Diego Restrepo has joined D.C. United as the new Head of Goalkeeping after two years with Austin FC to replace long-term Director of Goalkeeping, Zach Thornton.
“We’re thrilled to hire Diego as our Head of Goalkeeping and add his positional expertise to the coaching staff,” Lucy Rushton, D.C. United General Manager, said. “He’s had an excellent preseason with our goalkeepers and his knowledge in this specialist role will be pivotal to our team success in 2022.”
Restrepo joins the Black-and-Red staff after retiring as a professional goalkeeper in 2020 following a successful 10-year career. Throughout his playing career, Restrepo also worked as a goalkeeper coach in daily training sessions, coaching clinics, and instructional camps at the youth and academy level, which prepared him for his current role as Head of Goalkeeping at the club.
The University of Virginia (UVA) standout played professionally for two historic clubs in South America, America de Cali (Colombian First Division) and Deportivo Táchira (Venezuela First Division). He also played for several clubs in the US, including the Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL), Ft. Lauderdale Strikers (NASL), Charlotte Independence (USL), San Antonio FC (USL), and Austin Bold (USL). His most successful professional season was in 2017 when he was named the “USL Goalkeeper of The Year” and member of the “USL Best Eleven” while with San Antonio FC.
Restrepo represented the University of Virginia from 2009 to 2010 and led the Cavaliers to the 2009 ACC Championship and the 2009 NCAA National Championship. He was named First Team All-American and ACC and NCAA Tournament MVP, while setting several Virginia goalkeeping school records.
As a youth player, Restrepo was a member of the U.S. National Team at the U-17 and U-20 levels and was a graduate of the U.S. Soccer Residency program at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL. In 2005, he represented the US at the Youth World Cup in Peru.
