# Tino Lettieri

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tino_Lettieri
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Tino_Lettieri.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tino_Lettieri
> Source revision: 1338720114
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Canadian soccer player (born 1957)

Tino Lettieri 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 Representing Canada Men's Association football CONCACAF Championship Winner 1985 North America * Club domestic league appearances and goals

**Martino "Tino" Lettieri** (born 27 September 1957) is a former [NASL](/source/North_American_Soccer_League_(1968-1984)) and [MISL](/source/Major_Soccer_League) professional [soccer](/source/Association_football) [goalkeeper](/source/Goalkeeper_(association_football)), who represented Canada twice at the [Summer Olympics](/source/Summer_Olympics): 1976 and 1984 and at the [1986 FIFA World Cup](/source/1986_FIFA_World_Cup).

## Club career

Lettieri began his pro career with the [Montreal Castors](/source/Montreal_Castors) in the [National Soccer League](/source/Canadian_National_Soccer_League) in 1976.[1] In 1977, he played with the [Minnesota Kicks](/source/Minnesota_Kicks) in the [North American Soccer League](/source/North_American_Soccer_League_(1968%E2%80%931984)) and played there until 1981. He went on to play the [Vancouver Whitecaps](/source/Vancouver_Whitecaps_(1974%E2%80%9384)) in 1982 and 1983 and the [Minnesota Strikers](/source/Minnesota_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 original [MISL](/source/Major_Soccer_League).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia: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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Lettieri was voted Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1986–87 season.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia: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 the [Hamilton Steelers](/source/Hamilton_Steelers_(1986%E2%80%931992)) in [Canadian Soccer League](/source/Canadian_Soccer_League_(1987%E2%80%931992)).[5] He was elected to the [Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame](/source/Canadian_Soccer_Hall_of_Fame) in 2001.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia: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]

## International career

Lettieri made his full international debut for Canada on 17 September 1980 in a 3–0 victory over [New Zealand](/source/New_Zealand_men's_national_football_team) in [Edmonton](/source/Edmonton). He earned 24 caps for [Canada](/source/Canada_men's_national_soccer_team) and was the first-choice goalkeeper from 1980 until 1986. In the [1986 World Cup](/source/1986_FIFA_World_Cup), Lettieri played two of Canada's three matches, the latter of which, a 0–2 defeat to the [Soviet Union](/source/Soviet_Union_national_football_team) in [Irapuato](/source/Irapuato), 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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] He was named by Canada Soccer as one of the top 100 Canadian footballers of all time in 2012.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Personal life

Lettieri is married to Michelle Nanne, the daughter of [Minnesota North Stars](/source/Minnesota_North_Stars) hockey player and general manager [Lou Nanne](/source/Lou_Nanne).[10] He now runs a successful food products business, Tino's Cafe Pizzeria, in [Shorewood, Minnesota](/source/Shorewood%2C_Minnesota).[11] His son, [Vinni](/source/Vinni_Lettieri), played hockey for the [University of Minnesota](/source/Minnesota_Golden_Gophers_men's_ice_hockey) and signed with the [New York Rangers](/source/New_York_Rangers) in 2017.[12][13]

## Honours

**Canada**

- [CONCACAF Championship](/source/CONCACAF_Championship): [1985](/source/1985_CONCACAF_Championship)[14]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Castors feature international soccer stars"](https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/49472680/). Ottawa Journal. 17 June 1976. p. 30.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["NASL Honors Whitecap Goalie"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PgItAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CM8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=6591,1210396&dq=nasl+honors+whitecap+goalie&hl=en). *[The Palm Beach Post](/source/The_Palm_Beach_Post)*. 22 September 1983. p. D12.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["The Year in American Soccer - 1982"](http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1982.html). Homepages.sover.net. Retrieved 7 October 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["The Year in American Soccer - 1983"](http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1983.html). Homepages.sover.net. Retrieved 7 October 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Tino Lettieri soccer statistics on StatsCrew.com"](https://www.statscrew.com/minorsoccer/stats/p-lettitin001).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Terry Bigham (17 April 1986). "Sidekicks Stay Alive, Overcome Strikers, 4-1". *[The Dallas Morning News](/source/The_Dallas_Morning_News)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Franz Lidz (3 September 1984). ["If Tino Lettieri is the NASL's best goalie, he owes it all"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140416212607/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1122482/). *[Sports Illustrated](/source/Sports_Illustrated)*. Archived from [the original](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1122482/) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["STRIKERS GOALIE SQUAWKS OVER BENCHING OF MASCOT"](https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-12-15-8503270106-story.html). Chicago Tribune. 15 December 1985. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Tino Lettieri"](https://canadasoccer.com/index.php?pid=1877&t=profile&). *www.canadasoccer.com*. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Russo, Michael (14 February 2018). ["From soccer to football to the NHL, Vinni Lettieri cut his..."](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/241349/2018/02/14/vinni-lettieri-rangers-lou-nanne-tino-lettieri-tyler-nanne-edina/) *The Athletic*. Retrieved 1 March 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["About Me"](http://tinospizzeria.com/About_Me.html). Tino's Cafe Pizzeria. Retrieved 16 April 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Vinni Lettieri"](http://www.gophersports.com/sports/m-hockey/mtt/vinni_lettieri_851252.html). *Gophersports.com*. Retrieved 8 April 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Lettieri Inks Deal with Rangers"](https://gophersports.com/news/2017/3/27/Lettieri_Inks_Deal_with_Rangers.aspx?path=mhockey). *Gophersports.com*. Retrieved 17 June 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Torneo Premundial 1985 (IX Campeonato de Naciones (NORCECA) CONCACAF)"](https://www.rsssf.org/tablesc/conca85det.html). Retrieved 20 April 2025.

