“This wasn’t an easy decision to take,” declared Biello. “However, the last two seasons were harder for me due to injuries. I always told myself that if I wasn’t able to play at the level I wanted, I would move on. I have worn the Impact jersey with great pride for 16 seasons and I never thought of playing anywhere else than in Montreal.”
“Mauro embodies the Montreal Impact,” noted Impact president Joey Saputo. “At the start of his career, he fought to get his spot on the team and then had an exceptional career. All young soccer players should look to Mauro as an example. He has accomplished extraordinary things for the club, while at the same time serving as a pioneer for the development of soccer in Quebec.”
“Mauro has not only been devoted to the club on the field, but also beyond,” declared Impact technical director Nick De Santis. “Mauro is highly respected in Montreal as well as throughout the league as a player and a human being. As a midfielder, he set records that may never be broken. He certainly is one of the greatest players to have evolved in the league. »
Biello started playing soccer at the age of 5 in NDG. He played for the club Montreal-Concordia at the Quebec elite level, as well as for the provincial selection and Canada’s national team. Drafted at 18 by the Montreal Supra, Mauro made his debut with the Impact in 1993. He played his first match July 14 against the Toronto Blizzard, at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex, and scored his first goal August 7, 1994, in a 4-3 win in Los Angeles.
He helped the Impact clinch three playoff championships (1994, 2004 and 2009), five regular season championships (1995, 1996, 1997, 2005 and 2006), the Canadian championship in 2008 and the US Open Cup with Rochester in 1999 (the Impact did not play that year).
Biello won the Giuseppe Saputo Trophy awarded to the Impact team’s MVP four times (1997, 1998, 2001 and 2005). He was also selected on five occasions to the All-League First team (1997, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2005) and once in the All-League Second team (2002).
Biello is also the points leader in the history of the USL First Division (known as the A-League until 2004) with a total of 90 goals and 73 assists for 253 points, in 429 career matches, including 344 as starter, for a total of 31,513 minutes played (regular season, playoffs and cup matches).
In 389 matches and 28,076 career minutes played with Montreal, Biello compiled 77 goals and 67 assists, for 221 points (regular season, playoffs and cup matches). He ends his career ranked first in the club in games played, games started, minutes played, goals, assists, points, game-winning goals, as well as shots on goal.
He was also the last active player to have been part of the inaugural edition of the Montreal Impact and was the team captain of the club since 2001.
Mauro Biello will now serve as assistant coach. Moreover, the club has also confirmed his position as the director of Impact soccer schools.
“We wanted Mauro to remain among the training staff due to his great qualities, which will undoubtedly favour us,” noted De Santis. “He knows the other teams very well, has great intelligence of the game, knows what it takes to play with the Impact and his close ties with the players will assist Marc Dos Santos’ work.”
PHOTOS PÉPÉ AT SAPUTO STADIUM
VIDEO MAURO BIELLO 1993-2009
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Source: Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
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