Career
He played professionally in Canada with Toronto Italia. In an exhibition game between Torino of Italy and a German side at Varsity Stadium, Meditieri in the beginning of the second half, donned a Torino uniform and substituted a Torino player to the surprise of all fans. He also earned two caps with the United States national soccer team in 1973.
Known as Topolino ("Little Mouse" in Italian) due to his 5"4" stature and explosive speed on the field, Metidieri began playing soccer professionally at age 16, when he moved from Brazil to Canada to play.
He joined Toronto Italia of the Eastern Canadian Soccer League in 1963 where he was the 1965 and 1966 league leading scorer and the 1966 Most Valuable Player. In 1967, he moved to the Boston Rovers in the United Soccer Association before joining the Los Angeles Wolves, alongside cousin Gilson, for the North American Soccer League"s first season.
After one season in Los Angeles, Metidieri moved to the Rochester Lancers. In 1971, he was the MPV and league leading scorer.
Rochester fans affectionately remember his game-winning goal in the longest professional soccer match ever played lasting 176 minutes in duration at Holleder Stadium against the visiting Dallas Tornado in 1971.
He scored 35 points in 23 games in and 46 points, including 19 goals, in 24 games in 1971. Metidieri finished his NASL career in 1974 playing for the Boston Minutemen. He made a brief and final return to the professional spotlight for the Major Indoor Soccer League"s Buffalo Stallions from 1979 to 1980.
Metidieri played in two "A" internationals for the United States national soccer team in 1973.
His first game was a 4-0 loss to Bermuda on March 17. His second was a 4-0 loss to Poland on March 20.
He also played an unofficial match, a 6-0 loss to Belgium, on March 29. After his retirement from soccer he lived in Rochester, New York where he owned a pizza restaurant.
He later moved to Phoenix, Arizona.
(14 goals, 7 assists, 35 points) • 1971 (19 goals, 8 assists, 46 points), 1971.
