Once Upon a Time in Florida: Miami Fusion

The Miami Fusion was a professional soccer team based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They played in Major League Soccer (MLS) for four seasons, from 1998 to 2001. Announced in 1997 as one of the league's first two expansion teams, their best season was 2001, when they won the Supporters' Shield with the best regular season finish. In 2002, after four years of lackluster ticket sales and revenues, MLS contracted the Fusion along with its other Florida-based team, the Tampa Bay Mutiny. The Fusion played their home games at Lockhart Stadium.

Honors

MLS Supporters' Shield Winners: 2001
MLS Eastern Conference Winners: 2001 (Regular Season)
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Runners-up: 2000

Awards:

Most Valuable Player: Alex Pineda Chacon (2001)

Fair Play Award: Alex Pineda Chacon (2001)

Rookie of the Year: Jay Heaps (2001)

Records

Matches: 122
Wins: 56
Losses: 56
Draws: 10
Goals Scored: 199
Conceded Goals: 219

Team records

Games: Pablo Mastroeni and Diego Serna (100)

Goals: Diego Serna (52)

Assists: Diego Serna (36)

Clean Sheets: Jeff Cassar and Nick Rimando (7)

Attendance Average:

1998: 10,284
1999: 8.689
2000: 7,460
2001: 11,177

Attendance Average: 9.403


First Game: D.C.United 2-0 Miami Fusion (03/15/1998)
First MLS Goal: Jerry Tamashiro

Head Coaches: 

Carlos Córdoba (1998)
Ivo Wortmann (1998–00)
Ray Hudson (2000–01)


All-time Miami Fusion roster