Role Soccer player Name Willy Schaller | Years Team | |
Date of birth (1933-02-23)February 23, 1933 Date of death January 3, 2015(2015-01-03) (aged 81) Died January 3, 2015, Lakewood, Colorado, United States | ||
Place of death Lakewood, Colorado | ||
Willy (Willie) Schaller (February 23, 1933 - January 3, 2015) was a U.S. soccer defender who played most of his career in the German American Soccer League. He also played on the U.S. soccer team at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1996.
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Club career
While born in Germany, Schaller’s family moved to the United States when he was a young boy. He joined Schwaben of the German American Soccer League when he was in high school. In 1953, he joined the U.S. Army, serving until 1955. At some point, he moved to Blau-Weiss Gottschee, playing with the team through at least 1960.
National teams
In 1952, he was selected to the U.S. soccer team which competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics. He was nineteen at the time. The U.S. lost its first game of the single elimination tournament to Italy. In 1959, he was with the U.S. team which won the bronze medal at the Pan American Games.
Coaching
After retiring from playing professionally, Schaller became a youth and high school soccer coach.