The four brothers, Bob, Dan, Sam and Vanni, are one of Canada's most famous soccer playing families.
Brothers Bob, Dan and Sam made soccer history by being the first 3 brothers to play pro together. They played over 10 years in Vancouver, including a Championship with the Whitecaps in '79. They also played for Canada a combined 130 times. Bob and Sam were recently inducted into the Soccer Hall of Fame.
BOB LENARDUZZI
Bob has been a Vancouver sports icon for over two decades, excelling as a player, coach, and general manager.
Playing with his hometown Whitecaps (1974-1984), Lenarduzzi was the North American League's all-time leader in games played with 312.
He was the only Canadian to win the North American Player of Year, and in 1979 he was a major factor in the NASL Championship with the Whitecaps.
Internationally as a player he represented Canada 47 times, helping it to qualify for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and 1986 World Cup in Mexico, the only time in the 20th century that Canada appeared in the event.
International media voted Lenarduzzi among the CONCACAF region's top 30 players of the century.
As a player/ coach with the 86ers, he won four straight Canadian league championships, making him the most successful coach in Vancouver professional sports history. He was twice named CSL coach of the year.
Lenarduzzi went on to Coach Canada's World Cup and Olympic Teams from 1992 to 1997.
As a Manager he's served as GM of the 86ers and Whitecaps from1988 to the present, receiving the A-League's Executive of the Year.
Other honors include:
- Induction into the USL Soccer Hall of Fame.
- Induction into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.
- Induction into the BC Sports Hall of Fame
- Induction into North American Soccer Hall of Fame.
- Italo-Canadian of the Year
- Vancouver's Sports Personality of the year.
Lenarduzzi is the current Director of Soccer Operations for the Whitecaps FC.
DAN LENARDUZZI
Dan was born and raised in Vancouver. He followed the family footsteps by playing his way up through the BC youth soccer system with Grandview Legion and BC Soccer Select Teams.
Fresh out of high school at the age of 18, Dan embarked on a professional career with the Vancouver Whitecaps. There he joined brothers Bob and Sam, making them the first three brothers in North America to play on the same professional team.
Ironically, Dan got his first break, and a professional soccer start, in a game against the San Diego Soccers in 1978 , when brother Bob came down with a pre-game injury.
In 1979 Dan led the Canadian National Youth Team to World Youth Cup qualification in Honduras, where he was named tournament All Star.
He captained Canada at the World Youth Cup Finals in Japan the same year. This was the same tournament that launched the career of a then unkown young Argentine player named Maradona.
Dan played both indoor and outdoor soccer with the Whitecaps prior to joining the Toronto Blizzard. He also spent one year with Cambridge City of the English League.
His post soccer career led him back to school where he earned a Business Degree in Marketing and Communications. He went on to spend 4 years as Director of Community Relations and Marketing at VanCity. He has been in the Marketing Industry for the past 10 years, now running his own Marketing Company.
Dan is Youth Director of the Whitecaps FC.
SAM LENARDUZZI
Sam is the second of the four soccer playing brothers. Born in Udine Italy, Sam came to Vancouver at the tender age of age of 2 with Brother Vanni and family.
He grew up playing in the Grandview Legion youth system in Vancouver. He turned professional with brother Bob, as part of the birth of the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1974.
He went on to play a remarkable 11 years in the North American Soccer League. The first nine years with the Whitecaps, before leaving his home town to sign with the Toronto Blizzard where he starred for 2 years.
In a twist of fate, Sam just missed capturing the North American Soccer League Championship twice. The Whitecaps captured the Championship in '79 right after he left to join the Blizzard, and the Blizzard captured the title in '83 right after he had retired.
On the International stage, Sam has had an illustrious career, playing for Canada over 47 times. He had the distinction of captaining the World Cup side on a number of occasions, and in '77 was honored with selection to the all star team during World Cup qualifying in Mexico.
Sam's World Cup experience also includes providing color commentary with CBC during Canada's only appearance in World Cup play in Mexico in 1986. Ironically, while Sam was providing game coverage, brother Bob was down on the field competing for Canada's World Cup team.
It is no surprise that in 2001 Sam was giving the distinction of Induction into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame.
On the Career side, Sam works for Labatt's Breweries. He also Coaches Whitecaps Soccer camps.
