View source for Pablo Mastroeni

{{Short description|Soccer coach and former professional player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name                 = Pablo Mastroeni
| image                = Pablo Mastroeni.jpg
| caption              = Mastroeni coaching the Colorado Rapids in 2017
| fullname             = Pablo Mastroeni<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |title=2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: United States |publisher=FIFA |page=32 |date=March 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610174527/https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |archive-date=June 10, 2019}}</ref>
| birth_date           = {{Birth date and age|1976|08|29}}
| birth_place          = [[Mendoza, Argentina|Mendoza]], Argentina
| height               = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}
| position             = [[Defensive midfielder]]
| currentclub          =
| clubnumber           =
| collegeyears1        = 1994–1997
| college1             = [[North Carolina State Wolfpack|North Carolina State]]
| years1               = 1995–1997
| clubs1               = [[Tucson Amigos]]
| caps1                =
| goals1               =
| years2               = 1998–2001
| clubs2               = [[Miami Fusion]]
| caps2                = 100
| goals2               = 2
| years3               = 1998
| clubs3               = → [[MLS Pro-40]] (loan)
| caps3                = 1
| goals3               = 0
| years4               = 2002–2013
| clubs4               = [[Colorado Rapids]]
| caps4                = 225
| goals4               = 5
| years5               = 2013
| clubs5               = [[LA Galaxy]]
| caps5                = 9
| goals5               = 0
| totalcaps            = 334
| totalgoals           = 7
| nationalyears1       = 2001–2009
| nationalteam1        = [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]]
| nationalcaps1        = 65
| nationalgoals1       = 0
| pcupdate             = December 10, 2013
| ntupdate             = March 6, 2011
| manageryears1 = 2014–2017
| managerclubs1 = [[Colorado Rapids]]
| manageryears2 = 2021–
| managerclubs2 = [[Real Salt Lake]]
| medaltemplates =

<!-- DO NOT remove the medal template that reflects the achievements of a soccer player's career. Thank You for your cooperation
-->
{{Medal|Country|{{USA}}}}
{{Medal|W|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2002]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2005]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2007]]}}
{{Medal|3rd|[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]|[[2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2003]]}}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[Association football|Football]]}}
}}

'''Pablo Mastroeni''' (born August 29, 1976) is a professional [[Association football|soccer]] coach and former player who is currently the head coach of [[Major League Soccer]] club [[Real Salt Lake]]. Born in Argentina, he played for the [[United States men's national soccer team|United States national team]].

He was formerly head coach of the [[Colorado Rapids]], and assistant coach of the [[Houston Dynamo]]. In his playing career, he played as a [[defensive midfielder]]. 

==Early life and education==
Mastroeni was born in Argentina and moved to the United States with his family at the age of four, settling in [[Phoenix, Arizona]]. He attended [[Thunderbird High School]] and Mountain Sky Middle School, and played youth soccer for the Santos Futbol Clube. Mastroeni attended [[North Carolina State University]] where he played on the men's soccer team from 1994 to 1997.  From 1995 to 1997, he spent the collegiate off season playing for the [[Tucson Amigos]] of the [[USISL]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue2/1995/07/27/53523-n-c-foes-become-arizona-amigos/|title=N.C. foes become Arizona amigos – Tucson Citizen Morgue, Part 2 (1993–2009)|access-date=October 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010231201/http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue2/1995/07/27/53523-n-c-foes-become-arizona-amigos/|archive-date=October 10, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[http://www.newsofsports.info/soccer-2/seattle-chicago-battle-for-u-s-soccers-other-prize-u-s-open-cup-tucsonsentinel-com/ Seattle, Chicago battle for U.S. soccer's other prize] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210220425/http://www.newsofsports.info/soccer-2/seattle-chicago-battle-for-u-s-soccers-other-prize-u-s-open-cup-tucsonsentinel-com/ |date=February 10, 2012 }}</ref>

==Playing career==

===Professional===
In February 1998, the [[Miami Fusion]] selected Mastroeni in the second round (thirteenth overall) of the [[1998 MLS College Draft]].
He played four seasons with the Fusion, becoming a regular starter in his second year with the team in either central defense or defensive midfield, and was named to the [[MLS Best XI]] in 2001.

