Dallas Sidekicks’ all-time great Tatu has been elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s Class of 2027 on the Veteran Ballot.
A forward who won the Major Indoor Soccer League’s most valuable player award twice, Tatu starred for the Dallas Sidekicks from 1984 through 1992, winning the league championship in 1987.
He was a first-team all-MISL selection four times (1987, 1990-1992), led the league in scoring three times (1987, 1990-1991), and was Most Valuable Player in 1987 and 1990. He is second all-time in goal scoring with 857.
A Brazilian native, Tatu, whose real name is Antonio Carlos Pecorari, also played three outdoor and indoor seasons with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the North American Soccer League after coming to the US 19 out of São Paulo FC. He scored a hat-trick in his first game without ever training with the team. Tatu was a member of the Rowdies when they won the 1983 NASL Grand Prix of Indoor Soccer.
He played an additional 10 seasons in other professional indoor leagues, including the Continental Indoor Soccer League, where he was named most valuable player three times, winning the SICL league title in 1993.
Tatu has the second most indoor professional seasons played (21). He is seventh on the all-time list with games played (633), second in points (1585), second in shots (4396), and second in game-winning goals (77). He is the leader in power-play goals with 113.
Tatus coached the Sidekicks in two different runs, from 1998 to 2004 and then again from 2012 to 2015. He also coached the Mesquite Outlaws and now works in youth soccer at the Sisu Soccer Academy in Southlake, Texas.
Tatus also won the 1998 PSA (Premier Soccer Alliance) title as a player/coacg and the 2001 WISL title while coaching the Sidekicks.
In October 2011, Tatu was a member of the inaugural class of inductees into the Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame. In 2013, the Dallas Sidekicks retired Tatu’s #9 jersey. He’s also a member of the Texas Soccer Walk of Fame outside Toyota Stadium
Tatu also spent six years coaching at The Highlands School in Irving, Texas, where he coached the Blazers to three state championships in 1997, 1998, and 2000. He led the Prince of Peace varsity boys to seven TAPPS state championships: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 (all fall championships) and 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011–2012, 2021-2022 (all winter championships).
Tatu will be inducted during a private ceremony on April 16, 2027, at the National Soccer Hall of Fame, located at Toyota Stadium in Frisco.
