Ricardo Alonso
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Alonso was a soccer player who began as a forward
before moving to defender
later in his career. Alonso spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League
, four in Major Indoor Soccer League
, at least three in the American Indoor Soccer Association, one in the American Soccer League
and two in the American Professional Soccer League
. He was born in Argentina
.
of the North American Soccer League
in 1979 and spent three season with the team. He then moved to the Jacksonville Tea Men
for the 1982 season. That year, he scored twenty-one goals in thirty games, earning first team All Star recognition. In 1983, he signed with the Chicago Sting
when the Tea Men left the NASL. He played one full season with the Sting, earning 1983 second team All Star recognition, but was traded, along with Charlie Fajkus
, to the Golden Bay Earthquakes in exchange for Hayden Knight
and Manny Rojas on July 10, 1984. Alonso finished the 1984 season with the Earthquakes, but the NASL folded at the end of the season and the Earthquakes moved to the semi-professional Western Soccer Alliance.
. That year he led the league in scoring with ten goals and seven assists. He was also named a first team All Star. In 1990, the ASL merged with the Western Soccer League
to form the American Professional Soccer League
. Alonso remained with the Strikers, now in the APSL. In 1991, he then moved to the Miami Freedom
for the 1991 season before retiring.
entered the 1982-1983 Major Indoor Soccer League
season. With the collapse of the NASL in 1984, Alonso became a dedicated indoor player. He signed with the Minnesota Strikers
for the 1984-1985 season. When he was released by the Strikers, he returned to the Sting, which was now competing in MISL. On October 24, 1985, he signed a one year contract with the Sting after a month long trial. On April 29, 1986, he signed another one year contract with the Chicago Sting
of MISL. That year, he moved to defender.
of the American Indoor Soccer Association for the 1987-1988 season. He then moved to the Memphis Storm
for the 1988-1989 season, however, he was traded to the Fort Wayne Flames
during the season. Alonso then spent the 1989-1990 season with the Memphis Rogues
.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
before moving to defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
later in his career. Alonso spent six seasons 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:...
, four in Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
, at least three in the American Indoor Soccer Association, one in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
and two in the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
. He was born in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
NASL
Alonso signed with the Minnesota KicksMinnesota Kicks
Minnesota Kicks were a professional soccer team that played at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota from 1976 to 1981. The team was a member of the now defunct North American Soccer League. The team had relocated to Minnesota after having been based in Denver, Colorado as the Denver Dynamos...
of 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:...
in 1979 and spent three season with the team. He then moved to the Jacksonville Tea Men
Jacksonville Tea Men
The Jacksonville Tea Men were an American soccer team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. Overall, the Tea Men played a total of four seasons in Jacksonville, first in the major league-level North American Soccer League from 1980–1982, then in the lower level American Soccer League and United...
for the 1982 season. That year, he scored twenty-one goals in thirty games, earning first team All Star recognition. In 1983, he signed with the Chicago Sting
Chicago Sting
The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...
when the Tea Men left the NASL. He played one full season with the Sting, earning 1983 second team All Star recognition, but was traded, along with Charlie Fajkus
Charlie Fajkus
Charlie Fajkus is a former U.S. soccer midfielder who spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League and five in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned three caps with the U.S. national team between 1982 and 1985.-Youth and college:Fajkus grew up Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb of...
, to the Golden Bay Earthquakes in exchange for Hayden Knight
Hayden Knight
Hayden Knight is a retired Trinidad-American soccer defender and current high school soccer coach. He earned three caps with the United States men's national soccer team in 1984.-Youth:...
and Manny Rojas on July 10, 1984. Alonso finished the 1984 season with the Earthquakes, but the NASL folded at the end of the season and the Earthquakes moved to the semi-professional Western Soccer Alliance.
ASL/APSL
Following the collapse of the NASL following the 1984 season, Alonso spent several seasons playing indoor soccer. He returned to the outdoor game in 1989 with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Soccer LeagueAmerican Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. That year he led the league in scoring with ten goals and seven assists. He was also named a first team All Star. In 1990, the ASL merged with the Western Soccer League
Western Soccer League
Western Soccer Alliance was a professional soccer league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States and Western Canada. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer Alliance...
to form the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
. Alonso remained with the Strikers, now in the APSL. In 1991, he then moved to the Miami Freedom
Miami Freedom
The Miami Sharks were an inaugural franchise of the third incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1988. The team were renamed the Miami Freedom and joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the ASL merged with the Western Soccer League...
for the 1991 season before retiring.
MISL
The year before that, the Chicago StingChicago Sting
The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...
entered the 1982-1983 Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
season. With the collapse of the NASL in 1984, Alonso became a dedicated indoor player. He signed with the Minnesota Strikers
Minnesota Strikers
The Minnesota Strikers was an American professional soccer team located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. The team played one season in the North American Soccer League and 4 seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League....
for the 1984-1985 season. When he was released by the Strikers, he returned to the Sting, which was now competing in MISL. On October 24, 1985, he signed a one year contract with the Sting after a month long trial. On April 29, 1986, he signed another one year contract with the Chicago Sting
Chicago Sting
The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...
of MISL. That year, he moved to defender.
AISA
The Sting released Alonso after a disappointing 1986-1987 season and he signed with the Jacksonville GeneralsJacksonville Generals
The Jacksonville Generals were an indoor soccer club based in Jacksonville, Florida that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association. The team only played in the postseason Challenge Cup following the 1987/88 season....
of the American Indoor Soccer Association for the 1987-1988 season. He then moved to the Memphis Storm
Memphis Storm
The Memphis Storm was an American soccer team based in Memphis, Tennessee which existed from 1986 to 1994 under several names in both the American Indoor Soccer Association and the USISL.-American Indoor Soccer Association:...
for the 1988-1989 season, however, he was traded to the Fort Wayne Flames
Fort Wayne Flames
The Fort Wayne Flames were an indoor soccer club based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association, playing home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum from 1986-1989....
during the season. Alonso then spent the 1989-1990 season with the Memphis Rogues
Memphis Rogues
The Memphis Rogues were a professional soccer team in the former North American Soccer League. They operated in the 1978, 1979, and 1980 seasons and played their home games in Memphis' Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.-History:...
.