Eli Durante
Encyclopedia
Eli Durante is a retired Brazil
ian association football player who played in the North American Soccer League
from 1967 to 1975.
In 1967, Durante moved to the United States and signed with the Los Angeles Toros
of the National Professional Soccer League
. He was the league's third leading scorer that season. At the end of the season, the NPSL merged with the United Soccer Association
to form the North American Soccer League
and the Toros moved to San Diego. Durante played six games with the Toros before moving to the St. Louis Stars
. In 1969, Durante signed with the Kansas City Spurs
as it won the league title. The Spurs folded at the end of the 1970 season and Durante moved to the Rochester Lancers
where he spent the last five seasons of his career. After retiring from soccer, Durante returned to Kansas City where he lived before buying Florida Forklift Supply, LLC in 2008.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian association football player who played in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
from 1967 to 1975.
In 1967, Durante moved to the United States and signed with the Los Angeles Toros
Los Angeles Toros
The Los Angeles Toros were an American professional soccer team based in Los Angeles, California that was a member of the National Professional Soccer League in 1967. The franchise was owned by Dan Reeves, who also owned the National Football League's Los Angeles Rams.The franchise moved to San...
of the National Professional Soccer League
National Professional Soccer League (1967)
The National Professional Soccer League was a North American professional soccer league that existed for only the 1967 season before merging with the United Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League. It had ten charter members, nine from the United States and one from Canada...
. He was the league's third leading scorer that season. At the end of the season, the NPSL merged with the United Soccer Association
United Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association is a former professional soccer league featuring teams from 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. All the teams in the league were imported...
to form the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
and the Toros moved to San Diego. Durante played six games with the Toros before moving to the St. Louis Stars
St. Louis Stars (soccer)
The St. Louis Stars were a soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri that played in the original NASL from 1967 to 1977.-History:The St. Louis Stars, founded in 1967 as a team in the NPSL were the first ever professional soccer team in St. Louis. The team was headed by Bob Hermann who later went on...
. In 1969, Durante signed with the Kansas City Spurs
Kansas City Spurs
The Kansas City Spurs were a soccer team who played in the North American Soccer League, based in Kansas City, Missouri. They played their home games at Kansas City Municipal Stadium, former home of the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals...
as it won the league title. The Spurs folded at the end of the 1970 season and Durante moved to the Rochester Lancers
Rochester Lancers
The Rochester Lancers were a soccer team based in Rochester, New York that played in the American Soccer League from 1967 until 1969 and the North American Soccer League from 1970 to 1980 at Aquinas Stadium...
where he spent the last five seasons of his career. After retiring from soccer, Durante returned to Kansas City where he lived before buying Florida Forklift Supply, LLC in 2008.