Raffaele Ruotolo is a retired American

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

who played professionally in the

North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It is considered the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the ...

and Major Indoor Soccer League and

Continental Indoor Soccer League The Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) was a professional indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997. History In the summer of 1989 Dr Jerry Buss, the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and California Sports, told his executive Vice ...

. When he was five, Ruotolo moved to

Naples, Italy Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

with his family. In 1981, he began his career with local amateur club Casalnuovo. In 1982, he moved to

Napoli Naples ( ; ; ) is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its province-level municipality is the thir ...

. In 1984, Ruotolo visited an uncle in

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

. While there, he had a successful trial with the San Diego Sockers of the

. Although signed before the outdoor season, Ruotolo never earned spot on the first team. However, he worked his way into the Sockers indoor team that fall. He gradually became a regular starter, seeing time in forty-five games during the 1987–1988 season. Despite that, the Sockers released Ruotolo on October 20, 1988. Coach

Ron Newman Ronald Vernon Newman (19 January 1934 – 27 August 2018) was an English professional association football player and coach. He is a member of the American National Soccer Hall of Fame. Life Born in Fareham, Newman, after non-league football w ...

stated, ""I felt the roster was too offensive minded. Right now it is critical for us to improve our defense." Ruotolo was a defensive midfielder, but tended to play a more offensive role. On June 1, 1993, the Los Angeles United selected Ruotolo in the first round of the 1993

supplemental draft. In 1994, new ownership moved United to Anaheim and renamed it the

Anaheim Splash The Anaheim Splash was a U.S. indoor soccer team that played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL). It was founded in 1992 as the Los Angeles United, but was sold after the season. The new ownership moved the team to Anaheim, Californi ...

. In September 1996, Ruotolo left the Splash. Ruotolo also played in the American Beach Soccer circuit and the

United States national beach soccer team The United States men's national beach soccer team represents the United States in international beach soccer competitions and is controlled by the USSF, the governing body for soccer in the United States. The national team competes in multip ...

during the 1990s.Splash Players Fill Void, Get Victory
/ref>

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruotolo, Raffaele Living people 1965 births American men's soccer players American expatriate men's soccer players Anaheim Splash players Continental Indoor Soccer League players Los Angeles United players Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) players San Diego Sockers (1978–1996) players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players San Diego Sockers (1978–1996) indoor players Men's association football midfielders American beach soccer players 20th-century American sportsmen