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 Minnesota Strikers were an American soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) for the 1984 season and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1984 through 1988. The team was based in Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area and played their outdoor home games at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and the Met Center for indoor games. Founded in 1967 as the Washington Darts and playing in Miami as the Gatos and the Toros before playing seven season as the Fort Lauderdale Strikers the team left Florida following the 1983 North American Soccer League season. After the 1987–88 season and playing four seasons in the MISL the team ceased operations.
The Chicago Sting (1974–1988) was an American professional soccer team representing Chicago. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League in the 1982–83 season and again from 1984 to 1988. They were North American Soccer League champions in 1981 and 1984, one of only two NASL teams to win the championship twice.
The 1984 North American Soccer League season was the 72nd season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 17th with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada. It would be the 17th and final season of the NASL.
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.
Peter Roe is a Canadian international soccer player who spent twelve seasons in the North American Soccer League and two in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned nine caps, scoring one goal, with the Canadian national soccer team between 1974 and 1983.
Jan Goossens is a former Dutch soccer player and coach. He played for clubs from the Netherlands and Canada, but spend most of his career in the United States of America. Jan Goossens played 612 official matches and scored a total of 474 goals during his career.
Neill Roberts is a retired South Africa soccer forward who spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League and four in the Major Indoor Soccer League.
Charlie Falzon is a Canadian retired soccer player who spent time in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned nine caps with the Canadian national soccer team between 1983 and 1989. Charlie is currently an advanced care paramedic working for Toronto EMS.
Pasquale de Luca is a former Canadian professional soccer player. He is the head coach of the Edmonton Drillers.
Steve David is a Trinidadian former North American Soccer League and international football player.
Hernán "Chico" Borja was an Ecuadorian-born American soccer player and coach. He spent time in the several U.S.-based leagues including the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League and the American Soccer League. He also earned eleven caps with the U.S. national team.
Chance Fry is a retired U.S. soccer forward who began his career straight out of high school with the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League. With the collapse of the NASL, he moved to indoor soccer as well as U.S. minor leagues. Since retiring from playing, Fry has become a college soccer coach. He also earned five caps with the U.S. national team in 1984 and was the 1990 American Professional Soccer League leading goal scorer.
Manuel Antonio "Manny" Rojas Zúñiga is a retired football midfielder from Chile, who represented his native country at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain. His professional career took him from his native Chile to Mexico and ultimately the United States. He spent two seasons in the North American Soccer League, four in the Major Indoor Soccer League, three in the American Indoor Soccer Association and one in the American Soccer League.
Alan Ronald Merrick is a retired professional association footballer who played as a defender in England, the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League. Born in England, he earned one cap with the United States national team in 1983, having previously represented the England U18.
Andrew Parkinson is a retired American soccer forward/midfielder born in Johannesburg, South Africa who spent time playing in both South Africa and England before immigrating to the U.S. where he played five seasons in the North American Soccer League, two in Major Indoor Soccer League and one in the American Soccer League. Parkinson earned two caps with the U.S. national team in 1984.
Paul Hammond is an English former professional association football goalkeeper who played professionally in England, the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League.
Gino DiFlorio is an Italian-Canadian former professional soccer player who had an extensive indoor career in North America during the 1990s. Since 2020 he is the Technical Director at the Capital Area Soccer Association (CASA) in Harrisburg, PA. From 2001 to 2020, he was the director of coaching at the youth soccer club in Eastern Pennsylvania called HMMS.
Stanisław Andrzej Terlecki was a Polish footballer.
Carlos Salguero was an Argentine professional football forward. He died aged 51 from cancer in 2006. He spent one season in the North American Soccer League, one in the United Soccer League and nearly ten in various indoor leagues. Salguero also coached the Buffalo Blizzard of the National Professional Soccer League for one season.
