The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It was the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the United States. The league final was called the Soccer Bowl from 1975 to 1983 and the Soccer Bowl Series in its final year, 1984. The league was headed by Commissioner Phil Woosnam from 1969 to 1983. The NASL laid the foundations for soccer in the United States that helped lead to the country hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the set-up of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996.
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions since 1924. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association, the governing body for soccer in Canada. They have been a member of FIFA since 1948 and a member of CONCACAF since 1961.
Bertrand "Bert" Arthur Patenaude was an American soccer player who played as a forward. Although it was formerly disputed, he is now officially credited by FIFA as scorer of the first hat-trick in the World Cup history. He is a member of the United States Soccer Hall of Fame.
The Philadelphia Fury was an American soccer team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that last competed in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA). The club formerly competed in the American Soccer League and is currently owned by Martin E. Judge and Matt Driver. The team continues to sport the colors of the original NASL team.
Christine Margaret Sinclair is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward and captains both National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) club Portland Thorns FC and the Canadian national team. An Olympic gold medalist, two-time Olympic bronze medalist, CONCACAF champion, and 14-time winner of the Canada Soccer Player of the Year award, Sinclair is the world's all-time leader for international goals scored for men or women with 190 goals, and is one of the most-capped active international footballers with more than 300 caps. She is also the second footballer of either sex to score at five World Cup editions, preceded by Marta, later succeeded by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Bruce Edward Murray is an American former professional soccer player who at the time of his retirement was the all-time leading scorer for the U.S. National Team. His standout college career led to his selection by Soccer America Magazine to its College Team of the Century. He then played professionally in both Europe and the United States, including the American Soccer League and American Professional Soccer League. Concussion syndrome forced him to retire in 1995, Murray had earned 86 caps, scoring 21 goals, including one at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. He was also a member of the U.S. national futsal team which placed third at the 1989 FIFA Futsal World Championship. Murray is the Direct of Coaching at Accelerator School DC Metro. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Bob Rigby is a retired U.S. soccer goalkeeper. Rigby played twelve seasons in the North American Soccer League, three in the Major Indoor Soccer League, one in the Western Soccer Alliance and earned six caps with the United States men's national soccer team. Rigby was the color commentator with the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has a long and rich tradition in professional, semi-professional, amateur, college, and high-school sports.
Bartholomew "Bertie" or "Bart" McGhee was an American soccer forward who typically played left wing forward. He played for the United States men's national soccer team at the 1930 FIFA World Cup, and scored the second goal in World Cup history against Belgium. He was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1986.
Robert Millar was a Scottish American soccer forward and coach of the U.S. national team at the first FIFA World Cup, in 1930. During his at times tumultuous Hall of Fame career, Millar played with over a dozen teams in at least five U.S. leagues as well as two seasons in the Scottish Football League. He finished his career as a successful professional and national team coach.
Robert "Bobby" Smith is a retired U.S. soccer defender who spent nine years in the North American Soccer League and one in the League of Ireland and the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned eighteen caps with the United States men's national soccer team and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Archibald McPherson Stark was a U.S. soccer player who became the dominant player in U.S. leagues during the 1920s and early 1930s. He spent nine seasons in the National Association Football League and another twelve in the American Soccer League. He also earned two caps, scoring five goals, as a member of the U.S. national team. He holds the U.S. single-season scoring record with 67 goals scored during the 1924–25 season which is the current World Record. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1950.
Bernard "Benny" McLaughlin, Jr. was an American soccer forward who starred in the American Soccer League in the 1940s and 1950s. He earned twelve caps with the U.S. national team, was a member of the 1948 U.S. Olympic soccer team and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1977.
The Philadelphia Union are an American professional soccer club based in Chester, Pennsylvania. The Union compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Founded on February 28, 2008, the club began playing in 2010 as an expansion team. The club's home stadium is Subaru Park, a soccer-specific stadium located in Chester, Pennsylvania on the banks of the Delaware River.
Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1973. This was the 6th season of the NASL.
The history of soccer in the United States has numerous different roots. Recent research has shown that the modern game entered America in the 1850s through New Orleans when Scottish, Irish, German and Italian immigrants brought the game with them. It was in New Orleans that some of the first organized games that used modern English rules were held.
Paul Riley is an English former football player and coach.
The American Soccer League, established in 1921, was the first of four different professional soccer sports leagues in the United States to use the ASL name. It was formed by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For several years the ASL's popularity rivaled the popularity of the National Football League. Disputes with the United States Football Association and FIFA, as well as the onset of the Great Depression, led to the league's collapse in spring 1933.
The Philadelphia Fury were an American soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1978 to 1980. The team was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played their home games at Veterans Stadium. Included in the team's ownership group were rock musicians Rick Wakeman, Peter Frampton, Mick Jagger, and Paul Simon. During the team's three years of play in Philadelphia it never had a winning record, but qualified for, and advanced to the second round, of the 1979 playoffs. After the 1980 NASL season, the team was sold and moved to Montreal, rebranding as the Montreal Manic.
Timothy Richard DiBisceglie is an American retired professional soccer player and current soccer coach.
