Bruce Wilson (soccer)

Football player infobox
playername = Bruce Wilson


fullname = Bruce Wilson
height = 6'0"
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1951|6|20
cityofbirth = Vancouver
countryofbirth = Canada
currentclub = retired
clubnumber =
position = Former Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1974 - 1977
1978 - 1979
1980
1981 - 1984
1984-1988
clubs = Vancouver Whitecaps
Chicago Sting
New York Cosmos
Toronto Blizzard
caps(goals) = 92 (4)
60 (0)
18 (0)
106 (3)
nationalyears = 1975 - 1986
nationalteam = Canada
nationalcaps(goals) = 51 (0)
pcupdate = September 172006

Bruce Wilson (born June 20, 1951 in Vancouver, British Columbia) was a NASL and Canadian international soccer player. He played the second most games of any player in the former league, 299 (276 regular season and 23 playoff). He also captained the Canadian team at the 1986 FIFA World Cup finals, the sole time Canada has appeared. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Wilson was a 'stay-at-home' style of defender, scoring just 7 goals in eleven NASL seasons. He played for the Vancouver Whitecaps from 1974 to 1977, the Chicago Sting in 1978 and 1979, the New York Cosmos in 1980, and the Toronto Blizzard from 1981 to 1984. He was a six-time all-star selection, including three first-team selections (Vancouver in '77, Chicago in '79, Toronto in '84).

Wilson earned 51 caps for Canada. In 1998, he was selected to a CONCACAF "team of the century", the only Canadian to receive the honour. Wilson also represented Canada at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics at a time when lower-ranked countries were allowed to field professional players. The Canadian team reached the quarter-final stage, losing to a Brazil B side.

Wilson became player-coach of the post-NASL Blizzard in 1985 when they were known as Toronto Inex. The Wilson led Inex played one season of friendlies against touring sides including Linfield and Everton before shutting down. Wilson has been head coach of the University of Victoria men's soccer team since 1987.

In 2000 Wilson was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.

External links

* [http://www.soccer.on.ca/OSN.nsf/c1bfa845a2dec3bf85256b0b005d4116/fd8406bb81c0024785256b0d006e6f21?OpenDocument The Ontario Soccer Association's Soccer Hall of Fame's induction page]
* [http://www.soccerhall.org/famers/Bruce_Wilson.htm National Soccer Hall of Fame (in America) with summary of Wilson's NASL career and career statistics]
* [http://web.uvic.ca/atrsweb/vikes/MensSoccer/Coach/CoachMensSoccer.htm Profile of Coach Wilson at UVic]