DiCicco dies at 68
The women’s soccer community mourns the death of beloved former U.S. coach Tony DiCicco,
Tony DiCicco, who took over the U.S. women’s national soccer team in 1994 and guided it to a groundbreaking 1996 Olympic gold medal and 1999 World Cup title, died Monday night after a long illness. He was 68.
Former player Julie Foudy, a commentator for ESPN, said what made DiCicco such a special and successful coach was his ability to make the squad into a cohesive unit that functioned not just as a team but also as a family.
“Everyone knows there’s X’s and O’s and tactics, but to be able to bring a team together in a way that he was able to consistently is what I love most about him,” she said. “And to do it with such a joy that when you were doing what you were doing, we used to often say, ‘ We get paid to do this? Oh my gosh.’ That will be his legacy and spirit that live on, because it lives on in all of his players who are now impacting people in a similar way.”
After resigning from the women’s national team in 1999 to spend more time with his family, DiCicco helped to start and served as commissioner of the Women’s United Soccer Association — the first run at a professional women’s league — and coached in the Women’s Professional Soccer league until 2011. He also took over the U.S. Under-20 national team in 2008, leading a squad that featured current U.S. players Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux Dwyer, Meghan Klingenberg and Alyssa Naeher to an Under-20 World Cup championship.
“I don’t think he ever got the recognition he deserved for what he was able to do,” Foudy said of the World Cup and Olympic wins. “But I think he understood the magnitude of it and how special it was. What I wish is people under- stood the magnitude of what he did.”
The players certainly do. Tributes were posted on social media throughout the day. Said Abby Wambach: “Soccer has lost a legend. Tony means so much to the women’s natl team. So sad to hear this news and sending all my love to his family.”
Christie Rampone tweeted: “Such sad news, Tony was great for our game, we’re so fortunate. Thank you for taking a chance on me. My thoughts & prayers to the family.”
DiCicco is survived by his wife, Diane, and four sons, Anthony, Andrew, Alex and Nicholas.
“There’s an incredible spirit to them that will live on forever, and that will be his legacy, really,” Foudy said. “Even his boys said it: We were prepared for the grief and how hard this was going to be — what we didn’t realize was how much joy we would find in this whole process, and laughter and love. And that’s Tony. He’s always able to see through negative moments and find the light and shine the light on others.”