{{Short description|Canadian soccer player}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Gene Vazzoler | image = | caption = | fullname = Eugenio Vazzoler | birth_date = {{Birth date|1941|09|25|df=y}} | birth_place = Torino, Italy | death_date = | death_place = | height = 180 cm | position = Centre half | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Torino | youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = Norburn Legion | years1 = 1961-1972 | clubs1 = Vancouver Columbus FC | years2 = 1973-1982 | clubs2 = {{plainlist| * Vancouver Italia * Italian Canadians * Columbus FC }} }}
'''Gene Vazzoler''' (25 September 1941) was a former Canadian soccer player. He was a four-time national champion with Vancouver Columbus FC (1964, 1969, 1977, 1978). Born in Turin, Italy, but raised in Burnaby, he is an honoured member of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.
In the Pacific Coast League, Vazzoler won three championships with Columbus FC (1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71). He was an all-star selection, representing British Columbia or Vancouver, four times in a six-year period from 1964 to 1969.
In April 1983, his jersey number 5 was retired by Vancouver Columbus FC.<ref>"Vazzoler sees No. 5 hung up" ''The Province'', April 20, 1983, p. D3.</ref> He was the first player from the organisation to have his sweater number retired.
In March 2019, he was inducted to the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ilmarcopolo.ca/gino-vazzoler-columbus-5-inducted-into-canadas-soccer-hall-of-fame/ |title=Vazzoler Columbus 5 Inducted into Canada’s Soccer Hall of Fame| access-date=March 5, 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/alumni-vancouvers-firefighters-fc-and-columbus-fc-be-inducted-canada-soccer-hall |title=Alumni from Vancouver's Firefighters FC and Columbus FC| access-date=March 5, 2026}}</ref>
==Honours==
'''Vancouver Columbus FC''' *Pacific Coast League winner (1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71) *Canadian Championship (Challenge Trophy) winner (1964, 1969, 1977, 1978)
'''Individual''' *Canada Soccer Hall of Fame (2019) *Soccer Hall of Fame of British Columbia (2019)
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{Canada Soccer player|id=4728}} / Canada Soccer Hall of Fame *[https://issuu.com/canadasoccer/docs/2019_pdf_cs_hall_of_fame_class Canada Soccer Hall of Fame] *[https://issuu.com/canadasoccer/docs/20171231_canada_records_results Canada Soccer Records & Results] *[https://issuu.com/canadasoccer/docs/2019_canada_soccer_pacific_coast_le Story of the Pacific Coast League]
{{Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vazzoler, Gene}} Category:1941 births Category:Canada Soccer Hall of Fame inductees Category:Canadian men's soccer players Category:20th-century Canadian sportsmen Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Turin Category:Soccer players from Burnaby