Oscar Albuquerque
Encyclopedia
Oscar Albuquerque is a former Canadian soccer midfielder
. He spent most of his professional career playing indoor soccer
with U.S. teams. He is currently the president of Pro Soccer International, an ownership group which holds the rights to American Indoor Soccer League
teams in Chicago
and Rockford, Illinois
.
where he was a member of the men’s soccer team from 1976 to 1979. He was All Canadian in 1977, 1978 and 1979. He is a member of the Laurentian University Athletic Hall of Fame.
of Major Indoor Soccer League
(MISL). He spent two seasons with the Avalanche, before the team folded in 1982. He then moved to the Phoenix Inferno
for the 1982-1983 season. In 1983, the team was renamed the Phoenix Pride. Albuquerque spent one more season in Phoenix with the Pride before moving to the Las Vegas Americans
for the 1984-1985 season. The league expelled the Americans in July 1985. In February 1986, the Los Angeles Lazers
were hit with numerous injuries. The team signed Albuquerque to a ten day contract. On February 23d, they signed him for the remainder of the season. That summer, he signed with the expansion New York Express
, a team stocked with players from the New York Arrows
and New York Cosmos
. The Express were unable to match the success of those two teams and folded twenty-six games into the 1986-1987 season. Albuquerque moved to the Memphis Storm
of the American Indoor Soccer Association for the remainder of the 1986-1987 season. He was back in MISL the next season with the Chicago Sting
. However, the Sting folded at the end of the season and Albuquerque moved to the Chicago Power
of the AISA for the next two seasons, 1988-1990. In 1990, the AISA was renamed the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). Albuquerque finished his career with the Illinois Thunder
of the NPSL with whom he played two seasons, 1990-1992.
. Canada did not qualify for the tournament. However, he did play for Canada in the Pan American Games
, but these games are not full internationals.
, Albuquerque also served as an assistant coach. On July 4, 2004, Albuquerque became an assistant coach with the expansion Chicago Storm
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
under head coach Frank Klopas
.
(AISL).
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He spent most of his professional career playing indoor soccer
Indoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
with U.S. teams. He is currently the president of Pro Soccer International, an ownership group which holds the rights to American Indoor Soccer League
American Indoor Soccer League
The American Indoor Soccer League was a semi-professional indoor soccer league founded in 2003 and for now folded in 2008.- History :Founded in 2002, the AISL's headquarters are based in West Springfield, Massachusetts, but the media relations office is based out of Cleveland, Ohio. The league...
teams in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
.
Youth and college
Albuquerque moved from his native Peru to Toronto, Canada with his family when he was fifteen. At the time, his older brother, Hugo Albuquerque, was playing semi-professionally in Canada. After graduating from high school, Albuquerque attended Laurentian UniversityLaurentian University
Laurentian University , was incorporated on March 28, 1960, is a mid-sized bilingual university in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada....
where he was a member of the men’s soccer team from 1976 to 1979. He was All Canadian in 1977, 1978 and 1979. He is a member of the Laurentian University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional
Following graduation from college in 1980, Albuquerque signed with the Denver AvalancheDenver Avalanche
The Denver Avalanche was an American soccer team based out of Denver, Colorado that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1980 to 1982. Their home arena was McNichols Sports Arena...
of 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...
(MISL). He spent two seasons with the Avalanche, before the team folded in 1982. He then moved to the Phoenix Inferno
Phoenix Inferno
The Phoenix Inferno was an American indoor soccer team based out of Phoenix, United States, that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1980 to 1983. In 1983 new ownership renamed the team the Phoenix Pride. The Pride folded at the end of the 1983-1984 season...
for the 1982-1983 season. In 1983, the team was renamed the Phoenix Pride. Albuquerque spent one more season in Phoenix with the Pride before moving to the Las Vegas Americans
Las Vegas Americans
The Las Vegas Americans were a soccer team based out of Las Vegas that played in the Major Soccer League. They played only one season, 1984 and lost in the first round of the championship that year. The Americans finished their only season in the league with a 30-18 record earning them second place...
for the 1984-1985 season. The league expelled the Americans in July 1985. In February 1986, the Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers
Los Angeles Lazers were a soccer team based out of Los Angeles that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1982 to 1989.-History:Major Indoor Soccer League awarded a Los Angeles franchise to Jerry Buss on June 24, 1982. Buss had purchased the Philadelphia Fever and wanted to move it to...
were hit with numerous injuries. The team signed Albuquerque to a ten day contract. On February 23d, they signed him for the remainder of the season. That summer, he signed with the expansion New York Express
New York Express
This article is about the former indoor soccer team.The New York Express were a soccer team based out of Uniondale, New York that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League. They played only one season, the 1986-1987 season. Their home arena was Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum...
, a team stocked with players from the New York Arrows
New York Arrows
The New York Arrows was an indoor soccer team that played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1978 to 1984. They won the first four MISL championships.-Preparing for the first season:...
and New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
. The Express were unable to match the success of those two teams and folded twenty-six games into the 1986-1987 season. Albuquerque 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:...
of the American Indoor Soccer Association for the remainder of the 1986-1987 season. He was back in MISL the next season 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...
. However, the Sting folded at the end of the season and Albuquerque moved to the Chicago Power
Chicago Power
The Chicago Power were an indoor soccer club based in Chicago, Illinois that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association and National Professional Soccer League.After the 1995/96 season, the team became the Edmonton Drillers.-Year-by-year:...
of the AISA for the next two seasons, 1988-1990. In 1990, the AISA was renamed the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). Albuquerque finished his career with the Illinois Thunder
Illinois Thunder
The Illinois Thunder were an indoor soccer club that competed in the National Professional Soccer League.After the 1991/92 season, the team became the Denver Thunder.-Year-by-year:...
of the NPSL with whom he played two seasons, 1990-1992.
National team
In 1979, Albuquerque was called into the Canadian Olympic soccer team at it entered qualification for the 1980 Summer Olympics1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. Canada did not qualify for the tournament. However, he did play for Canada in the Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
, but these games are not full internationals.
Coaching
In his two seasons playing with the Illinois ThunderIllinois Thunder
The Illinois Thunder were an indoor soccer club that competed in the National Professional Soccer League.After the 1991/92 season, the team became the Denver Thunder.-Year-by-year:...
, Albuquerque also served as an assistant coach. On July 4, 2004, Albuquerque became an assistant coach with the expansion Chicago Storm
Chicago Storm
The Chicago Storm is a team in the Ultimate Soccer League that began play in the 2004-2005 season as a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League.-History:The Storm played home games during its first two seasons at the UIC Pavilion on the west side of Chicago...
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–2008)
The Major Indoor Soccer League was the top professional indoor soccer league in the USA. The league was a member of both the United States Soccer Federation and FIFA. The MISL had replaced the NPSL which folded in 2001. According to MISL.net, the league has ceased operations as of May 31, 2008...
under head coach Frank Klopas
Frank Klopas
Fotios "Frank" Klopas is a retired Greek-American soccer forward and midfielder. Klopas is currently the Head Coach for the Chicago Fire...
.
Team management
In 2006, Albuquerque became the president of the expansion Rockford Thunder which competes in the American Indoor Soccer LeagueAmerican Indoor Soccer League
The American Indoor Soccer League was a semi-professional indoor soccer league founded in 2003 and for now folded in 2008.- History :Founded in 2002, the AISL's headquarters are based in West Springfield, Massachusetts, but the media relations office is based out of Cleveland, Ohio. The league...
(AISL).