1. Overview
Dale William Mitchell, born on April 21, 1958, is a Canadian former professional soccer striker who played for several North American teams during the 1980s and 1990s. He made 55 appearances for the Canada national team, scoring a national record of 19 goals at the time. Mitchell represented Canada in the 1984 Summer Olympics and the 1986 FIFA World Cup, the latter being Canada's only appearance in the World Cup finals. Following his playing career, he transitioned into coaching, notably serving as the head coach for the Canadian men's senior team from May 2007 until March 2009. His significant contributions to Canadian soccer have been recognized through his induction into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame in 2014, as well as his inclusion in the all-time Canada XI men's team in 2012.
2. Playing Career
Dale Mitchell's playing career spanned both outdoor and indoor professional soccer, where he achieved notable success as a prolific goal scorer. He also had a distinguished international career, representing Canada in major tournaments.
2.1. Club Career
Mitchell began his professional outdoor soccer career in the North American Soccer League (NASL). He first played for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1977 and 1978. Following his time in Vancouver, he moved to the Portland Timbers, where he played from 1979 to 1982. In 1983, he played for Montreal Manic.
After the NASL, Mitchell continued his career in other North American leagues. He was an original player for the Vancouver 86ers in both the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) and the American Professional Soccer League (APSL). During his tenure with the Vancouver 86ers from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1992 to 1994, he scored 37 goals. For the 1991 season, he played for the Toronto Blizzard.
In addition to his outdoor career, Mitchell also played nine seasons of indoor soccer in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). His indoor teams included the Tacoma Stars, Kansas City Comets, and the Baltimore Blast. He also played for the indoor version of the Toronto Blizzard. Mitchell concluded his indoor soccer career as the league's third all-time leading goal scorer with 406 goals and ranked fourth in total points with 686 points, accumulating 406 goals and 280 assists.
2.2. International Career
Dale Mitchell made his senior international debut for Canada on September 15, 1980, in a friendly match against New Zealand held in Vancouver. In this debut match, he scored two goals. His final international appearance for Canada was on August 15, 1993, in a FIFA World Cup qualification match against Australia in Sydney.
Throughout his career, Mitchell represented Canada in 22 FIFA World Cup qualification matches. He was a key member of the Canadian squad that participated in the 1986 FIFA World Cup finals in Mexico, playing in Canada's third group stage match against the Soviet Union. These national teams, including for both the 1984 Summer Olympics and 1986 FIFA World Cup, were coached by Tony Waiters.
Mitchell also played a significant role in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He played every minute of Canada's matches in the tournament and scored three goals. Notably, he scored the equalizer when Canada faced Brazil in the quarterfinals, leading to extra time and ultimately penalty kicks.
2.2.1. International Goals
Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 15, 1980 | Empire Stadium, Vancouver, Canada | New Zealand | 2-0 | 4-0 | Friendly |
| 2 | September 15, 1980 | Empire Stadium, Vancouver, Canada | New Zealand | 3-0 | 4-0 | Friendly |
| 3 | November 11, 1980 | Estadio Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala | Guatemala | 1-0 | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 4 | October 12, 1981 | Skinner Park, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago | 1-0 | 4-2 | Friendly |
| 5 | October 12, 1981 | Skinner Park, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago | 4-1 | 4-2 | Friendly |
| 6 | April 20, 1985 | Royal Athletic Park, Victoria, Canada | Guatemala | 1-0 | 2-1 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | April 20, 1985 | Royal Athletic Park, Victoria, Canada | Guatemala | 2-0 | 2-1 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 | May 5, 1985 | Estadio Mateo Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala | Guatemala | 1-0 | 1-1 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | May 8, 1985 | Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince, Haiti | Haiti | 1-0 | 2-0 | 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10 | June 2, 1985 | Dongdaemun Stadium, Seoul, South Korea | Ghana | 2-1 | President's Cup | |
| 11 | October 2, 1988 | Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | Trinidad and Tobago | 2-1 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 12 | October 15, 1988 | Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada | Guatemala | 1-2 | 3-2 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13 | October 15, 1988 | Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada | Guatemala | 2-2 | 3-2 | 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 14 | June 28, 1991 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, U.S. | Honduras | 1-4 | 2-4 | 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 15 | June 28, 1991 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, U.S. | Honduras | 2-4 | 2-4 | 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 16 | July 3, 1991 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, U.S. | Jamaica | 1-0 | 3-2 | 1991 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 17 | October 18, 1992 | National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica | Jamaica | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 18 | November 1, 1992 | Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Canada | Jamaica | 1-0 | 1-0 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 19 | November 8, 1992 | Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, Canada | El Salvador | 2-2 | 2-3 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification |
3. Coaching Career
After his retirement as a player, Dale Mitchell transitioned into coaching, holding various roles within Canadian soccer, including assistant positions and head coaching roles for national and club teams.
From 1995 to 1999, Mitchell served as coach for the Vancouver 86ers reserve squad and concurrently as the first-team assistant coach. In 1999, he succeeded Carl Valentine as the head coach of the club, which was subsequently renamed the Vancouver Whitecaps. He held this position until 2001.
From 2001 to 2007, Mitchell took on the role of head coach for the Canada's Under-20 national team. During this period, in 2004, he also served as an assistant coach for the senior national team under head coach Frank Yallop during the FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.
In May 2007, Mitchell was appointed head coach of the Canadian men's senior team. Under his leadership, Canada participated in the 2008 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. However, the team did not advance beyond the CONCACAF Stage III, finishing in a challenging group, often referred to as the "CONCACAF Group of Death," behind the higher-ranked Mexican and Honduran teams. Mitchell was relieved of his duties as head coach on March 27, 2009.
4. Honors and Legacy
Dale Mitchell's significant impact on Canadian soccer has been recognized through several prestigious honors. He was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2002. In March 2014, his contributions to indoor soccer were acknowledged with his induction into the Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame. Additionally, as part of the Canadian Soccer Association's centennial celebration in 2012, Dale Mitchell was named to the all-time Canada XI men's team, a testament to his lasting legacy as one of Canada's premier soccer players.