Joe Balsamo

Giuseppe (Joe) Balsamo was born in Switzerland and grew up in Palermo, Sicily, where he developed his passion for soccer. Joe’s early influence was coach Zdenìk Zeman, who had coached great teams such as F.C. Lazio and A.S. Roma. Joe became a professional player at the “Primavera” level at the early age of 16, and came to the United States at 17 to play in the old North American Soccer League (NASL). He returned to Italy to play in the Italian Serie C for coach Giovanni Seghedoni, now director of F.C. Modena in Serie B. In 1989, Joe returned to the United States and settled in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, where he lives with his wife Lisa and their two children. Joe’s coaching accomplishments include many championships and titles at various age levels, including, in 2002, the championship of the Enzo Ferrari Cup in Italy, where his side defeated the squads of Juventus and Modena. Other championships include the New York State Cup, the Pocono Cup, the Oneonta Cup and numerous league titles. He also coached the United States representative team at the 2003 Danone Cup in Paris.