Bruce Wilson started playing soccer at the age of six with the North Burnaby Eagles of the BC Youth Soccer Program, and went on to take seven provincial championships before going pro in 1974. Considered one of Canada’s all-time top defenders, Wilson holds the “ironman record” for playing 161 consecutive games in his eleven year, 275-game career.

From 1974-84, Wilson played in the North American Soccer League (NASL) for a variety of team including the Vancouver Whitecaps (1974-77), Chicago Sting (1978-79), New York Cosmos (1980), Toronto Blizzard (1981-84). He served as team captain for the Whitecaps, Sting, and Blizzard.

Wilson was named NASL “Player of the Year” as a defender in 1978. He was selected to the NASL all-star team seven times overall and was the first Canadian-born player to be selected.

Wilson captained the Canadian national soccer team for ten years and accumulated more caps (51) for the national side than any other player upon his retirement.

He was named to the CONCACAF all-star team in 1981 and was rated as Canada’s top player.

He helped Canada reach the quarter-finals at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, which remains Canada’s best-ever men’s Olympic soccer result.

The highlight of his career was leading Canada to the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. This remains the first and only time Canada has qualified to play in the World Cup. He retired from play after the Mexico World Cup.

In 1998, he was selected to a CONCACAF “team of the century”, the only Canadian to receive the honour.

Wilson has served as head coach of the University of Victoria men’s soccer team for many years in his retirement.