Full name Martino Lettieri Years Team Height 1.83 m | Role Soccer player Name Tino Lettieri | |
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Date of birth (1957-09-27) 27 September 1957 (age 58) | ||
Playing position | ||
Pittsburgh Spirit vs Minnesota Strikers 12/11/85
Martino "Tino" Lettieri (born 27 September 1957) is a former NASL and MISL professional soccer goalkeeper, who represented Canada twice at the Summer Olympics: 1976 and 1984 and the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
- Pittsburgh Spirit vs Minnesota Strikers 121185
- Minnetonka Skippers Hockey in Roseau Lettieri on the Road
- Playing career
- Personal life
- National career
- References
Minnetonka Skippers Hockey in Roseau: Lettieri on the Road
Playing career
Raised in Canada, Lettieri began his pro career with the Minnesota Kicks in 1977 and played there until 1981. He went on to play the Vancouver Whitecaps in '82 and '83 and the Minnesota Strikers in '84. He was named NASL North American Player of the Year in 1983 and had the league's best Goals Against Average in both '82 and '83.
Lettieri was a regular in the original MISL. He continued to play for the Strikers as the team joined the indoor league, playing the 1984-85 season through to 1987-88. Lettieri was voted Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1986-87 season.
Lettieri finished his outdoor career in 1987 with the Hamilton Steelers in Canadian Soccer League. He was elected to the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2001.
Lettieri is often remembered for his keeping a stuffed parrot in the back of his net during games. The bird was named "Ozzie". In 1985 the league banned Ozzie from the nets.
Personal life
Tino married the daughter of Minnesota North Stars hockey player and general manager, Lou Nanne. Lettieri now runs a successful food products business, Tino's Cafe Pizzeria, out of Shorewood, Minnesota. His son, Vinni Lettieri, played hockey for the University of Minnesota and signed with the New York Rangers in 2017.
National career
Lettieri earned 24 caps for Canada and was their first-choice goalie from 1980 until the 1986 FIFA World Cup, where he played two of Canada's three matches.