Gino Gardassanich


Gino Gard was an Italian American soccer goalkeeper who was a member of the United States team at the 1950 FIFA World Cup. He was born in Fiume, Free State of Fiume and died in Illinois, United States.

Club career

Gardassanich began his career with Fiumana and Reggina. After World War II, he played with NK Kvarner in the 1946–47 Yugoslav First League. In 1949, he moved to the United States, settling in Chicago. When he arrived, he changed his name to Gino Gard and joined Chicago Slovak of the National Soccer League of Chicago. He played with Slovak until 1959. During that time, Gard and his teammates won multiple titles, including the league title in 1951, 1952 and 1954; and the 1951 Peel Cup. In 1953, it lost the National Amateur Cup final to Ponta Delgada S.C. Gard was named the NSLC goalkeeper of the year in 1950.

National team

Gard was selected to the U.S. roster for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. He was the original choice as the starting goalkeeper, but never entered a game.
Gard was inducted into the Illinois Hall of Fame in 1992 and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002.

Honours

;Građanski Zagreb
;Chicago Slovak
;Individual