Pro Soccer News: San Diego Boca FC Acquires Brazilian Midfielder Zé Roberto

Star for Tuna Luso, Montreal Impact, San Diego Sockers Signs with NPSL's San Diego Boca FC

UPDATED 5.19.11

San Diego Boca FC announced today the signing of international soccer player Midfielder, Jose Roberto Gomes Santana, commonly known as Zé Roberto. Well known to San Diego soccer fans as a dynamic player on the two-time PASL Championship team, the San Diego Sockers, Zé Roberto also has enjoyed great success outside the soccer arena with the NASL's Montreal Impact, making the playoffs in four of his five-year tenure.  

San Diego Boca FC has struggled this 2011 NPSL soccer season.  Having lost several significant players just before the season started, Boca FC has been behind the 'eight ball' playing catch up to its north county NPSL league mate: SD Flash.  Fans have wondered why one team could flounder with so many loses while another team a few miles away soared to being undefeated in league play.  Boca FC signing Zé Roberto demonstrates the team is serious and determined to improve their performance.

San Diego Boca FC Owner Yan Skwara, said, "Zé Roberto is a great catch for our club as he is a proven veteran midfielder which is something the club has been lacking all season. We have a very young team that needs some debth. All championship teams have a nice blend of youth and veterans and thus this is a big step in still making a push for a playoff slot and also building for next year. We demand a certain type of ground game at Boca and thus Ze Roberto fits that mold without question and he knows what ball possession is all about." 

In 2004, Zé Roberto was a dominant factor in Montreal's league winning season, where he started in all five playoff games and set-up the championship-winning goal that won the franchise's second league championship. . He helped the Impact to a 15-game undefeated streak in 2005, a new league record, and won the regular-season title.

During the 2006 season, he became the 10th player in club history to reach the 100 career games played mark with the Impact on June 24th. Zé Roberto has also had stints with esteemed Brazilian side Corinthians and Palmeiras and the currently-MLS Vancouver Whitecaps.  In January, 2010 he was ranked 22nd in the USL First Division Top 25 of the Decade, which announced a list of the best and most influential players of the previous decade.

Zé Roberto is best known in the San Diego area as a defender for the San Diego Sockers, playing alongside former Boca midfielder and current forward for FC Edmonton, Dan Antoniuk. Ze Roberto garnered first team all PASL honors this year, leading the Sockers to their second consecutive league and cup double.  Zé Roberto played in 15 games last season with the San Diego Sockers scoring 5 goals and making 6 assists.  This Brazilian born player has been honored by numerous soccer organizations including being recognized as one of the top 25 soccer players in the USL in the past decade.

Ze said " I am excited to be able to stay in my adopted home city with my wife and children.  I am looking forward to the challenge of the NPSL and helping out San Diego Boca in the second half of the season."

San Diego Boca FC General Manager Travis Chesney said, "We are thrilled to sign to Boca an international name like Zé Roberto. He has proven his ability on the field time and time again with his success at clubs like Montreal and Rochester. His ability in the center of the field will have an immediate impact on Boca's play and will lift the quality of all our players. We look forward to Ze Roberto as he will dress for this Saturday nights match against Lancaster."

San Diego Boca's next home game is this Saturday, May 21st at 2:00 p.m. at Balboa Stadium, located at 1405 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA.  

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San Diego Boca FC is part of the Western Division of the 38-team National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). San Diego Boca FC was founded to promote professional, amateur, and youth soccer throughout San Diego County through a grassroots approach, following that of storied Argentina club Boca Juniors.