, their despair turned to incredible joy when Bornstein headed home a corner kick from Robbie Rogers to even the match at 2-2, setting off a jubilant celebration of U.S. fans at RFK Stadium and in the streets of Honduras thousands of miles away. On an emotional night for the U.S. team, the tie ensured first place in the group for the second straight cycle, and lifted Honduras into their first World Cup in 28 years.
Bornstein became an instant celebrity in Honduras, even receiving an invitation to visit through the press from the president of the country. To this day, he gets daily messages of thanks from Honduran fans. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to him called “Gracias Jonathan Bornstein.
