MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
THE UNITED STATES PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE
| EASTERN CONFERENCE |
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 MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER 2029 Century Park East Suite 400 Los Angeles, CA 90067 |
COLUMBUS CREW Columbus Ohio has the image of a hard-working Middle American city and the name Crew, together with the three workers in hard-hats, reflect these demographics; the Crew aims to be the hardest working team in the new league. |
D.C. UNITED The only traditional football team name in the MLS, as the team from the federal capital aims for international and community appeal not least through the eagle, a symbol of freedom and strength and of the United States itself. |
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NEW YORK METROSTARS The logo aims to project the non-stop activity of a big city that never sleeps, the skyscraper metropolis stretching from home-town New York out to New Jersey and the site of the Giants Stadium. |
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION A tribute to the crucial role played in the American Revolutionary War, 220 years ago, by this patriotic part of the United States. |
TAMPA BAY Despite Tampa Bay's ocean location and the nautical overtones of the new club name, the logo contains instead what its creators call a "cyber-mutant from the dark blue depths of space ... soccer reaching the fourth dimension". |
| EASTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAM ROSTER |
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TOMAS RONGEN
Head Coach
A product of the world famous Ajax of Amsterdam youth system and a former player for the Dutch Olympic Team, Rongen has Tampa Say off to an 8-5 start and first place in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference ... The Netherlands native has coached at the amateur, collegiate and professional levels during his 16 years in the United States .. As head coach of the APSL's Fort Lauderdale Strikers, he led them to the 1989 ASL championship Won the 1990 ASL Coach of the Year award ... Head Coach of the 1991 ASL All-Star team Also served as head coach of Nova Southeastern University in Southern Florida from 1992-95 ... The Knights advanced to the NAIA regionals in two of his last three seasons ... Played professionally in the NASL with Los Angeles, Washington, Ft. Lauderdale and Minnesota Also played indoors in the MISL with Chicago.JEFF AGOOS*
Defender
One of the finest left-sided defenders this country has ever produced, Agoos has played left back and sweeper for United this season ... A veteran of the U.S. National Team program since 1985, he was a member of the 1996 U.S. Cup and Gold Cup rosters ... Played for the silver-medal U.S. Indoor National Team in Hong Kong In November 1992... Played a key role in the USA's third-place finish at last summer's Parmalat Cup ... A two-time All-American at the University of Virginia ... One of the last players released before the 1994 World Cup ... Played for the USA in the 1996 Gold Cup, scoring in the third-place match against Guatemala... Has more than 55 caps and three goals for the USA.MIKE BURNS*
Midfielder
The Revolution's team captain, the vematile Burns can play in the back or as a defensive midfielder ... Although he missed most of preseason training camp due to knee surgery, Bums has recovered 100% ... The only U.S. player to participate in every FIFA outdoor word championship event, having participated in the FIFA Under-17 World Championships, World Youth (under-20) Championships, the 1992 Olympics and the 1994 World Cup ... A regular on the U.S. National Team, he was co-captain of the 1992 Olympic Team and the 1991 Pan American gold-medal team ... Has represented the USA nearly 40 times ... Played the first half of the 1995-96 season with Viborg of DenmarK's First Division.MARK DOUGHERTY
Goalkeeper
One of the most intense goalkeepers in Major League Soccer, Dougherty has ranked among the top three goalkeepers in the league in goals against average and wins for the majority of the season ... Currently second in MLS with eight wins and third in the leage with 1080 minutes ... Played on the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks from 1989-93, winning the 1991 APSL chanpionship ... Led the APSL in goals against average In 1991 with 0.81 per game ... In 1993, the Blackhawks moved to the USISL and he helped the team advaces to the Sizzlin'Six championships ... In 1995, he was the player/coach for the Hawaii Tsunami of the USISL ... Helped Tsunami to an 18-2 record, the Northwest Division championship and a berth in the Sizzlin' Nine championships ... A four-year starter for Fresno State from 1986-89, he captained the Bulldogs his junior and senior years.MARCO ETCHEVERRY*
Midfielder
The creative force for Washington D.C.'s offense, Etcheverry led the league in assists for the majority of the first half of the season ... Known as "El Diablo" the skillful midfielder is Bolivia's top player. Played against United teammates John Harkes and Jeff Agoos in Boliava's 2-0 U.S. Cup win over the United States June 12 at RFK Stadium. Played in Spain for Albacete before moving to Chilean Club Colo Colo for a $750,000 transfer fee ... Suffered a severe knee injury In November of 1993, but made a dramatic comeback to make Bolivia's 1994 World Cup Team. Played for America Cali of the Colombian First Division on loan during the last year.JOHN HARKES*
