Pablo Mastroeni, an Argentine-born American soccer coach, is already making a difference as the new head coach of Real Salt Lake. The former soccer player has established himself as a valuable addition to the team. Thanks to his defender background and enthusiasm for the game, particularly on defense, he has brought much joy among MLS fans.
One of Pablo Mastroeni facts is that he had considered joining Real Salt Lake‘s coaching team for a long time. He must have achieved considerable renown and affluence in his lengthy soccer career. So today, we will look into the top 5 interesting facts about him in this informative article.
5. Became United States Citizen In 2001
Pablo was born in Mendoza, Argentina, on August 29, 1976. He was raised by his parents, Elci Mastroeni and Frank Mastroeni, alongside one brother, Diego Mastroeni. Pablo Mastroeni’s family is of Italian heritage and emigrated to Phoenix, Arizona, from Argentina when he was four. In 2001, he became a citizen of the United States.
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Pablo Mastroeni’s mother wasn’t much familiar English language. Therefore, it was strange that she decided to become a kindergarten teacher once the family had settled into their new home in Phoenix, Arizona, US. Despite having no experience in teaching, she chose the career path, and for that, she took classes, learned the language, and how to teach.
Furthermore, Pablo enrolled in Thunderbird High School and played soccer for the Santos Futbol Clube as a youth.
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4. Lost His Brother
A year after moving to the USA, Pablo came across a life-changing event whose repercussions went so deep that she did not comprehend their effects until 30 years later. He was relaxing in the home his family shared with his aunt, uncle, and cousins. He was looking at a picture book about pandas when he heard his mom crying and screaming in Spanish; He’s dead! He’s dead!
Mastroeni, who was just five years old, heard his dad cry and his mother weep in agony after his 6-month-old brother, Junior Mastroeni, had died from sudden infant death syndrome. He was found dead in his crib, with his body blue. He can still picture his dad smashing walls in anger, his hands bloodied, and frothing at the mouth.
As mentioned earlier, that was a profoundly affecting incident that changed his life, and he did not fully overcome the event’s profound consequences for almost 30 years. Moreover, it also impacted his performance for 16 years in MLS. He also had panic attacks because of his brother’s demise, and he realized that was the cause until he neared the end of his career.
3. His #25 was Retired by the Colorado Rapids
The Miami Fusion chose Pablo Mastroeni in the second round of the 1998 MLS College Draft. He spent four seasons with the Fusion, starting every game from the second season either as a central defense or defensive midfield. Pablo was named to the Pepsi MLS Best XI in 2001 for the first time in his career.
Colorado Rapids picked the American defender with the first overall pick in the 2002 MLS Allocation Draft. He led the group to their first MLS Championship in 2010. In June 2013, he was traded to the Los Angeles Galaxy and announced his retirement from soccer at the end of the season.
Furthermore, in Mastroeni’s honor, Colorado Rapids retired his number #25 in 2021. This was the first time when the Rapids retired any number.
2. Has Lengthy Coaching Experience
Pablo Mastroeni decided to join the Colorado Rapids front office staff in 2013 as the Technical Director’s special assistant after his soccer retirement. He was named the team’s head coach at the beginning of the 2014 MLS campaign.
The Houston Dynamo hired Mastroeni as an assistant coach in November 2019 after he departed the Rapids in August 2017. Mastroeni joined Real Salt Lake (RSL) as an assistant coach in 2021, and in August, he was named the team’s interim coach.
RSL paid Houston Dynamo a general allocation of $50,000 to finalize his deal. He guided (RSL) to the Western Conference Finals, and the American coach was given the permanent coaching position at the club in December 2021. In the MLS, he has competed against several amazing managers, including Giovanni Savarese, the head coach of the Portland Timbers.
1. One of Pablo Mastroeni Facts: Father Of Two
Pablo Mastroeni has been blissfully married to his wife, Kelly Long, for over two decades. The ex-soccer player proposed to his partner during a halftime tv interview at the MetroStars on September 5, 2000. In 2001, the lovebirds tied the knot. Since then, the couple has been happily together, and they are blessed with a son, Gianluca Mastroeni, and a daughter Giuliana Mastroeni.
Besides, the 46-year-old loves cooking and has appeared as a special guest on Emeril Live on the Food Network. All in all, given his significant contribution to soccer as a player and coach, Pablo Mastroeni facts seem incredibly fascinating. We hope the coach and his family enjoy a comfortable life now and in the future.
