Willy Schaller

Willy (Willie) Schaller (February 23, 1933 – January 3, 2015) was a U.S. soccer defender who played most of his career in the German American Soccer League. He also played on the U.S. soccer team at the 1952 Summer Olympics.^[1] He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1996.^[2]

Willy Schaller

Personal information
Date of birth	(1933-02-23)February 23, 1933
Place of birth	Bonlanden, Germany
Date of death	January 3, 2015(2015-01-03) (aged 81)
Place of death	Lakewood, Colorado, U.S.
Position(s)	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
	Schwaben
	Blau-Weiss Gottschee
International career
1952	United States	1	(0)
Medal record Men's soccer Representing the  United States Pan American Games 1959 Chicago Team competition
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

While born in Germany, Schaller's family moved to the United States when he was a young boy. He joined Schwaben of the German American Soccer League when he was in high school. In 1953, he joined the U.S. Army, serving until 1955. At some point, he moved to Blau-Weiss Gottschee,^[3] playing with the team through at least 1960.^[4]

National teams

In 1952, he was selected to the U.S. soccer team which competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics. He was nineteen at the time. The U.S. lost its first game of the single elimination tournament to Italy.^[5] In 1959, he was with the U.S. team which won the bronze medal at the Pan American Games. However, the Pan American matches were not counted as official U.S. national team games.

Coaching

After retiring from playing professionally, Schaller became a youth and high school soccer coach.

References

1. "Willy Schaller". Olympedia. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
2. "Willy Schaller". Denver Post. January 7, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
3. History of Blau-Weiss Gottschee
4. U.S. Soccer History – 1960
5. 1952 Summer Olympic results at RSSSF

External links

• National Soccer Hall of Fame profile