Midfielder
Harkes returned to the United States after playing the past seven years in England ... Played with West Ham of the English Premier League during the 1995-96 season after spending the past two seasons with Derby County of the English First Division ... He made 82 appearances and scored seven goals for Sheffield Wednesday from 1990-93 ... Has been a consistent force in the U.S. midfield since 1989...Played every minute of the United States' three firstround matches at the 1994 World Cup...Also played every minute of the USA's 1990 World Cup matches ... The first American to play in an FA Cup final and the first American to score at Wembley Stadium ... Scored the English League's 1990 Goal of the Year... Named the Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year after his junior season at the University of Virginia.ALEXI LALAS*
Defender
The leader of the New England defense, Lalas is the most recognizable U.S. player ever ... He spent the last two years playing in Italy's legendary Serie A with Padova ... Teamed with Tampa Bay Mutiny forward Guiseppe Galderisi at Padova ... Named honorable mention on FIFA's 1994 World Cup All-Star Team after playing every minute of the USA's four World Cup games ... Has nearly 75 appearances for the U.S. National Team, scoring seven goals ... Scored the historic clinching goal in the USA's 2-0 victory over England at U.S. Cup '93 ... A member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team in Barcelona ... Competed with the gold-medal winning U.S. team at the Pan American Games in 1991 ... 1991 Hermann Trophy and Missouri Athletic Club Award winner...An accomplished musician, he has two compact discs to his credit ... Affectionately called "Big Red' by his teammates.ROY LASSITER*
Forward
One of the fastest players in Major League Soccer, Lassiter has ranked among the league's top ten scorers all season ... Currently tied for second in MLS scoring with nine goals and two assists for 20 points ... A current member of the United States National Team, Lassiter played for the USA In the 1996 Gold Cup and U.S. Cup ...Prior to signing with MLS, he spent the past three seasons in Costa Rica ... Scored the winning goal and assisted on the tying goal in the USA's 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Saudi Arabia Oct. 8 at RFK Stadium ... Scored the winning goal in the United States' 2-1 win August 6 over Benfica in the Parmalat Cup ... He netted 17 goals in 43 games for Costa Rican runner-up Alajuela in 1994-95 ... An All-American at N.C. State, scoring 50 goals in three seasons, including 22 his senior year.BRIAN MCBRIDE*
Forward
The first overall pick in the 1996 Major League Soccer Draft, McBride is one of Major League Soccer's young stars...Has ranked among the top three scorers for the majority of the first half of the season ... Currently fifth in MLS scoring with eight goals and two assists for 18 points...Expected to miss the next two weeks with a separated shoulder...His performances for the Crew earned him a callup to the U.S. National Team for the Americans 2-1 win over Scotland on May 26 and the U.S. Cup in June A two-time MLS Fujifilm Player of the Week ... Prior to joining the Crew, he played during the winter of 1995 with German second division club VfL Wolfsburg, where he teamed with U.S. World Cup Team defender Mike Lapper The 6-foot-1, 170-pound forward is St. Louis University's all-time leading scorer with 72 goals and 40 assists ... A two-time NCAA All-American, he was the 1993 Great Midwest Conference MVP.TONY MEOLA*
Goalkeeper
The vocal defensive leader of the MetroStars, Meola has show flashes of brilliance during the first half of the season ... Currently third in MLS with a 1.36 goals against average ... Has the most international appearances of any goalkeeper in U.S. Soccer history with 89, earning 30 shutouts over that time ... The starting goalkeeper for the United States in both the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, playing every minute ... One of the most recognized players in U.S. history, he was the captain of the 1994 World Cup team ... Won both the Hermann Trophy and the Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year in 1989, after leading Virginia to the NCAA co-National Championship ... Led the Long Island Rough Riders to the 1995 USISL Championship ... A high school teammate of fellow MLS signee John Harkes ... Drafted out of high school by the New York Yankees and had a brief stint with the New York Jets as a placekicker.STEVE PITTMAN
Defender
A solid performer for Tampa Bay all season, Pittman has started all 13 games in leading the Mutiny to first place in the Eastern Conference ... Tampa Bay's top scoring defender with one goal and two assists ... Called up for U.S. National Tearti Duty for May 26 game against Scotland ... Did not see action due to knee injury ... Has two appearances with the USA, making his debut Sept. 15, 1990 against Trinidad & Tobago ... His second game came when he played the full 90 minutes against Sweden August 16, 1995 Spent the last two years in the Scottish Premier Division with Patrick Thistle ... Played for Tampa Bay Head Coach Thomas Rongen with the APSL's Fort Lauderdale Strikers from 1990-92 ... Made the All-APSL first team twice during those years.STEVE RAMMEL
