Relive the early days of American professional soccer with this exclusive Washington Stars (1988-1990) vintage tee!
This premium throwback shirt celebrates one of the pioneering teams from soccer's rebirth in the United States during the late 1980s. The Washington Stars were a professional soccer franchise based in Fairfax, Virginia that operated for three seasons between 1988 and 1990, growing out of the Fairfax Spartans, which had won the 1986 National Amateur Cup.
The Stars were a founding franchise in the third incarnation of the American Soccer League (ASL), which debuted in the summer of 1988 with ten East Coast franchises stretching from Albany to Miami. This new league was created as a financially sustainable model following the collapse of the more extravagant North American Soccer League in 1984.
Unlike previous professional leagues, the ASL focused on developing American talent rather than importing foreign stars. The Stars were led by head coach John Kerr Sr., himself a veteran of the Washington Darts and Diplomats NASL teams of the 1970s, and featured several standout American players including U.S. National Team midfielder Bruce Murray, who would later be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
The team's brightest moment came during the 1989 campaign when they posted the best regular season record at 14-6, though they ultimately lost to the eventual champion Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the playoffs. Prior to the 1990 season, the ASL merged with the Western Soccer League to form the American Professional Soccer League, where the Stars played their final season before merging with the nearby Maryland Bays.
Our distressed, vintage-look design captures that authentic late-80s soccer nostalgia with a perfectly weathered, cracked appearance that looks like it's been in your collection since the team's championship run.
Product Details:
- Premium Gildan 5000 heavy cotton (5.3 oz, 100% preshrunk)
- Classic unisex fit available in sizes S-5XL
- Multiple color options available
- Tear-away label for maximum comfort
- Vintage design printed on front only (back is blank)
- Produced using cutting-edge direct-to-garment printing technology
Perfect for American soccer historians, D.C. area sports enthusiasts, or anyone who appreciates vintage memorabilia from the early days of professional soccer in the United States. Own a piece of American soccer history today!