After sparking a run to the Western Conference Final in the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs, Real Salt Lake have named Pablo Mastroeni as their permanent head coach.
Mastroeni was serving as interim head coach following Freddy Juarez's midseason departure to become a Seattle Sounders assistant coach.
“We are thrilled to have Pablo on board, long-term,” RSL general manager Elliot Fall said in a release. “We expect success for years to come under his leadership. Pablo’s ability to build a culture and instill belief within the club has resulted in the most tight-knit locker room seen in years. We are excited for him to instill that throughout our entire organization.”
Mastroeni posted an 8-8-1 mark during the regular season, then steered the West’s No. 7 seed to postseason upsets of Seattle (No. 2 seed) and Sporting Kansas City (No. 3 seed).
Tactically, the former MLS Best XI and US men's national team midfielder swapped between four-back and three-back systems. This past year, RSL scored 55 goals to tie for the sixth-most in MLS.
“I am excited to be joining Real Salt Lake on a permanent basis,” Mastroeni, 45, said in a release. “I love the direction this club is moving in and I’m looking forward to working with all the resources and opportunities we have in front of us.
“We will implement an electric end-to-end style of play that brings our fans into the action and further solidifies the fortress that we call home. And we will continue to be a formidable foe on the road, just as we were during the end of our 2021 season.”
Before joining RSL, Mastroeni was an assistant coach with Houston Dynamo FC. He also was the Colorado Rapids’ head coach from 2014-17, giving him time on both sidelines of the Rocky Mountain Cup.
