Domenic Mobilio
Encyclopedia
Domenic Mobilio was a Canadian professional soccer player.
, British Columbia
, Mobilio was a long-time member of the Vancouver 86ers turned Vancouver Whitecaps. He played 14 seasons beginning with the team in the Canadian Soccer League, later joining the American Professional Soccer League
, before finishing up a Whitecap. He retired from the professional outdoor game in 2001.
Although Mobilio had trials overseas, most notably in Scotland (he played 2 Scottish Premier League
games in the 93/94 season for Dundee F.C.
) and the Netherlands, he never left Vancouver. It is rumoured that he once turned down the chance to play for Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem
as the wages were not high enough to make it worth leaving Canada. His 167 goals in 280 games is second for a player in professional soccer in Canada and the United States after the NASL
's great Giorgio Chinaglia
and his total of 243. He was a six time league all-star (CSL 1988, 1990, and 1991; APSL 1993 and 1996; A-League, 1997); the CSL's all-time leading scorer and 1990 top scorer and MVP. He began the 1996-1997 NPSL season with the Harrisburg Heat
, but was traded to the Edmonton Drillers
after seven games.
player, being named MISL
Newcomer of the Year for 1989 playing for the Baltimore Blast. He played with the Blast until 1992. Mobilio also played in the National Professional Soccer League with the Philadelphia Kixx
and the Detroit Rockers
.
.
He made his senior debut for Canada
in a January 1986 friendly match against Paraguay
and went on to earn 25 caps. Mobilio scored three goals, all coming in a nearly successful qualifying campaign for the 1994 FIFA World Cup
finals.
His final international was a November 1997 World Cup qualification match against the USA
.
in 2006. He was inducted in the Baltimore Blast Hall of Fame on February 16, 2008.
and the Trinity Western Spartans
.
Mobilio died in 2004 at age 35 of a sudden and massive heart attack
, suffered while driving from a friend's house in Burnaby after playing a game of amateur soccer. Friends and relatives then established a foundation in his memory to fund various soccer associations to allow under privileged children an opportunity to enjoy the sport.
Club career
Born in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Mobilio was a long-time member of the Vancouver 86ers turned Vancouver Whitecaps. He played 14 seasons beginning with the team in the Canadian Soccer League, later joining the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
, before finishing up a Whitecap. He retired from the professional outdoor game in 2001.
Although Mobilio had trials overseas, most notably in Scotland (he played 2 Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
games in the 93/94 season for Dundee F.C.
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
) and the Netherlands, he never left Vancouver. It is rumoured that he once turned down the chance to play for Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem
Vitesse Arnhem
Stichting Betaald Voetbal Vitesse is a Dutch football club from Arnhem, which was founded on 14 May 1892. Vitesse has had considerable success in the Eredivisie, and featured in the UEFA Cup competition, but has never been considered a close competitor of the top three clubs of Netherlands...
as the wages were not high enough to make it worth leaving Canada. His 167 goals in 280 games is second for a player in professional soccer in Canada and the United States after the NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
's great Giorgio Chinaglia
Giorgio Chinaglia
Giorgio Chinaglia is a former football striker from Italy. He grew up and played his early football in Cardiff, Wales and began his career with Swansea Town in 1964. A year later at age 19, Chinaglia returned to Italy to play for Massese, and then Internapoli, before joining S.S. Lazio in 1969...
and his total of 243. He was a six time league all-star (CSL 1988, 1990, and 1991; APSL 1993 and 1996; A-League, 1997); the CSL's all-time leading scorer and 1990 top scorer and MVP. He began the 1996-1997 NPSL season with the Harrisburg Heat
Harrisburg Heat
The Harrisburg Heat was a professional indoor soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team was part of the National Professional Soccer League, which later became the Major Indoor Soccer League, and has been defunct since 2003. The Harrisburg Heat was first formed during the 1991-92...
, but was traded to the Edmonton Drillers
Edmonton Drillers (NPSL)
-Resurrection:On August 23, 1996, at a hastily arranged press conference at Telus Field it was announced that Peter Pocklington has purchased the Chicago Power of the National Professional Soccer League and was moving them to Edmonton for the rapidly approaching 96/97 season...
after seven games.
