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Steve David

Steve David NicknameSmell
PositionForward
Height6′ 0″ (1.83 m)
Date of Birth March 11th, 1951 (age 73)
Place of Birth Point Fortin, Trinidad and Tobago
Debut
Caps/Goals19    ( 16 goals)
Last ClubSan Diego Sockers (1980-1980)
Previous ClubsSan Jose Earthquakes (1980-1981), California Surf (1978-1979), Detroit Express (1978-1978), Los Angeles Aztecs (1977-1978), Miami Toros (1974-1976), Victory
SchoolsSt. Benedict's College


Those who witnessed Steve David during his debut season at the first-class level would have been left in doubt as to his lethal presence in the penalty-area.

The eighteen-year old Caroni FC forward ended 1969 as the top goal-getter in the Southern Amateur Football and continued his free-scoring ways spent four seasons in the Port of Spain Football League with Police and enjoyed a signature moment when he was named as one of the league's top-five players of the season in 1971 - the year in which he was included in Trinidad and Tobago's team at the Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia.

David's penchant for scoring goals definitely did not abate at the international level. He enjoyed 12 strikes during the 1974 World Cup-qualifying competition (including hattricks against Antigua & Barbuda and the Netherlands Antilles) and added four more goals to his tally during the 1978 elimination campaign. Those 16 World Cup-qualifying goals stood as a national record for World Cup goals from 1976 until 2005.

By this time the Point Fortin native had established himself as was one of the North American Soccer League's marquee players: even the legendary Pele once had to settle for being second best to the prolific striker.

This occurred at the end of the NASL's 1975 season, when David was the leading scorer with 52 points (23 goals and six assists, with two points awarded per goal and one point per assist). In the process he led his team, the Miami Toros, to the championship semi-finals and earned the league's Most Valuable Player award, with the New York Cosmos' Pele finishing second in the voting. This came a year after David had guided the Toros to the championship final the Soccer Bowl - at their home stadium, the Orange Bowl, where they were beaten by 4-3 on penalties by the Los Angeles Aztecs.

In 1977, David finished as NASL top-scorer again, this time with 58 points (26 goals, six assists) for the Aztecs and finished second in the MVP voting to the Cosmos' German icon, Franz Beckenbauer.

David eventually finished eighth in the listing of the NASL's all-time leading scorers with 228 points in 175 games, with his tally of 100 goals being the seventh-best in NASL history. He was named to the NASL All-Star First Team on two occasions (1975, 1977) and received an Honorable Mention in 1974.

Even at the end of his career, David still possessed the scoring touch. In each of his two seasons with the Phoenix Inferno in the Major Indoor Soccer League (1981-82 and 1982-83), David finished with 81 points, thanks to 58 goals in 44 games during the former campaign and 61 strikes in 47 affairs in the latter.
(T&T Sports Hall of Fame bio)



Honors for Steve
  • Trinidad & Tobago's Sports Hall of Fame in 2008
  • Leading goalscorer of the North American Soccer League in 1977
  • Named to the North American Soccer League's First Team in 1977
  • North American Soccer League MVP in 1975
  • Leading goalscorer of the North American Soccer League in 1975
  • Named to the North American Soccer League's First Team in 1975

Related Articles
Gally, David reflect on Pele’s great impactJan 1st, 2023
Wallace: Refusal to toe line led to ‘normalisation’Jun 7th, 2020
No compromise: Unpaid TTFA staff still caught in middle of TTFA/FIFA fightJun 5th, 2020
Field of Dreams sporting facility opensMar 23rd, 2020
Warner, Witchcraft and the 1974 World Cup Whipping BoysMar 29th, 2018
SSFL to host inaugural All-Star game, South wants All-Star victory for sweepDec 8th, 2017
David, Rougier want serious planning for 2022 W/CupSep 11th, 2017
Steve David’s son, Tyler David, hoping MLS calls his nameJan 14th, 2016
Mexico’s Televisa to film documentary in T&TAug 27th, 2015
Throwback Thursday | Aztecs forward Steve David scores in record 10 straight matchesAug 13th, 2015
Carrington quits Civic; Point coach cites demotivated players for shock exitJan 31st, 2015
Point Fortin faces financial troubles, may pull out Pro LeagueJul 20th, 2014
‘Rajay’ Memorial Football match tomorrowMar 8th, 2014
Point Fortin Civic ready to tackle Youth Pro LeagueMar 8th, 2014
David: T&T football must go back to the community leaguesFeb 2nd, 2012
De Leon in ‘Champion of the Decades’Mar 9th, 2011
Pleading for changeFeb 9th, 2011
Ex-T&T footballers take on YTCJan 27th, 2011
David, De Leon to start academyDec 10th, 2006
Steve David wants...To SAVE our SOCCERJun 16th, 2005
Steve David: Will he crack the 30-goal NASL record?Jun 1st, 1978
David injured in Aztecs' 3-2 overtime loss to San JoseJul 31st, 1977
Aztec star fast, but he's not interested in racing bulletsJul 21st, 1977
Aztecs make good for 32,165 as David rolls onJul 3rd, 1977
Steve David wants to talk soccerJun 5th, 1977
The road to TrinidadSep 18th, 1975