Madison's Bernardo to help build Miami Fusion
Vincenzo Bernardo has seen the world since starting his pro soccer career at age 16. But after bouncing between clubs — and sometimes countries — almost every year, Bernardo was looking for something more stable, and a little closer to home.
On Tuesday, he became the first player to sign with Miami Fusion FC. The expansion club will play a summer season in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), starting in early May.
More players are expected to be introduced Tuesday, a mix of internationals and guys from local colleges like Nova Southeastern and Florida International. But head coach Ferdinando DeMattaeis said Bernardo, a 24-year-old withdrawn striker from Madison, is "one of the franchise players" for the new squad.
"No one can ever take that away," Bernardo said via cell phone from Miami. "I'm the first signing for the club in history. … It's an honor. I'm grateful for that. It's exciting."
DeMattaeis and Bernardo have known each other for more than a decade, since DeMattaeis — who played for the original New York Cosmos — was living in Morris Plains. He briefly coached Bernardo here, and watched him play in Italy after Bernardo moved to Napoli's youth system at age 16. DeMattaeis reached out to Bernardo when he was playing for Antigua GFC in Guatemala more than a year ago.
Bernardo returned to the United States after that season ended, and scored seven goals in 12 games for the DeMattaeis-coached Miami United FC in the NPSL.
"His experience comes from having played against men," DeMattaeis said. "He's experienced based on the mileage with pros and the teams he's played with. The position he plays, he was going against huge, huge center backs. He's always been challenged by his size, but he's always come up with an answer. ... I know he's going to pay me back with a big season."
Backed by Intelisport, Inc., the Fusion is the culmination of a three-year project to bring professional soccer back to Miami. The former Miami Fusion played four seasons (1998-2001) in Major League Soccer before being contracted, along with the Tampa Bay Mutiny, in January 2002. The new Fusion's long-term plan is to leap to the second-division North American Soccer League by 2017, and possibly even back to MLS.
However, a MLS attorney filed a trademark-infringement challenge against the new Fusion with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in December. An ownership group including David Beckham has also been in talks to bring a MLS team back to Miami.
"It was all a learning experience for me, on and off the field, leaving at such a young age and traveling the world," said Bernardo, who signed a multi-year deal with an option to renegotiate after the NPSL season ends in August.
"It seemed like a good situation, a good way for me to head back home and have something stable."
Staff Writer Jane Havsy: 973-428-6682; jhavsy@dailyrecord.com; www.dailyrecord.com/writerjane/