Eric Hassli

Eric Hassli (born 3 May 1981) is a French former professional footballer who played as a forward.[1]

Eric Hassli
Hassli with Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2011
Personal information
Date of birth (1981-05-03) 3 May 1981
Place of birth Sarreguemines, France
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
?–2000 Sarreguemines FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2003 Metz 38 (3)
2002 → Southampton (loan) 0 (0)
2003–2004 Neuchâtel Xamax 13 (2)
2004–2005 Servette 11 (3)
2005–2006 St. Gallen 47 (18)
2006–2007 Valenciennes 21 (2)
2007–2011 Zürich 84 (28)
2011–2012 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 44 (12)
2012 Toronto FC 7 (3)
2013 FC Dallas 15 (0)
2014–2015 San Antonio Scorpions 38 (6)
2014 Las Vegas Legends (indoor) 1 (0)
Total 318 (77)
National team
2002 France U21
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Early career

Hassli began his career at his hometown club Sarreguemines FC. In 2000 Hassli moved 40 miles (64 km) west to play for FC Metz. In 2002, he moved on loan to England to play for Southampton. He scored two goals in eight matches for Southampton's reserve side but made no appearances for their first team. Southampton decided not to sign Eric Hassli permanently and so he returned to Metz.[2]

Start in Switzerland

Six months after returning from Southampton Hassli was on the move once again. He moved to Switzerland to play for Neuchâtel Xamax in the 2003–04 season. His time at the club was not a success as he struggled to break into the first team. He managed just thirteen appearances, scoring two goals.

At the end of the season he moved to Geneva to play for Servette FC of the Swiss Challenge League. However, on 4 February 2005, the parent company of the club was declared bankrupt. It had run debts of over 10 million Swiss francs, having not paid the players since the previous November, and consequently the club suffered an exodus of players looking for paying clubs.

Hassli left to join FC St. Gallen of the Swiss Super League, a club in the very east of Switzerland.

Breakthrough in Switzerland

The transfer to FC St. Gallen proved the making of Hassli. His time at the club enhanced his reputation as he scored 18 goals in 47 games.

Return to France

At the end of the 2005–06 season. Hassli attracted the attention of plenty of clubs and returned to France to play for newly promoted Valenciennes in Ligue 1 during the 2006–07 season. Back in France he had to settle for a place in the reserves as he only made 21 appearances, scoring 2 goals.

Return to Switzerland

At the end of the season he returned to Switzerland to play for FC Zürich. During his first season at the club, the 2007–08 season, he struggled to find his rhythm. In February 2008, Daejeon Citizen in the K-League attempted to bring Hassli, but they could not bring him due to his high transfer fee. He remained at the club despite this and during the 2008–09 season he regularly topped the goalscoring charts. While with Zürich Hassli scored 35 goals in 108 competitive matches.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Hassli in action against Toronto FC in 2011
Hassli against Manchester City in 2011

On 4 March 2011, Hassli signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer as the team's first designated player.[3] Swiss media reported that Hassli was granted an early contract termination by FC Zürich, allowing him to leave on a free transfer to Vancouver.[4] He made his debut for the Whitecaps on 19 March 2011, in a game against Toronto FC, scoring two of his team's four goals, one of which was the club's first goal in MLS competition.[5] In the Whitecaps' 11 June 2011 match against the Seattle Sounders, Hassli scored two goals: the first from the penalty spot; the second a volley from an apparently harmless position on the right edge of the 18 yard box that flew into the top left hand corner. The latter has been called one of the best goals in MLS history.[6][7]

In a May 2012 Canadian Championship match against Toronto FC, Hassli scored with a volley in stoppage time. The goal was nominated for the 2012 FIFA Puskás Award.[8]

Toronto FC

On 20 July 2012, Hassli was traded from the Whitecaps to Toronto FC in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft and an international roster spot. Hassli remained a Designated Player for Toronto FC, with Toronto needing a replacement for Danny Koevermans who suffered an ACL injury.[9] Hassli made his debut for Toronto on 4 August, in a 2–1 loss at the hands of Chicago Fire, Hassli was subbed out in the 61st minute for Andrew Wiedeman.[10] Hassli scored his first goal for Toronto in his second game as a red on his home debut against Portland Timbers 15 August, the game ended in a 2-2 home draw.[11]

FC Dallas

On 4 February 2013, Hassli was traded from Toronto FC to FC Dallas in exchange for a second-round 2014 MLS SuperDraft pick.[12] Hassli and FC Dallas mutually parted ways ahead of the 2014 season.[13]

San Antonio Scorpions

On 18 March 2014, the San Antonio Scorpions announced that Hassli had signed for the 2014 season.[14] The franchise ceased operations following the 2015 season.[15]

Las Vegas Legends

On 2 December 2014, Hassli made his only appearance for indoor squad Las Vegas Legends against Ontario Fury in the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL).[16]

References
  1. Vujcic, Djuradj (28 May 2015). "Eric Hassli RedNation Online Interview". Red Nation Online. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  2. "Hassli on his way? - Southampton FC - Saints Mad". Southampton-mad.co.uk. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  3. "Eric Hassli becomes Whitecaps FC's first Designated Player | Vancouver Whitecaps FC". Whitecapsfc.com. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  4. "Die Tränen Eric Hasslis - NZZ.ch, 04.03.2011". Nzz.ch. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  5. Hassli, Whitecaps pummel TFC in dynamite debut Archived 22 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Break.com (14 June 2011). "Eric Hassli Scores Wonder Goal". Sports.Break.com. Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  7. "Eric Hassli of the Vancouver Whitecaps scores a wonder-goal!". YouTube. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  8. John Molinaro (14 November 2012). "Watch: Hassli up for FIFA Puskas award". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  9. TorontoFC.ca (20 July 2011). "Toronto Acquires Eric Hassli". Toronto FC. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
  10. TorontoFC.ca (4 August 2011). "Reds Suffer Difficult Chicago Defeat". Toronto FC. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  11. Larry Millson (15 August 2011). "TFC Trades Goals in Timbers Draw". Toronto FC. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  12. "Reports: Cooper traded to NY Red Bulls". Fox Sports. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  13. "FC Dallas and Eric Hassli mutually agree to part ways". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
  14. "Former MLS All-Star, Designated Player Eric Hassli lands with NASL's San Antonio Scorpions". MLSsoccer.com.
  15. "SCORPIONS DROP OUT  Spurs to operate USL team in San Antonio". Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  16. "Eric Hassli MASL player profile". masl.stats.pointstreak.com. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
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