Toni Ståhl
Encyclopedia
Toni Ståhl is a Finnish
footballer currently playing for Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the North American Soccer League.
. After his time at HJK, he had a short spell with the Second Division
team Atlantis Akatemia
in late 2002, before joining FC Espoo
in 2003.
to play college soccer
in the United States, and he joined the Connecticut Huskies
for the 2006 season. He was chosen as the Big East
Rookie of the Year after his first season with the Huskies, after being the only freshman to start and play in all 19 games that season. In 2009 he was named Big East Midfielder of the Year as he concluded his career with the Huskies tallying two goals and nine assists. He was also a nominee in the semifinal stage for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy.
, even though clubs from Sweden
, Denmark
and English Premier League club Burnley
showed interest in him.
Ståhl was subsequently drafted in the second round (17th overall) of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft
by Philadelphia Union. He was sent off on his MLS debut on 25 March 2010, in a game against Seattle Sounders FC
. In April 2010 he played on loan with the Union's USL-2
affiliate Harrisburg City Islanders
.
On 14 January 2011, the Union announced that they declined the option on Ståhl's contract and he subsequently became a free agent.
Stahl signed with Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League
on 1 April 2011. Following an impressive debut season for the Strikers, Ståhl was named to the NASL 2011 Best XI Team as one of four defenders.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
footballer currently playing for Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the North American Soccer League.
Early career in Finland
Ståhl attended high school at Pohjoishaagan Yhteiskoulu, and was part of the youth teams of the most successful Finnish club of all time, HJK HelsinkiHJK Helsinki
Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi , internationally known as HJK Helsinki, is a Finnish football club, based in the capital Helsinki...
. After his time at HJK, he had a short spell with the Second Division
Kakkonen
Kakkonen is the third tier of the Finnish football league system.-League structure:Kakkonen is divided to three groups of 14 clubs. A club plays each of the others in the same group twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents. Clubs gain three points for a win, one for a...
team Atlantis Akatemia
Atlantis FC
Atlantis FC is a Finnish football club, based in Helsinki. It currently plays in the third tier of Finnish football .-History:The club was founded in late 1995 when Johanneksen Dynamo and FC Norssi merged...
in late 2002, before joining FC Espoo
FC Espoo
FC Espoo is a Finnish football club based in the city of Espoo, Finland. Founded in 1989, the first team plays in the Finnish First Division , the second tier of the Finnish football pyramid....
in 2003.
American college career
Ståhl accepted an invitation from the University of ConnecticutUniversity of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
to play college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
in the United States, and he joined the Connecticut Huskies
Connecticut Huskies
The Connecticut Huskies, also known as the UConn Huskies, are the athletic teams of the University of Connecticut in the United States. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference for all sports except Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Ice...
for the 2006 season. He was chosen as the Big East
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
Rookie of the Year after his first season with the Huskies, after being the only freshman to start and play in all 19 games that season. In 2009 he was named Big East Midfielder of the Year as he concluded his career with the Huskies tallying two goals and nine assists. He was also a nominee in the semifinal stage for the M.A.C. Hermann Trophy.
Professional
In December 2009, Ståhl signed a contract with Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
, even though clubs from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and English Premier League club Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
showed interest in him.
Ståhl was subsequently drafted in the second round (17th overall) of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft
2010 MLS SuperDraft
The 2010 MLS SuperDraft was the eleventh annual SuperDraft presented by Major League Soccer. It was held on January 14, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the 2010 NSCAA Convention. The 2010 SuperDraft consisted of four rounds with sixteen selections each, for a total of 64 players...
by Philadelphia Union. He was sent off on his MLS debut on 25 March 2010, in a game against Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
. In April 2010 he played on loan with the Union's USL-2
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
affiliate Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders is an American professional soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
.
On 14 January 2011, the Union announced that they declined the option on Ståhl's contract and he subsequently became a free agent.
Stahl signed with Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League (2010)
The North American Soccer League is a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico which began league play on April 9, 2011. It has been provisionally sanctioned as the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, behind Major League Soccer in the...
on 1 April 2011. Following an impressive debut season for the Strikers, Ståhl was named to the NASL 2011 Best XI Team as one of four defenders.