In the 1995 season, for every team's home games, at least seven "local" players were required to play or appear on the bench (three locals in away games). In the years before 2006, each team was required to field at least one player of non-American extraction, called a "national" player, on every down of every other series. In 2006, the rule was changed to every series. In addition to European players, a number of Mexican and Japanese players played as national players. Until the 2004 season, kicked conversion attempts and short field goals were attempted by national players. As there are few European players who have had the chance to compete at a level comparable to that of American college football and the NFL, many, if not most, of the European players ended up as kickers.