Zé Roberto
José Roberto Gomes Santana, or “Zé” Roberto, as he’s commonly know, was born in Brazil and began his professional playing there before coming to North America to play in the A-League, most notably for the Montreal Impact. Coach Zé played an important role that helped build the Impact into a dominating team in the league, winning multiple championships. Zé found his way to the San Diego Sockers, where his brought his skill and experience to the team for over a decade before transitioning to the Sockers’ coaching staff in 2019-20, as well as making occasional playing appearances.
Zé is well known as a youth soccer coach as well, with a focus on helping youth players achieve their goals as players and people. Director Nate Hetherington shares “We are thrilled to welcome coach Ze back to the SD Sockers family. His philosophy perfectly mirrors our club’s commitment to caring for the player, prioritizing the well-being and growth of our athletes both on and off the pitch. We’re excited to see our teams thrive under leadership that values the individual as much as the athlete.”
More About Coach Roberto
U.S. Soccer National C License
Has played in the NPSL, MISL, PASL and MASL during his career
10 year captain for the MASL San Diego Sockers
Married to his wife, Heather, and is father of five children: Gabriel, Thais, Tiago, Tatiana, and Zico.
