Roy Lee Lassiter (born March 9, 1969) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a forward. He played the first few years of his professional career in Costa Rica. He returned to the United States to play in Major League Soccer when that league was launched in 1996, and from 1996 to 1999 he was one of the most prolific goal scorers in MLS. He is the father of Ariel Lassiter, who plays for Inter Miami CF of MLS. Early life and education Lassiter was born in Washington, D.C., but grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina where he attended Athens Drive High School. He was the North Carolina State 4-A Player of the Year as a senior and a high school All-American. That year, he led his high school soccer team to the state championship while scoring a state record 47 goals. He also played for a local youth club, 69 Raleigh Rockets, which beat to the LaJolla Nomads 3–0, Roy scored all three goals, in the 1986 Noitis National Club Championship Cup. Lost in the 1986 Southern Regional Finals, in Plano TX, to the Dallas Titans 3–2, before the McGuire Cup. Lassiter attended Lees-McRae College in 1987, won the D3 National Championship 1988. He then transferred to North Carolina State University in 1989, where he was a 1991 First Team All-ACC and All South. Club career While convalescing, Lassiter was contacted by Turrialba from Costa Rica in 1992. As Lassiter recalls it, "I have no idea how they got my name. They paid for my trip down there while still recovering from my leg injury, and I signed a contract." He also played for Carmelita and in summer 1995, Alajuelense sold him to Major League Soccer. In August 1995, Lassiter was arrested in connection with two burglaries that took place in 1992 after a Raleigh police detective read a newspaper article that mentioned a goal Lassiter scored in a U.S. friendly match with Benfica. Lassiter was sentenced to 30 days in jail. In 1996, Lassiter won the top goalscorer award in Major League Soccer, scoring 27 goals for Tampa Bay Mutiny, after when he was loaned for 6 months to Italian Serie B side Genoa. His record in the league's inaugural season was tied several times, but stood until it was broken in 2018 by Josef Martínez of Atlanta United FC. Lassiter was traded to D.C.