I just read a story I didn’t know about one of the darkest moments of the Mexico national team. In 1934, in Rome, an American player named Aldo Donelli practically single-handedly knocked Mexico out of the road to the Italy World Cup. Four goals in a single match. That’s how brutal it was.

What’s interesting is that Donelli wasn’t exactly a professional footballer. He was a guy who played in amateur leagues in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where European immigrants practiced soccer as part of their everyday lives. But on top of that, this character also stood out in college American football at Duquesne University. The newspapers nicknamed him “The Buffalo” for his physical power and speed.

The story of how he ended up playing that match is curious. American coach David Gould was looking to strengthen the attack for the showdown with Mexico, so he went to watch a practice at Duquesne. He saw Donelli and was impressed. He included him in the trial matches, and the guy scored a hat-trick on his first chance. That was enough to make the final squad.

The match was played on May 24 at the National Stadium of the Fascist National Party, with Benito Mussolini watching from the stands. Days earlier, two Mexican players had been detained by Italian authorities after getting involved in a protest. So the atmosphere was tense from the start.

On the field, Mexico even took the lead first, with a goal from Manuel Alonso in the 23rd minute. But Donelli leveled the match shortly after. In the 32nd minute, he went ahead. Then came the expulsion of a Mexican defender, Antonio Azpiri, in the 52nd minute. That opened the door for “The Buffalo” to do what he does best. He scored two more goals, bringing his total to four. A performance that put him among the all-time top scorers in head-to-head meetings between the two national teams.

The ironic part is that three days later, the United States faced Italy in the Round of 16 and lost 7-1. Donelli scored the only U.S. goal in that match, which turned out to be his second and last international appearance.

After that, Donelli devoted himself fully to American football. He was a coach at Duquesne, managed undefeated seasons in 1939 and 1941, and even made history in 1941 by coaching Duquesne and the Pittsburgh Steelers at the same time. The only one doing it at that moment. Then he coached the Cleveland Rams and other universities. In 1954, he was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame for his performance in that 1934 match.

“Buffalo” Donelli died in 1994 at the age of 87. That match against Mexico in Rome ended up serving as the starting point for a rivalry that would stretch for decades in international football.