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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 Soccer Bowl was the annual championship game of the North American Soccer League (NASL), which ran from 1968 to 1984. The two top teams from the playoffs faced off in the final to determine the winner of the NASL Trophy. From the league's founding in 1968 through 1974, the championship game was known as the NASL Championship Final, and in 1984 the single game was replaced by a best-of-three series known as the Soccer Bowl Series.
Bruce Alec Wilson is a former NASL and Canadian international soccer player. He played the second most games of any player in the former league, 299. He also captained the Canadian team at the 1986 FIFA World Cup finals. In 2012 as part of the Canadian Soccer Association's centennial celebration, he was named to the all-time Canada XI men's team.
The United Soccer Association (USA) was a professional soccer league featuring teams based in the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. Every team in the league was actually an imported European or South America club, that was then outfitted with a "local" name. Dick Walsh served as the commissioner.
The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.
Team America was a professional version of the United States men's national soccer team which played as a franchise in the North American Soccer League (NASL) during the 1983 season. The team was based in Washington, D.C., played its home games at RFK Stadium, and was intended by the NASL and the United States Soccer Federation to build fan support for the league and create a cohesive and internationally competitive national team. However, the team finished in last place and drew only 13,000 fans per game.
Terence "Terry" Moore is a former Canadian national soccer team, NASL, and Irish League player.
Tony Chursky is a former Canadian national soccer team and NASL goalkeeper.
Branimir "Branko" Šegota is a Canadian former professional soccer forward, starring in the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), the North American Soccer League (NASL), the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL), the National Professional Soccer League, and the Canadian Soccer League.
Martino "Tino" Lettieri is a former NASL and MISL professional soccer goalkeeper, who represented Canada twice at the Summer Olympics: 1976 and 1984 and at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
Gerard "Gerry" Gray is a former soccer player. Born in Scotland, he represented and coached the Canadian national soccer team.
Ian Christopher Bridge is a soccer coach and former professional who played as a defender. A former player for the Canada national team, he has coached the Canada women's national team among other teams.
Steve Wegerle is a former professional soccer player who played as a winger.
Steve Pecher is an American former soccer defender who is currently the Missouri Girls Director of St Louis Scott Gallagher.
Paul Child is an English-American former soccer player who played as a forward, spending nine seasons in the North American Soccer League. He led the league in scoring in 1974 and was a two-time first team All-Star. He also earned two caps with the United States national team in 1973. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Michael Hoban is a former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. He began his career with [[Aston Villa] F.C.|Aston Villa]] in 1969 before moving to the North American Soccer League in 1971. He still lives in the States more than 40 years later and has worked as a football coach there since retiring. Born in England, he earned one cap with the US national team in 1973.
Carmine Marcantonio is a Canadian retired soccer player who earned two caps for the national team between 1976 and 1980.
James Howatson Easton is a Canadian retired soccer midfielder who played professionally in the North American Soccer League, the Scottish First Division the Canadian Soccer League and for the Canada men's national team.
Jorge Félix Correia, known as Jorge Félix is a Brazilian former football player.
References
- 1 2 NASL career stats
- ↑ Canadian Soccer Association profile
- ↑ Steve Nesin at National-Football-Teams.com
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