The Fusion was contracted after the 2001 season and Mastroeni was the first overall choice of the [[2002 MLS Allocation Draft]], going to the [[Colorado Rapids]], whom he captained to their first title in 2010. Mastroeni scored his first MLS playoff goal against the Columbus Crew on October 28, 2010.

Mastroeni was traded to the [[Los Angeles Galaxy]] in June 2013<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2013/06/rapids-acquire-draft-pick-and-international-spot-la-galaxy-pablo-mastroeni| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131214152627/http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2013/06/rapids-acquire-draft-pick-and-international-spot-la-galaxy-pablo-mastroeni| archive-date = 2013-12-14| title = Rapids acquire draft pick and international spot from LA Galaxy for Pablo Mastroeni {{!}} Colorado Rapids}}</ref> and retired at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2013/12/colorado-rapids-legend-pablo-mastroeni-retires| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131214152639/http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2013/12/colorado-rapids-legend-pablo-mastroeni-retires| archive-date = 2013-12-14| title = Colorado Rapids legend Pablo Mastroeni retires {{!}} Colorado Rapids}}</ref>

In 2021, Mastroeni's #25 was retired by the Colorado Rapids.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.coloradorapids.com/news/rapids-retire-pablo-mastroeni-s-number-25|title=Rapids Retire Pablo Mastroeni's Number 25|first=Colorado|last=Rapids|website=Colorado Rapids|accessdate=September 5, 2021}}</ref>  This was the first number retired by the [[Colorado Rapids]].

===International career===
[[Image:Pablo Mastroeni USMNT 20060511.jpg|left|thumb|upright|Mastroeni in 2006]]
Mastroeni earned his first U.S. cap against [[Ecuador national football team|Ecuador]] on June 7, 2001. When [[Chris Armas]] went out with an injury just weeks prior to the [[Football World Cup 2002|2002 World Cup]], Mastroeni found himself a starter in the opening game as the U.S. defeated [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] 3–2.

On January 10, 2005, it was reported that he tore the quadriceps in his left leg and would be out for six to eight weeks.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mastroeni injures left quadriceps, will miss 6–8 weeks; game with Guatemala set. |url=http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2006/men/jan10.htm |work=SoccerTimes.com |date=January 10, 2006 |access-date=August 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185317/http://www.soccertimes.com/usteams/2006/men/jan10.htm |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The injury happened while training with the national team.

Mastroeni was named to the 2006 U.S. World Cup squad. In a [[FIFA World Cup 2006]] match against [[Italy national football team|Italy]] on June 17, Mastroeni was given a red card for an aggressive tackle in the first half. Mastroeni was fined [[Swiss franc|CHF]] 7,500 and received a three-game suspension, thus missing the last U.S. match of the World Cup and the first two matches of the [[2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup]].

On February 7, 2007, during a friendly between the United States and [[Mexican national football team|Mexico]], Mastroeni was the team captain.

Mastroeni was called up for the United States' [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF second round|first World Cup qualifying match of 2010]] and two [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF third round|third-round]] matches, and started three of the first five [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF fourth round|final round]] matches for the United States. However, he was not named to the [[2009 Confederations Cup|Confederations Cup]] roster nor any of the squads for the final five qualifiers for the United States.

