Stephen Basso

Basso started playing soccer at age 5 in New Delhi, India where his father, a foreign service officer with the State Department, worked. Basso eventually settled in Columbia, Maryland, where he played on Soccer Association of Columbia/Howard County teams and high school soccer at Hammond High School, but did not attended college; instead, he left high school early and went to Germany when his father was assigned to Frankfurt. Basso signed for German lower-league side PSV Blau Gelb in 2003.[1]

Basso spent a year with Blau Geld, before returning to the United States to join the youth academy of Major League Soccer side D.C. United, foregoing college soccer, Basso spent two years there, helping his team to the U17 National Championship Semi-Finals in 2004 and the U19 National Championship Semi-Finals in 2005.

Having not been offered a professional contract by DC, Basso initially returned to Germany, signing his first professional contract for SV Darmstadt 98.[2] Basso spent the majority of his time in Darmstadt playing for team's reserves, never making a first team appearance, and returned to the United States in 2008 to sign for USL Second Division expansion franchise Real Maryland Monarchs. He made his professional debut on April 20, 2008 in Maryland's season opening 1-0 loss to the Western Mass Pioneers.[3]

Basso signed for Crystal Palace Baltimore in 2009.[4] On March 16, 2010 Baltimore announced the re-signing of Basso to a new contract for the 2010 season.[5] He went on to make 24 league appearances for CPB over two seasons before leaving the club when it ceased operations at the end of 2010.

Basso signed with Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Pro league on April 1, 2011.[6] He scored his first professional goal in his fifth pro year, on May 22, 2011 in a 3-1 loss to Orlando City.[7] Harrisburg City re-signed Basso in February 2012.[8]