Simone Bracalello
Encyclopedia
Simone Bracalello, also known in Italy
as "Bracca", (born October 21, 1985 in Genoa
) is an Italian
footballer currently playing for NSC Minnesota Stars
in the North American Soccer League.
. He went on to play extensively in the Italian lower leagues, including stints with teams such as Vado and Prato in Serie D
and Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, before leaving Prato at the end of 2008.
side Pescara
, and with Australian side Newcastle Jets in 2008, and attended a combine with the Minnesota Thunder
in 2009, before being signed by the NSC Minnesota Stars
of the USSF Division 2 Professional League
in the United States in early 2010. During his first season with the Stars, Bracalello was used primarily as a substitute, often having an immediate impact on the match.
On June 9, 2010 during a home game against the Montreal Impact
, he assisted on Melvin Tarley
's game winning goal in the 87th minute. Six days later, Bracalello scored his first goal for the Stars in a 4-2 win over the KC Athletics
in the U.S. Open Cup
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
as "Bracca", (born October 21, 1985 in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
) is an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
footballer currently playing for NSC Minnesota Stars
NSC Minnesota Stars
The NSC Minnesota Stars is an American professional soccer team based in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in the North American Soccer League.
Italy
Bracalello was a member of the youth academy at famed Italian club Sampdoria before making his professional debut in 2002 aged 17 playing with Savona in Serie C2Serie C2
Lega Pro Seconda Divisione is the name of the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. Usually it consists of 54 teams, but in the season 2010–11 the teams are only 49 divided geographically into three divisions of 17, 16 and 16 teams each...
. He went on to play extensively in the Italian lower leagues, including stints with teams such as Vado and Prato in Serie D
Serie D
Serie D is the top level of the Italian non-professional football association called Lega Nazionale Dilettanti. The association represents over a million football players and thousands of football teams across Italy. Serie D ranks just below Lega Pro Seconda Divisione , and is thus considered the...
and Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, before leaving Prato at the end of 2008.
United States
Bracalello trained with Serie C1Serie C1
Lega Pro Prima Divisione is the name of the third highest football league in Italy. It consists of 36 teams, divided geographically into two divisions of 18 teams each. Until 2008 it was known as Serie C1....
side Pescara
Pescara
Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area...
, and with Australian side Newcastle Jets in 2008, and attended a combine with the Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder was an American professional soccer team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. The team played its home games at the National Sports Center in nearby...
in 2009, before being signed by the NSC Minnesota Stars
NSC Minnesota Stars
The NSC Minnesota Stars is an American professional soccer team based in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
of the USSF Division 2 Professional League
USSF Division 2 Professional League
USSF Division 2 Professional League was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation in 2010 to last just one season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding United Soccer Leagues and the North American Soccer League...
in the United States in early 2010. During his first season with the Stars, Bracalello was used primarily as a substitute, often having an immediate impact on the match.
On June 9, 2010 during a home game against the Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
, he assisted on Melvin Tarley
Melvin Tarley
Duncan "Melvin" Tarley is a Liberian footballer.-Professional:Tarley first came to prominence in 2005, during Minnesota Thunder's run to the semi finals of the 2005 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup...
's game winning goal in the 87th minute. Six days later, Bracalello scored his first goal for the Stars in a 4-2 win over the KC Athletics
KC Athletics
KC Athletics is an American amateur soccer team based in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Founded in 2001, the team plays in Region II of the United States Adult Soccer Association, a network of amateur leagues at the fifth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.The team's colors are white and...
in the U.S. Open Cup
2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 97th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early October.The tournament proper featured teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.