==Coaching==

===Colorado Rapids===

====2014====
Mastroeni was named the interim head coach of the [[Colorado Rapids]] after [[Oscar Pareja]] left for [[FC Dallas]] in January 2014. He was named head coach of the Rapids on March 8, 2014, one week before the 2014 season began.<ref name="Pablo Mastroeni named head coach of Colorado Rapids one week before season start">{{cite news|last=Petty|first=Daniel|title=Pablo Mastroeni named head coach of Colorado Rapids one week before season start|url=http://www.denverpost.com/rapids/ci_25303142/pablo-mastroeni-named-head-coach-colorado-rapids-one|access-date=March 8, 2014|newspaper=Denver Post|date=March 8, 2014}}</ref>

In 2014, Mastroeni and the Rapids experienced the worst Rapids season in the 34 game MLS era. Allowing the most goals in the MLS, 62, the Rapids finished second to last in the Western Conference with 32 points.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/standings?competition=5&season=2014|title = MLS Soccer Standings}}</ref>

====2015====
2015 was another unsuccessful campaign for Mastroeni. The Rapids ended the season last in the Western Conference and second to last in the overall standings, receiving the second overall pick in the upcoming MLS Superdraft.

====2016====
During the offseason before the 2016 season, Mastroeni visited London, spending several days watching Arsenal and Tottenham train. While there, he analyzed the coaching styles of Tottenham's [[Mauricio Pochettino]] and Arsenal's [[Arsène Wenger]], before he traveled to Orlando to attend a supplementary coaching course.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/colorado-rapids-head-coach-pablo-mastroeni-hopes-reward-loyalty-field-success|title=Colorado Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni hopes to reward loyalty with on-field success &#124; MLSSoccer.com|website=mlssoccer|accessdate=September 5, 2021}}</ref> Mastroeni helped the Rapids establish a team identity in 2016, a defensive based team which operated out of the 4-2-3-1 formation. This identity helped the Rapids to their best regular season record of all time, with a franchise low 6 losses and a franchise high of 58 points.<ref name="coloradorapids.com">{{cite web| url = http://www.coloradorapids.com/club/history/yearly-record| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140829204019/http://www.coloradorapids.com/club/history/yearly-record| archive-date = 2014-08-29| title = Record - By Year {{!}} Colorado Rapids}}</ref> The team allowed an MLS low 32 goals in 2016.<ref name="espnfc.us">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-soccer/story/3019071/colorado-rapids-sign-manager-pablo-mastroeni-to-new-contract|title = Rapids sign Mastroeni to new contract - sources|date = December 13, 2016}}</ref> Mastroeni finished second in voting for the annual MLS Coach of the Year award.

====2017====
In the offseason, Mastroeni signed a three-year contract extension, through 2019.<ref name="espnfc.us"/> On August 15, Mastroeni was fired as Head Coach and replaced by [[Steve Cooke (football coach)|Steve Cooke]].

=== Houston Dynamo ===
In 2020, Mastroeni was named as an assistant coach for the [[Houston Dynamo]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.houstondynamo.com/content/pablo-mastroeni-assistant-coach| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201025103550/https://www.houstondynamo.com/content/pablo-mastroeni-assistant-coach| archive-date = 2020-10-25| title = Pablo Mastroeni - Assistant Coach {{!}} Houston Dynamo}}</ref>

=== Real Salt Lake ===

In 2021, Mastroeni was named as an assistant coach for [[Real Salt Lake]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsl.com/news/rsl-names-pablo-mastroeni-assistant-coach|title=RSL Names Pablo Mastroeni Assistant Coach &#124; Real Salt Lake|website=rsl|accessdate=September 5, 2021}}</ref> On August 27, 2021, he was named the interim head coach upon Freddy Juarez's unexpected midseason departure.<ref>{{cite web |title=Real Salt Lake, head coach Freddy Juarez part ways midseason|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/real-salt-lake-head-coach-freddy-juarez-part-ways-midseason|publisher=MLS |access-date=August 27, 2021}}</ref> On December 13, 2021, Mastroeni was named permanent head coach of the club for the 2022 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/real-salt-lake-name-pablo-mastroeni-permanent-head-coach|title=Real Salt Lake name Pablo Mastroeni permanent head coach|website=mlssoccer.com|date=December 13, 2021|access-date=December 13, 2021}}</ref>