Indoor soccer
He also was a long-time pro indoor soccerIndoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
player, being named MISL
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
Newcomer of the Year for 1989 playing for the Baltimore Blast. He played with the Blast until 1992. Mobilio also played in the National Professional Soccer League with the Philadelphia Kixx
Philadelphia KiXX
The Philadelphia KiXX were a professional indoor soccer team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Founded in 1995 as an NPSL expansion franchise, they played in the Major Indoor Soccer League.The team colors were red, black, white, and blue...
and the Detroit Rockers
Detroit Rockers
The Detroit Rockers were an indoor soccer team in the National Professional Soccer League from 1990 to 2001. They played in Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Arena in downtown Detroit, Michigan as well as The Palace of Auburn Hills and Compuware Sports Arena in the suburbs...
.
International career
Mobilio was a member of the Canadian U-20 team which competed at the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship1987 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Chile from October 10 to October 25, 1987. The 1987 championship was the 6th contested and won for the first time by Yugoslavia. Remarkably, in the course of the tournament the Yugoslavs defeated each of the three other semi-finalists, and...
.
He made his senior debut for Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
in a January 1986 friendly match against Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
and went on to earn 25 caps. Mobilio scored three goals, all coming in a nearly successful qualifying campaign for the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
finals.
His final international was a November 1997 World Cup qualification match against the USA
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
.
International goals
- Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 18 April 1993 Swangard Stadium Swangard StadiumSwangard Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Central Park in Burnaby, British Columbia. Primarily used for soccer, football, and athletics, the stadium is home to the Simon Fraser Clan football team. The stadium was home to the Vancouver Whitecaps of the NASL...
, Burnaby, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
1-1 3-1 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification-Qualified teams:The following 24 teams qualified for the 1994 FIFA World Cup: - qualified automatically as hosts - qualified automatically as defending champions-Notes:...2 2 May 1993 Estadio Cuscatlán Estadio CuscatlánMonumental Estadio Cuscatlán is a football stadium located in San Salvador, El Salvador. It is the largest stadium in Central America with a capacity of 45,000...
, San SalvadorSan SalvadorThe city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
, El SalvadorEl SalvadorEl Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
2-1 2-1 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification-Qualified teams:The following 24 teams qualified for the 1994 FIFA World Cup: - qualified automatically as hosts - qualified automatically as defending champions-Notes:...3 31 July 1993 Commonwealth Stadium Commonwealth Stadium (Edmonton)Commonwealth Stadium is a sports stadium located in the Norwood Area of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, primarily used by the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. The stadium is owned and operated by the City of Edmonton.- History :...
, EdmontonEdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
2-1 2-1 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification-Qualified teams:The following 24 teams qualified for the 1994 FIFA World Cup: - qualified automatically as hosts - qualified automatically as defending champions-Notes:...
Coaching career
Upon retirement, Mobilio worked as a technical director with the Coquitlam City Soccer Association and became a coach of youth soccer in Coquitlam.Honours
Mobilio was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of FameCanadian Soccer Hall of Fame
The Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in Vaughan, Ontario, was founded in 1997. It was incorporated by the Ontario Soccer Association. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of top Canadian Footballers and Builders who have played and developed the game in Canada...
in 2006. He was inducted in the Baltimore Blast Hall of Fame on February 16, 2008.
Personal life and death
His cousin Melissa played for Vancouver Whitecaps WomenVancouver Whitecaps Women
The Vancouver Whitecaps FC women are a Canadian women's soccer team founded in 2001 and a part of the greater Vancouver Whitecaps FC club. Originally called the Vancouver Breakers in 2001-02, the team is a member of the W-League, the second tier of women's soccer in the United States and Canada...
and the Trinity Western Spartans
Trinity Western Spartans
The Trinity Western Spartans are the athletic teams that represent Trinity Western University in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport , the top university athletics league in Canada. Men's and women's teams currently compete in the following sports:...
.
Mobilio died in 2004 at age 35 of a sudden and massive heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, suffered while driving from a friend's house in Burnaby after playing a game of amateur soccer. Friends and relatives then established a foundation in his memory to fund various soccer associations to allow under privileged children an opportunity to enjoy the sport.
External links
- Player profile - Canada Soccer
- Career stats - National football teams
- Dominic Mobilio Tributes at Coquitlam MFSC
- Tribute and Bio - USL Soccer