Dave Coskunian

Dave Coskunian — Biography

Dave Coskunian (born Davit Coşkun) was born in Samsun; his birth date is given as 20 January 1948, though some sources have 1 June 1947. He was a Turkish-American footballer of Armenian descent whose family settled in the United States. He died on 24 October 2025.

He began his professional career in 1965 with İstanbulspor in Turkey. On 7 February 1967 he signed with the Los Angeles Toros of the National Professional Soccer League; when the club folded at season's end he stayed in the Los Angeles area and played for various amateur clubs. On 2 April 1974 he joined the Los Angeles Aztecs of the North American Soccer League but was released on 1 May, and he spent that season with the San Jose Earthquakes. In the autumn of 1974 he returned to Los Angeles to play for the Los Angeles Armenians of the Greater Los Angeles Soccer League.

He played three games for the U.S. national team: he started a 4-0 loss to Bermuda on 17 March 1973, came on at halftime in a 4-0 loss to Poland on 20 March 1973, and came on in the 84th minute of a 3-1 loss to Mexico on 5 September 1974. He used his birth name in his early years in the US, was known as "Dave" Coşkun by 1974, and played for the national team as Dave Coskunian.