Robert Iarusci
Template:Short description Template:Infobox football biography Robert Iarusci (born November 8, 1954) is a former star NASL player and member of the Canadian national soccer team.[1] In 2012 as part of the Canadian Soccer Association's centennial celebration, he was named to the all-time Canada XI men's team.[2]
Club career
A right back, Iarusci played in the National Soccer League with Toronto Italia in 1973.[3] He would play with Italia for three seasons from 1973 till 1975.[4][3] He began his NASL career with his hometown Toronto Metros-Croatia, playing the 1976 and part of 1977. He played every game as the Toronto won the league championship in 1976. Iarusci played nearly the entire 1977 season in Toronto, but was traded at the end of the season to the New York Cosmos where he saw time in one game in 1977. He also played the 1978 season in New York, as they won consecutive Soccer Bowls. He was traded in the Spring of 1979 to the Washington Diplomats and played there two seasons. Iarusci returned to the Cosmos to play 1981 through 1983, and finished with the San Diego Sockers as the league folded following its 1984 season. Overall Iarusci won four Soccer Bowl titles, three of them in a row.
International career
Iarusci played 27 times for Canada from 1976 through 1983 and captained the team for a number of games. He scored twice, both in qualification for the 1982 World Cup and playing as sweeper. The first goal on November 1, 1980, in a 2–1 win over the U.S. in Vancouver and the second in Canada's last match of the 1981 CONCACAF Championship tournament against Cuba.[5] The game finished 2–2 and Canada, along with Mexico, failed to qualify for the World Cup, finishing a point shy of second place qualifier El Salvador.
International goals
- Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 November 1980 | Empire Stadium, Vancouver, Canada | {{safesubst: Template:Yesno | alias = United States | flag alias = Flag of the United States.svg | flag alias-1776 = Flag of the United States (1776–1777).svg | flag alias-1777 = Flag of the United States (1777–1795).svg | flag alias-1777-Ross = Betsy Ross flag.svg | flag alias-1795 = Flag of the United States (1795-1818).svg | flag alias-1795FM = Flag of the United States (1795–1818).svg | flag alias-1818 = Flag of the United States (1818-1819).svg | flag alias-1819 = Flag of the United States (1819-1820).svg | flag alias-1820 = Flag of the United States (1820-1822).svg | flag alias-1822 = Flag of the United States (1822–1836).svg | flag alias-1836 = Flag of the United States (1836-1837).svg | flag alias-1837 = Flag of the United States (1837-1845).svg | flag alias-1845 = Flag of the United States (1845-1846).svg | flag alias-1846 = Flag of the United States (1846-1847).svg | flag alias-1847 = Flag of the United States (1847-1848).svg | flag alias-1848 = Flag of the United States (1848-1851).svg | flag alias-1851 = Flag of the United States (1851-1858).svg | flag alias-1858 = Flag of the United States (1858-1859).svg | flag alias-1859 = Flag of the United States (1859-1861).svg | flag alias-1861 = Flag of the United States (1861-1863).svg | flag alias-1863 = Flag of the United States (1863-1865).svg | flag alias-1865 = Flag of the United States (1865-1867).svg | flag alias-1867 = Flag of the United States (1867-1877).svg | flag alias-1877 = Flag of the United States (1877-1890).svg | flag alias-1890 = Flag of the United States (1890-1891).svg | flag alias-1891 = Flag of the United States (1891-1896).svg | flag alias-1896 = Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg | flag alias-1908 = Flag of the United States (1908-1912).svg | flag alias-1912 = Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg | flag alias-1959 = Flag of the United States (1959–1960).svg | flag alias-1960 = Flag of the United States (Web Colors).svg | flag alias-pantone = Flag of the United States (Pantone).svg | flag alias-yacht = United States yacht flag.svg | flag alias-air force = Flag of the United States Air Force.svg | flag alias-coast guard-1799 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1799).png | flag alias-coast guard-1815 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1815).png | flag alias-coast guard-1836 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1836).png | flag alias-coast guard-1841 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1841).png | flag alias-coast guard-1867 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1867).png | flag alias-coast guard-1868 = Ensign of the United States Revenue-Marine (1868).png | flag alias-coast guard-1915 = Ensign of the United States Coast Guard (1915-1953).png | flag alias-coast guard-1953 = Ensign of the United States Coast Guard.svg | flag alias-coast guard = Flag of the United States Coast Guard.svg | link alias-coast guard = United States Coast Guard | flag alias-army = Flag of the United States Army.svg | link alias-naval = United States Navy | flag alias-navy-1864 = Flag of the United States Navy (1864-1959).svg | flag alias-navy = Flag of the United States Navy (official).svg | link alias-navy = United States Navy | link alias-marines = United States Marine Corps | flag alias-marines-1914 = Flag of the United States Marine Corps (1914-1939).png | flag alias-marines = Flag of the United States Marine Corps.svg | link alias-merchant marine = United States Merchant Marine | flag alias-merchant marine = Flag of the United States Merchant Marine Higher Resolution.jpg | flag alias-space force = Flag of the United States Space Force.svg | link alias-military = United States Armed Forces | link alias-football = United States men's national soccer team | link alias-Australian rules football = United States men's national Australian rules football team | flag alias-23px = Flag of the United States (23px).png | empty = USA Selects | size = | name = | altlink = national football team | altvar = football | variant =
}} || 1–0 || 2–1 || 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 21 November 1981 | Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino, Tegucigalpa, Honduras | {{ Template:Yesno | alias = Cuba | flag alias = Flag of Cuba.svg | flag alias-naval = Naval Jack of Cuba.svg | link alias-naval = Cuban Revolutionary Navy | flag alias-1902 = Flag of Cuba (sky blue).svg | link alias-army = Cuban Revolutionary Army | flag alias-navy = Naval Jack of Cuba.svg | link alias-navy = Cuban Revolutionary Navy | size = | name = | altlink = national football team | altvar = football | variant=
}} || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Post-retirement
Iarusci was an inaugural member of Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame, inducted in 2000. He is currently chairman of the Toronto Azzurri Soccer Club and vice president of the North York Hearts Soccer Club. He is a co-host on Sportsnet 590's "The Soccer Show" and also a colour commentator for Toronto FC home games broadcasts/webcasts on the station.
References
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External links
Template:1981 NASL All-Stars Template:Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame
- Pages with script errors
- 1954 births
- Living people
- Canadian expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Canadian expatriate men's soccer players
- Canada men's international soccer players
- Canadian National Soccer League players
- Canadian radio sportscasters
- Canada Soccer Hall of Fame inductees
- Canadian men's soccer players
- Canadian sports announcers
- Canadian sportspeople of Italian descent
- Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
- Canadian soccer commentators
- Men's association football defenders
- North American Soccer League (1968–1984) indoor players
- New York Cosmos (1970–1985) players
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- Soccer players from Toronto
- San Diego Sockers (1978–1996) players
- Toronto Blizzard (1971–1984) players
- Toronto Italia players
- Washington Diplomats (NASL) players
- 20th-century Canadian sportsmen