Franz beckenbauer nasl professional#
The task was to secure them a place in the first ever Japanese professional league which was due to kick off its inaugural season in 1993.Įven in early middle age, the Brazilian inspired them to promotion and then to the runner-up spot in the J League - and the club changed its name to Kashima Antlers. His exploits on the pitch earned him a stint as Brazil's sports minister but despite being in his early forties he broke off his nascent political career to play for second-tier Japanese side Sumitomo Metals. He scored a record 25 goals for the club in his maiden season.īatistuta was joined by Pep Guardiola, Frank de Boer and Marcel Desailly as Qatar raised its football profile in what was arguably a key first step towards successfully winning the rights to hosting the 2022 World Cup. 'Batigol's' eye for the back of the net - which had seen him rattle in the goals for Serie A sides Fiorentina and Roma - did not desert him in Doha.
Franz beckenbauer nasl free#
The Argentine striker took the high road to the previously low-key Q-League on a free transfer and reportedly received $8million to join Al Arabi. Gabriel Batistuta - Al Arabi (QAT) 2003-05 His endorsement of the NASL prompted other legends such as Franz Beckenbauer and George Best to sign up - though it was to crash and burn in 1984. Pele took to the New York nightlife but did not neglect his duties on the pitch, inspiring the team to a Football Bowl title in 1977. I started my mission."Īged 34 at the time, he stirred huge public interest and crowd numbers soared.Īveraging below 10,000 fans a match before his arrival, Cosmos attendances surged to over 40,000.
"They want to make soccer big in the United States," Pele told CNN in 2011. It took the persuasive powers of US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to lure the man, who vies for the mantle of greatest ever with Messi and Diego Maradona, to the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1975. The 35-year-old Messi will be following a well-trodden path of the greats of the 'Beautiful Game' by taking a lucrative pay day in football's less celebrated leagues.
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