Enzo Di Pede (born January 3, 1957) is a retired Italian-born goalkeeper who played in the North American Soccer League and the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL).

Enzo Di Pede
Personal information
Date of birth (1957-01-03) January 3, 1957 (age 67)
Place of birth Sora, Italy
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1976–1978 Toronto Italia
1978–1980 New York Arrows (indoor) 21 (0)
1979–1980 Rochester Lancers 22 (0)
1980–1981 Chicago Horizons (indoor) 16 (0)
1981–1986 Kansas City Comets (indoor) 114 (0)
1986–1987 Minnesota Strikers (indoor) 0 (0)
International career
1979 Canada U23 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career edit

In 1976, he played in the National Soccer League with Toronto Italia for three seasons.[1][2] Di Pede was a member of the MISL Champion New York Arrows as a backup goalkeeper in 1979–1980. Di Pede won MISL Goalkeeper of the Year honors in 1981 as a member of the Chicago Horizons[3] and later played for the Kansas City Comets.[4] On October 7, 1986, the Minnesota Strikers signed Di Pede, but he spent the season as a backup.[5]

International career edit

Di Pede played with the Canada men's national under-23 soccer team, and made his debut on April 1, 1979 against Bermuda.[6][7]

Personal life edit

Born in Italy, he and his family immigrated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Di Pede idolized long-time Italy national team goalkeeper Dino Zoff as a young soccer player.

Di Pede led a series of youth soccer camps in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. with several fellow MISL players. After retiring, Di Pede, along with teammate Gino Schiraldi, opened a bagel shop and catering company in Kansas City.

References edit

  1. ^ Waring, Ed (September 20, 1976). "Italian team refuses to accept trophies from Allan Lamport". The Globe and Mail. p. S3.
  2. ^ Jose, Colin (2001). On-Side - 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario. Vaughan, Ontario: Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. p. 198.
  3. ^ "MISL Yearly Award Winners". OurSports Central. Retrieved March 1, 2011.
  4. ^ "The Kansas City Comets have signed goalkeeper Enzo DiPede..." UPI. August 29, 1985. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
  5. ^ October 8, 1986 Transactions
  6. ^ "Canada Soccer". canadasoccer.com. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
  7. ^ "Enzo Dipede". 11v11.com. Retrieved 2020-03-28.

External links edit