FREDDY JUAREZ
SOUNDERS FC ASSISTANT COACH
Freddy Juarez joined Sounders FC as an Assistant Coach on September 1, 2021 from Real Salt Lake, where he coached for over a decade at different levels of the organization, including the role of Head Coach since 2019. In over two calendar years as Head Coach at RSL, Juarez compiled a 18-23-14 record with one postseason appearance, and he departed the Claret and Cobalt above the red line for qualification to the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
Juarez was named Interim Head Coach at Real Salt Lake on August 11, 2019 following the dismissal of Mike Petke. He led RSL to a 7-5-2 record down the stretch, resulting in a third-place finish in the Western Conference and a berth in the 2019 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Following a first-round home win against the Portland Timbers, RSL fell 2-0 to Sounders FC, who would go on to win the 2019 MLS Cup. In 2020, RSL finished in 11th place in the Western Conference with a 5-10-7 record. Juarez departed RSL in 2021 after going 7-7-6 and leading the club to current playoff positioning.
Originally joining the Real Salt Lake organization as Academy Head Coach in 2010, Juarez won the U.S. Soccer Development Academy U-16 Championship in 2012 with a roster that boasted future RSL players Justen Glad, Brooks Lennon and Sebastian Saucedo. He remained with the RSL Academy until being promoted to Head Coach of Real Monarchs SLC in the club’s inaugural USL season in 2015. After two seasons in USL, he was again promoted to an Assistant Coach on Real Salt Lake’s staff in 2016.
A native of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Juarez played 10 seasons in the USL for the El Paso Patriots and Minnesota Thunder before retiring in 2007. He was also a member of the 2007 U.S. Men’s National Futsal Team.
