Juan Carlos Osorio: From Brooklyn Italians player to World Cup manager
Photo credit: Soccer.ru (Creative Commons license)
An NPSL team has an alumnus playing a huge role in this summer’s 2018 World Cup. That’s right, Mexico manager Juan Carlos Osorio played for the storied NPSL franchise Brooklyn Italians between 1993-94.
Osorio has risen to international fame after Mexico’s shocking defeat of defending world champions Germany. The Mexican boss was praised for his tactics primarily involving a well-executed counter attack after putting all 11 men behind the ball and allowing Germany to dominate in possession. Osorio infamously stated after the game: “We had drawn up a plan six months back.”
Mexico has advanced out of tricky Group F and will play Monday in the Round of 16 against Brazil.
But little do many people know that part of Osorio’s high soccer IQ was actually developed right here in the United States. Osorio played collegiate soccer at the University of New Haven and would go on to graduate from Connecticut State University in 1990. While living in Brooklyn in the early ’90s, Osorio was an instrumental midfielder for the Brooklyn Italians team which played in the North Eastern Super Soccer League (NESSL) which is now disbanded.
I had the privilege to speak with Antonio “Junior” Superbia, who is a current youth academy coach with the Brooklyn Italians and was a former teammate of Osorio’s on the Italians back in the early 90’s.
“He was a classic Colombian player,” said Superbia. “Very good ball handling skills. He liked to dribble and he was very comfortable taking players on.”
Superbia put an emphasis on how much of a skilled and technical player Osorio was. Superbia was also complimentary as to what type of person and teammate Osorio was while playing for the Italians.
“Juan is a very good person,” he added. “He has good character and was very humble as well.”
Osorio clearly had a seriousness and passion about soccer, as Superbia humorously remembered how “he would show up early to every single training wearing either a Colombian national team jersey or a Sao Paulo FC jersey.”
Osorio is definitely not the only famous Brooklyn Italians alum. Portland Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese and newly USMNT capped and starting center back for the New York Red Bulls Tim Parker both played for the Italians back in the day. But there is something particularly special about watching an old member of your club shine at the world’s biggest stage.
This recent crop of former players for the Italians making a splash in professional soccer is definitely something that people are starting to notice, and the Italians are very proud of that.
“There is a lot of tradition here in our club,” Superbia said. “It is exciting to finally see the club receiving the recognition that I think it deserves.”
After his playing days with the Italians were over, Osorio would go on to start his illustrious coaching career by becoming an assistant coach with the former USL A-League side Staten Island Vipers in 1998. Two years later, he joined the New York MetroStars’ coaching staff and his career started to take off from there.
“I am super happy for his success and he deserves everything he has accomplished, for sure,” said Superbia of his former teammate.
Osorio has his work cut out against Brazil, and Mexico’s World Cup run may end shorter than many had hoped on Monday, but nonetheless his path to the highest level has been impressive to follow. The lower divisions of American soccer and MLS played such a big role in Juan Carlos Osorio’s career to help propel him toward becoming a manager at the World Cup.
Follow Jack on Twitter: @JackRenwick22.
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