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 Legendary Milwaukee Wave goalkeeper Victor Nogueira is one of the 12 charter inductees to the Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame, the organization announced today.
Nogueira won seven league championships, four MVP awards and was named Goalkeeper of the Year 12 times in his impressive 19-year indoor career, which spanned parts of three decades. He played 11 seasons in Milwaukee and is the Wave's career leader in nearly every goalkeeping category.
A native of Mozambique, Nogueira spent time with English club Newcastle United and played in the North American Soccer League with the Atlanta Chiefs, Montreal Manic and Chicago Sting before the league folded. He then moved indoors and played for the Sting and Cleveland Force before starring for the San Diego Sockers and the Wave. In 1998, he was named the league MVP, Goalkeeper of the Year, playoff MVP, All-Star Game MVP and made the all-league team as Milwaukee won the National Professional Soccer League, the Wave's first championship.
Additionally, Nogueira earned 16 caps with the U.S. National Futsal team and was named the top goalkeeper and made the all-tournament team at the 1992 FIFA Futsal World Championship, where the Americans finished second. He is now coaching with West Coast FC in Laguna Hills, Calif.
Nogueira received 12 votes in voting done by the 21-member Indoor Hall of Fame induction committee, the minimum required for election. Wave coach Keith Tozer was part of the induction committee. The only unanimous selection for the charter members of the Hall was Earl Foreman, who co-founded the Major Indoor Soccer League in 1978 and was the league's longtime commissioner. The other inductees are players Steve Zungul, Branko Segota, Tatu, Stan Stamenkovic, Kevin Crow, Kim Roentved and Juli Veee and coaches Ron Newman, Kenny Cooper Sr. and Don Popovic.
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