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 is considered 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 setting up Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996.
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 American club, that was then outfitted with a "local" name. Dick Walsh served as the commissioner.
The Jacksonville Tea Men were a soccer team based in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Overall, the Tea Men played a total of four years in Jacksonville, first in the major league-level North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1980–1982, then in the lower level American Soccer League in 1983 and United Soccer League in 1984. The NASL incarnation of the club was Jacksonville's first professional soccer team, and the first major league-level sport franchise ever based in the city.
Adelino William Gonsalves was an American soccer player, sometimes described as the "Babe Ruth of American Soccer". He spent over 25 years playing in various American professional leagues and was a member of the U.S. squad at the FIFA World Cup in 1930 and 1934. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Dallas Americans was an American professional soccer club based in Dallas, Texas. The team played in the American Soccer League in 1983 and the United Soccer League in 1984 and 1985. Both leagues unofficially served as the second division of professional American soccer at the time. The team's home games were played at John Clark Stadium in Plano, Texas.
The Los Angeles Skyhawks was an American professional soccer club based in Los Angeles, California, that was a member of the American Soccer League. Founded as part of the American Soccer League's expansion to the west coast in 1976, they were the first professional sports team to be based in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. The ASL, under commissioner Bob Cousy, had expanded in an attempt to compete with the North American Soccer League. Coming into the league with the Skyhawks were the Oakland Buccaneers, Tacoma Tides, Sacramento Spirits, and the Utah Pioneers. These teams formed the Western Division, while the Eastern Division had the established teams New York Apollo, Connecticut Yankees, Rhode Island Oceaneers, Chicago Cats, New Jersey Americans, and Cleveland Cobras.
The Utah Golden Spikers was an American soccer club based in Salt Lake City, Utah that was a member of the American Soccer League. The team became the Utah Pioneers, a new franchise with new owners, during the latter stages of their only season, after the Golden Spikers were ousted from the league for nonpayment of their financial obligations.
Jose Carlos Metidieri is a retired soccer player who played as a forward. He played professionally in Canada with Toronto Italia and the United States with the Rochester Lancers. He was the leading scorer of the North American Soccer League in 1970 and 1971 with the Lancers and was named the league's Most Valuable Player—the only player in the league's history to receive both awards in consecutive seasons. Born in Brazil, he earned two caps for the United States national team in 1973.
Steve Ralbovsky is a Yugoslav-American former soccer player. He was the 1975 Hermann Trophy winner as the outstanding collegiate soccer player of the year. He then had an extensive professional career including time in the North American Soccer League and the American Soccer League II and III.
Julio "Ringo" Cantillo is a Costa Rican former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. He played five seasons in the American Soccer League where he was the league MVP as a rookie. He won MVP honors a total of three times in the ASL. Cantillo also spent parts of seven seasons in the North American Soccer League and four in NASL indoor, one in the United Soccer League and one in Major Indoor Soccer League. Born in Costa Rica, Cantillo earned eleven caps with the U.S. national soccer team between 1979 and 1982.
Werner "Scotty" Nilsen was a former soccer player who played as a forward. He is one of the highest scoring players in United States soccer history, scoring 131 goals in 239 games with the Boston Soccer Club. He won five consecutive National Challenge Cups during his career, and four doubles. Born in Norway, he earned two caps with the United States national team in 1934. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Ane Mihailovich is a Yugoslavian-American former soccer player. He spent at least four seasons in the American Soccer League, four in the North American Soccer League and one in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned five caps with the United States men's national soccer team in 1977.
Douglas McMillan is a former Scottish-American soccer forward. He was both the 1973 American Soccer League Rookie of the Year and the 1974 North American Soccer League Rookie of the Year. He earned two caps with the United States national team in 1974.
Ken Fogarty is a soccer coach. Fogarty was Head Coach and Technical Director of the Cayman Islands national team from 1993 to 1994 and from 1996 to 1998.
Tony Douglas is a retired professional football (soccer) forward from Trinidad and Tobago. He spent his professional career in the United States, playing in the North American Soccer League, American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He earned seven caps, scoring one goal, with the Trinidad and Tobago national football team.
Mal Roche is an English retired football forward who played seven seasons in the American Soccer League and at least one in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He was the 1977 ASL Rookie of the Year and the 1980 ASL Leading Scorer.
Steve Cacciatore is a retired American soccer forward who played professionally in the American Soccer League and the North American Soccer League.
Statistics of American Soccer League II in season 1941–42.
Ronald Vernon Newman was an English professional association football player and coach. He was a member of the American National Soccer Hall of Fame.
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.
