Romario, the hero of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup win, has not disappointed since joining expansion team FC Miami for the 2006 USL1 season at age 40. He has played every minute of 20 games, scoring 17 goals and notching three assists and is the league’s second leading scorer, behind Seattle’s William Weaver, who has stuck 18 times in 25 games.
FC Miami is in fifth place of the 12th team league, which is the nation’s second tier league below MLS. The top six teams qualify for the playoffs, which kick off Sept. 15. Diego Walsh, a Brazilian who starred at SMU before spending three seasons in MLS, has four goals in Miami’s last four games. Francisco Gomez, who played seven MLS seasons, joined FC Miami after being waived by Chivas USA in June. Guatemalan national team forward Mario Rodriguez is Miami’s second leading scorer with seven goals and four assists.