| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Martino Lettieri | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1957-09-27)27 September 1957 (age 68) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bari, Italy | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 1976 | Montreal Castors | ||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1981 | Minnesota Kicks | 88 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1980–1981 | Minnesota Kicks(indoor) | 14 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1982–1983 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 55 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1984 | Vancouver Whitecaps(indoor) | 13 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1984 | Minnesota Strikers | 18 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1984–1987 | Minnesota Strikers (indoor) | 121 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1987 | Hamilton Steelers | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1986 | Canada | 24 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||
Martino "Tino" Lettieri (born 27 September 1957) is a formerNASL andMISL professionalsoccergoalkeeper, who represented Canada twice at theSummer Olympics: 1976 and 1984 and at the1986 FIFA World Cup.
Lettieri began his pro career with theMontreal Castors in theNational Soccer League in 1976.[1] In 1977, he played with theMinnesota Kicks in theNorth American Soccer League and played there until 1981. He went on to play theVancouver Whitecaps in 1982 and 1983 and theMinnesota Strikers in 1984. He was named NASL North American Player of the Year in 1983[2] and had the league's best Goals Against Average in both 1982 and 1983.[3][4]
Lettieri was a regular in the originalMISL.[citation needed] He continued to play for the Strikers as the team joined the indoor league, playing the 1984–85 season through to 1987–88.[citation needed] Lettieri was voted Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1986–87 season.[citation needed] Lettieri led the Strikers to a runner-up finish in the MISL playoffs during the 1985-86 season, as the team fell 4-3 in the championship round to the San Diego Sockers. Two years later, the Strikers won the Eastern Division.
Lettieri finished his outdoor career in 1987 with theHamilton Steelers inCanadian Soccer League.[5] He was elected to theCanadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2001.[citation needed]
Lettieri is often remembered for his keeping a stuffed parrot in the back of his net during games.[6][7] The bird was named "Ozzie". In 1985 the league banned Ozzie from the nets.[8]
Lettieri made his full international debut for Canada on 17 September 1980 in a 3–0 victory overNew Zealand inEdmonton. He earned 24 caps forCanada and was the first-choice goalkeeper from 1980 until 1986. In the1986 World Cup, Lettieri played two of Canada's three matches, the latter of which, a 0–2 defeat to theSoviet Union inIrapuato, was his final international appearance.[9]In 2001, Lettieri was honored by the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame, and a year later was named a member of the Quebec Soccer Hall of Fame.[citation needed] He was named by Canada Soccer as one of the top 100 Canadian footballers of all time in 2012.[citation needed]
Lettieri is married to Michelle Nanne, the daughter ofMinnesota North Stars hockey player and general managerLou Nanne.[10] He now runs a successful food products business, Tino's Cafe Pizzeria, inShorewood, Minnesota.[11] His son,Vinni, played hockey for theUniversity of Minnesota and signed with theNew York Rangers in 2017.[12][13]
Canada
 | ||
| ||
| ||