## External links

- [Tino's Pizzeria official website](http://tinospizzeria.com/Welcome.html)

- [Tino Lettieri](https://canadasoccer.com/profile/?id=1877) at [Canada Soccer](/source/Canadian_Soccer_Association) / [Canada Soccer Hall of Fame](/source/Canada_Soccer_Hall_of_Fame)

- [NASL/MISL stats](http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/L/Lettieri.Tino.htm)

v t e 1980–81 NASL Indoor All-Stars All-North Team GK: Bruce Grobbelaar MF: Gerry Gray FW: Carl Valentine FW: Kai Haaskivi FW: Drew Ferguson FW: Juan Carlos Molina FW: Bobby Prentice All-East Team GK: Tino Lettieri DF: Björn Nordqvist FW: Steve Wegerle FW: Pato Margetic FW: Keith Furphy FW: Karl-Heinz Granitza All-West Team GK: Mike Hewitt DF: Mihalj Keri MF: Alan Hudson FW: Stuart Lee FW: George Best FW: Juli Veee FW: Chris Dangerfield

v t e 1983 NASL All-Stars First Team GK: Van Beveren DF: Watson DF: Beckenbauer DF: Eskandarian DF: Wallace MF: Bogićević MF: Terlecki MF: Thijssen FW: Cabañas FW: Žungul FW: Margetic Second Team GK: Lettieri DF: Evans DF: Wilson DF: Mathieu DF: Cho MF: Granitza MF: Daley MF: Deyna FW: Chinaglia FW: Alonso FW: Byrne Honorable Mention GK: Birkenmeier DF: Thompson DF: Huson DF: Keri DF: Miller MF: O'Brien MF: Davis MF: Hudson FW: Cross FW: Ward FW: Beardsley

v t e 1983–84 NASL Indoor All-Stars First Team GK: Victor Nogueira DF: Fernando Clavijo DF: Gert Wieczorkowski FW: Kaz Deyna FW: Steve Žungul FW: Karl-Heinz Granitza Second Team GK: David Brcic DF: Dan Canter DF: Martin Donnelly FW: Juli Veee FW: Carl Valentine FW: Pato Margetic FW: Stanisław Terlecki 1984 NASL All-Star Game selections Starters GK: Alan Mayer (injured) DF: Barry Wallace DF: Fernando Clavijo FW: Steve Žungul FW: Kaz Deyna FW: Juli Veee Reserves GK: David Brcic GK: Tino Lettieri *(injury replacement) DF: Angelo DiBernardo DF: Frantz Mathieu DF: Mike Connell DF: Gert Wieczorkowski FW: Carl Valentine FW: Stanisław Terlecki (injured) FW: Jean Willrich FW: Zequinha *(injury replacement) FW: Peter Ward