Forward
Has emerged as one of the top scorers in Major League Soccer ... Scored the first hat trick in MLS history May 15 against Columbus ... Brought up from the USISL's Washington Mustangs on April 19 and played the following day against Los Angeles ... The 5-foot-9, 160-pound Rammel is extremely dangerous on head balls ... Spent the 1992-93 season with Tus Celle in Germany and the 1991-92 season with S.C. Norderstedt ... Scored 44 goals in 86 games during four years of collegiate soccer at Rutgers University and the University of Connecticut ... Spent the past two years as an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts before returning to professional soccer.TAB RAMOS*
Midfield
Ramos was the first player signed by Major League Soccer on January 3, 1995 ... Ramos runs the MetroStars offense from his central midfield position ... He is arguably the most skillful player to ever play for the United States ... A member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team and 1990 and '94 U.S. World Cup Teams, he has made more than 70 appearances for the USA ... His pin-point through-ball to Ernie Stewart was the game-winning assist against Colombia at World Cup '94...Scored a goal in an international all-star game vs. A.C. Milan in Italy in December 1994 ... Played professionally in Spain from 1990-94 ... Played with Tigres of the Mexican First Division during the 1995-96 season ... A first-team All-American at North Carolina State.GIOVANNI SAVARESE
Forward
Ranking among the league's top scorers throughout the first half of the season, Savarese scored eight of the MetroStars first nine goals ... The other MetroStars' goal was an own goal... Currently tied for third in MLS with eight goals ... Scored the second hat trick in MLS history when he scored all three goals in the MetroSters 3-0 win over Colorado May 16 ... Has played for the full Venezuelan National Team as well as on the Under-23, Under-18 and Under-16 levels ... Missed two MetroStars games in early June as he was with Venezuela for 1998 World Cup qualifying games ... Played at Long Island University from 1990-93 ... Was an academic All-American ... Played 1994 and 1995 in the USISL with the Long Island Roughriders ... Led Roughriders to the 1995 USISL Championship and was named MVP of the USISL Championship game.CARLOS VALDERRAMA*
Midfielder
One of the most creative midfielders in the world, Valderrama has ranked among the MLS leaders in assists throughout the season ... Leads MLS with three game-winning assists and is tied for second in the league with 7 assists ... MLS Player of the Month in May ... Burst on the international scene with a stellar 1990 World Cup performance for Colombia ... Represented Colombia during the 1994 World Cup in the United States and the 1990 World Cup in Italy...Field general and team captain for Colombia for much of the past 11 years ... Has more than 90 international appearances for Colombia ... Has played professionally in Colombia, France and Spain ... 1987 South American Player of the Year ... Played on the Rest of the World All-Stars for farewell testimonial matches for Brazilian superstar Zico (1989), French National Team star Alan Giresse (1990) and English goalkeeper Peter Shilton (1991) ... Nicknamed "El Pibe" (the kid).MARTIN VASQUEZ*
Midfielder/Defender
One of the top defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer, Vaquez's play earned him a call-up to the U.S. National Team for the USA's game against Scotland on May 26 ... Ranks third on the Mutiny in scoring with three goals and four assists for 10 points ... Has 10 appearances with the Mexican National Team from 1993-94 ... However, since those 10 appearances were in non-tournament competition, Vasquez Is eligible for U.S. team duty ... Played eight seasons in the Mexican First Division, where he has played in more than 300 league matches ... Played for Universidad de Guadalajara, Puebla, Vera Cruz and Atlas while in Mexico ... Played three seasons at Cal State Los Angeles from 1981-83 ... The leading scorer in the NCAA as a freshman with 29 goals in 23 games ... Played professionally indoors and outdoors in the United States prior to playing in Mexico ... Bron in Jalisco, Mexico, he came to the United States at the age of 12.WELTON
Forward/Midfielder
One of the deadliest one-on-one players in Major League Soccer, the colorful Brazilian is a fan favorite at Foxboro Stadium ... Usually double and triple teamed due to his world-class speed and creative ball skills ... According to Soccer America, the 21-year-old Welton had the highest average rating among all MLS players as of mid-June ... The elusive Welton was the MLS leader in fouls suffered for the majority of the first half of the season ... Represented Brazil at the 1995 Pan American Games in Argentina ... Started slow during the early portion of preseason and was almost let go by Revolution Head Coach Frank Stapleton at spring training in Boca Raton, but showed his talents when the club began playing preseason exhibition games ... Is the only Brazilian on an MLS roster.(*) = starters
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