==Coaching statistics==
{{updated|match played 22 October 2025}}{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"	
|+ Coaching record by team and tenure			
|-
! rowspan="2" |Team
! rowspan="2" |Nat
! rowspan="2" |From
! rowspan="2"|To
! colspan="8" |Record	
!rowspan=2|{{abbr|Ref|Reference}}			
|-	
!{{Tooltip|G|Games managed}}
!{{Tooltip|W|Games won}}
!{{Tooltip|D|Games drawn}}
!{{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}
!{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}
!{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}
!{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}
!{{Tooltip|Win %|Winning percentage}}			
|-
|align=left|[[Colorado Rapids]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}}
|align=left|January 4, 2014
|align=left|August 15, 2017
{{WDL|136|43|35|58|for=155|against=185|diff=yes}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Colorado Rapids: Matches |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/teams/united-states/colorado-rapids/2278/|work=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=April 17, 2019}}</ref>
|-
|align=left|[[Real Salt Lake]] 
|{{Flagicon|USA}}
|align=left|August 27, 2021
|align=left| present
{{WDL|178|70|44|64|for=256|against=268|diff=yes}}
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Real Salt Lake: Matches  |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/teams/united-states/real-salt-lake/3843/|work=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=August 29, 2021}}</ref>
|-
!colspan="4"|Total
{{WDLtot|314|113|79|122|for=411|against=453|diff=yes}}
|}

==Honors==
'''Miami Fusion'''
*[[Supporters' Shield]]: [[2001 Major League Soccer season|2001]]

'''Colorado Rapids'''
*[[MLS Cup]]: [[2010 Major League Soccer season|2010]]
*[[Western Conference (MLS)]]: [[2010 Major League Soccer season|2010]]

'''United States'''
*[[CONCACAF Gold Cup]]: [[2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2002]], [[2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2005]], [[2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2007]]

'''Individual'''
*[[MLS All-Star Game|MLS All-Star]]: [[2000 MLS All-Star Game|2000]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 29, 2000 |title=2000 MLS All-Star Game |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2000-mls-all-star-game-373143 |work=MLSsoccer.com |access-date=July 28, 2023}}</ref>
*[[MLS Best XI]]: 2001
* [[CONCACAF Gold Cup]] All-Tournament team: [[2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup|2007]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{MLS player|pablo-mastroeni}}

{{Real Salt Lake squad}}
{{Major League Soccer head coaches}}
{{Navboxes
|title= United States squads
|bg= white
|fg= #002868
|bordercolor= #BF0A30
|list1=
{{United States squad 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{United States squad 2002 FIFA World Cup}}
{{United States squad 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup}}
{{United States squad 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{United States squad 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
{{United States squad 2006 FIFA World Cup}}
{{United States squad 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list =
{{2001 MLS Best XI}}
{{2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup Team of the Tournament}}
}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Managerial positions
| list =
{{Colorado Rapids managers}}
{{Real Salt Lake managers}}
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mastroeni, Pablo}}
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:2002 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:2003 FIFA Confederations Cup players]]
[[Category:2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:American men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Argentine emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Argentine men's footballers]]
[[Category:Argentine people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Colorado Rapids head coaches]]
[[Category:Colorado Rapids players]]
[[Category:CONCACAF Gold Cup–winning players]]
[[Category:Houston Dynamo FC non-playing staff]]
[[Category:LA Galaxy players]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer All-Stars]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer head coaches]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:Miami Fusion draft picks]]
[[Category:Miami Fusion players]]
[[Category:MLS Pro-40 players]]
[[Category:NC State Wolfpack men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Phoenix, Arizona]]
[[Category:Footballers from Mendoza, Argentina]]
[[Category:Tucson Amigos players]]
[[Category:United States men's international soccer players]]
[[Category:A-League (1995–2004) players]]
[[Category:USL League Two players]]
[[Category:Argentine football managers]]