v t e Canada Soccer Hall of Fame Based in Ottawa, Ontario Hall of Fame Players (144) Men Pre-WW2 G. M. Anderson Bowman Campbell Clulow Coulter Derby Dierden Edmunds Findler Fitzpatrick Graham Halliwell Harley Lavery MacLaine Manson Matthews Moir Nelson A. Smith Stobbart Thombs W. Thomson Turner Wakelyn Woutersz Chedgzoy Kennaway McDonald Post-WW2 Ambler Arends Ayre Bak Blundell Bolitho J. Brand Cairns M. Castonguay P. Castonguay R. Castonguay Chursky Cowan Crossan Douglas Ellett Gill Greig Harvey Hughes Iarusci Ion Johnson Kodelja R. Lenarduzzi S. Lenarduzzi Lettieri Marcantonio Matheson McGrane N. McLeod W. McLeod D. McMahon Newbold Parsons Pears B. Philley P. Philley Phillips Robinson Schepers B. Smith Spencer A. Stevens G. Stevens Stewart Stojanović Stothard Vazzoler Whent Whittaker B. Wilson Nicholl Modern Bernier Brennan Bridge Bunbury Catliff Corazzin Dasovic De Rosario deVos Dolan Forrest Gray Hastings Hooper Limniatis McKenna Miller Mitchell Mobilio Moore Onstad Peschisolido Radzinski Ragan Samuel Segota Stalteri Sweeney Valentine Watson Yallop Women S. Brand Burtini Cant Caron Chapman Chin Baker David Donnelly Franko Gayle Helland Hermus Hooper Kelly Lang LeBlanc Lemieux McEachern Mongrain Morneau Moscato Muir Neil Ring Ross Serwetnyk Simon Stoumbos Timko Walsh Wilkinson Builders (45) G. Anderson Arnold Avey Barrett Capozzi Cross Davidson Donaghey Etchegarry Fenton Fleming Forsyth Fried Fryatt Gilhespy Gittens Gross Hoyle Hubay Hylan Jose Kerr King Leggat J. McMahon Moro Muldoon O'Connor Peto P. Quinn T. Quinn Richardson Robertson Russell Sanford Sayer Schwartz Simpson Sokalski Southard Stambrook Stavro Stirling L. Wilson Wisdom Managers & Coaches (13) Adam Bearpark Beliveau Bennett Brown Buchanan Goldberger Howard Petrie Slade B. Thomson Twamley Waiters Officials (10) Arrowsmith Denoncourt Evangelista Kulai Lyons Morgan Satwell Soupliotis Vergara Winsemann Organisations of Distinction (21) Calgary Callies CNSC Windsor Croatia Darlington SC Edmonton Angels Edmonton Ital Canadians SC Edmonton Scottish Feildians AA of St. John's Holy Cross FC Lakeshore SC Montréal Carsteel FC North Shore United FC Robbie International Youth Tournament St. Lawrence Laurentians Toronto Scottish FC Toronto Ulster United FC Vancouver Columbus Vancouver Firefighters Vancouver St. Andrews FC Victoria West West Indies United Toronto United Weston FC Teams of Distinction (18) 1888 Canada men 1904 Galt 1907 Calgary Callies 1924 Canada men 1928 Westminster Royals 1933 Toronto Scottish 1976 Toronto Metros-Croatia 1979 Vancouver Whitecaps 1984 Canada Olympic men 1986 Canada World Cup men 1989 Canada Francophone Games men 1995 Canada World Cup women 1998 CONCACAF Women's Championship women 2000 Canada CONCACAF Gold Cup men 2010 Canada CONCACAF women 2012 Canada Olympic Bronze Medal 2016 Canada Olympic Bronze Medal 2021 Canada Olympic Gold Medal

v t e Canada soccer squad – 1976 Summer Olympics 1 Brand 2 Bolitho 3 Telford 4 Grant 5 Lawrence 6 Douglas 7 McGrane 8 Megraw 9 Rose 10 Roe 11 Connor 12 McLenaghen 13 Lettieri 14 McLeod 15 Ayre 16 McLoughlin 17 Whitehead Coach: Morris

v t e Canada soccer squad – 1984 Summer Olympics 1 Lettieri 2 Lenarduzzi 3 Wilson 4 Moore 5 Bridge 6 Ragan 7 Norman 8 Gray 9 Garraway 10 Mitchell 11 Sweeney 12 Vrablic 14 De Luca 15 James 16 Catliff 17 Martin 22 Habermann Coach: Waiters

v t e Canada squad – 1985 CONCACAF Championship winners (1st title) GK Dolan GK Habermann GK Lettieri DF Baird DF Bridge DF Lenarduzzi DF Moore DF Samuel DF Wilson DF Lowther MF De Luca MF Gray MF James MF Norman MF Ragan MF Sweeney FW Catliff FW Garraway FW Karpun FW Mitchell FW Pakos FW Valentine FW Vrablic Coach: Waiters

v t e Canada squad – 1986 FIFA World Cup 1 Lettieri 2 Lenarduzzi 3 Wilson (c) 4 Ragan 5 Moore 6 Bridge 7 Valentine 8 Gray 9 Segota 10 Vrablic 11 Sweeney 12 Samuel 13 Pakos 14 Mitchell 15 James 16 Ion 17 Norman 18 Lowery 19 De Luca 20 Miller 21 Habermann 22 Dolan Coach: Waiters

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tino Lettieri](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tino_Lettieri) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tino_Lettieri?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.