Luca Bellisomo
Encyclopedia
Luca Bellisomo is a South Africa
n-born Canadian
soccer player who plays for Finnish
Veikkausliiga
club IFK Mariehamn
.
, and moved with his family to the Greater Vancouver
area in 1994. He played youth soccer on Lower Mainland, before moving again with his family, this time to Australia in 2001
In Australia, Bellisomo was student at The Cathedral School
of St Anne & St James in the Australian town of Townsville, Queensland
, and went on to play for the Queensland Academy of Sport
, the Queensland U-17 state team, and the North Queensland schoolboys side. He also played on a couple of senior men’s soccer teams, notably the Brisbane Wolves in the Queensland Soccer Federation XXXX League.
He returned to Canada in 2004 and played four years of college soccer
at Simon Fraser University
, where he was named an NAIA Third Team All-American in his third year and First Team All American in his final year. He subsequently joined the Vancouver Whitecaps youth academy, Vancouver Whitecaps Residency
, and played for the team in the USL Premier Development League
in 2008.
. He was signed to a full professional contract by the Whitecaps in February, 2009 and continued to play for the senior team in 2010.
Bellisomo moved to Finland in 2011 when he signed for Veikkausliiga
club IFK Mariehamn
. He made his debut for Mariehamn on January 18, 2011 in a 4-0 victory over FC Haka
in the Finnish League Cup
.
in Bangkok, Thailand, eventually finishing in fourth place when Canada lost on penalties to hosts Thailand in the bronze medal playoff game.
Updated: October 20, 2010.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n-born Canadian
Canada
Canada 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...
soccer player who plays for Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga is the premier division of Finnish football, comprising the top 12 clubs of the country. Veikkausliiga is currently ranked as the 28th best league in Europe. Its main sponsor is the Finnish national betting agency Veikkaus, hence the league's name...
club IFK Mariehamn
IFK Mariehamn
IFK Mariehamn is a Finnish football club, based in Mariehamn, capital of the Åland Islands. It currently plays in the Finnish Premier Division . The club's manager is Pekka Lyyski, and it plays its home matches at Wiklöf Holding Arena....
.
Youth and College
Bellisomo was born in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and moved with his family to the Greater Vancouver
Greater Vancouver
Greater Vancouver is the metropolitan area centred on the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, roughly coterminous with the Greater Vancouver Regional District, which is governed by a body known as Metro Vancouver...
area in 1994. He played youth soccer on Lower Mainland, before moving again with his family, this time to Australia in 2001
In Australia, Bellisomo was student at The Cathedral School
The Cathedral School, Townsville
The Cathedral School of St Anne and St James is an Australian Anglican school for boys and girls from six weeks of age to Year 12, including boarding students from Year 7 to Year 12....
of St Anne & St James in the Australian town of Townsville, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, and went on to play for the Queensland Academy of Sport
Queensland Academy of Sport
The Queensland Academy of Sport is an elite sports institute set up in 1991 by the Queensland Government to support athletes in the state of Queensland...
, the Queensland U-17 state team, and the North Queensland schoolboys side. He also played on a couple of senior men’s soccer teams, notably the Brisbane Wolves in the Queensland Soccer Federation XXXX League.
He returned to Canada in 2004 and played four years of college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
, where he was named an NAIA Third Team All-American in his third year and First Team All American in his final year. He subsequently joined the Vancouver Whitecaps youth academy, Vancouver Whitecaps Residency
Vancouver Whitecaps Residency
Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, formerly known as Whitecaps FC Reserves, is a Canadian soccer team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Although founded in 2005 as part of the development system for the Vancouver Whitecaps USL First Division franchise, beginning in 2011 they are part of the...
, and played for the team in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in 2008.
Professional
Bellisomo was called up to the senior Vancouver Whitecaps side on August 18, 2008 and played 11 games in the USL First DivisionUSL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
. He was signed to a full professional contract by the Whitecaps in February, 2009 and continued to play for the senior team in 2010.
Bellisomo moved to Finland in 2011 when he signed for Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga
Veikkausliiga is the premier division of Finnish football, comprising the top 12 clubs of the country. Veikkausliiga is currently ranked as the 28th best league in Europe. Its main sponsor is the Finnish national betting agency Veikkaus, hence the league's name...
club IFK Mariehamn
IFK Mariehamn
IFK Mariehamn is a Finnish football club, based in Mariehamn, capital of the Åland Islands. It currently plays in the Finnish Premier Division . The club's manager is Pekka Lyyski, and it plays its home matches at Wiklöf Holding Arena....
. He made his debut for Mariehamn on January 18, 2011 in a 4-0 victory over FC Haka
FC Haka
Haka is a Finnish football club, based in the industry town of Valkeakoski. It is one of the most successful clubs in Finland, with nine Finnish championships and 12 Finnish Cup wins.- History :...
in the Finnish League Cup
Finnish League Cup
The Finnish League Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually during pre-season in winter by teams from Veikkausliiga.-Finnish League Cup finals:...
.
International
Bellisomo captained Canada to a fourth-place finish at the 2007 Summer Universiade2007 Summer Universiade
The 2007 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXIV Summer Universiade, took place in Bangkok, Thailand.-Medal table:-External links:***...
in Bangkok, Thailand, eventually finishing in fourth place when Canada lost on penalties to hosts Thailand in the bronze medal playoff game.
Vancouver Whitecaps
- USL First DivisionUSL First DivisionThe United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
championship (1): 2008United Soccer Leagues 2008The 2008 Season is the 22nd edition of the United Soccer Leagues season.The season kicked off on Friday, April 12 with two First Division games, as the Charleston Battery visited Miami FC and the Montreal Impact visited the Vancouver Whitecaps.-General:...
Club Statistics
| Season | Team | League | Domestic League | Domestic Playoffs | Domestic Cup | Continental Championship | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| 2008 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | USL-1 USL First Division The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.... |
11 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 1 |
| 2009 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2010 | USSF D-2 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... |
29 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 37 | 2 | |
| Career Total | 50 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 64 | 3 | ||
Updated: October 20, 2010.