Jose Pires Named Head Coach of USA Men’s Over-50 Senior National Team

Experienced coach and leadership professional appointed to guide expanding O50 program into the 2027 international cycle

The U.S. Senior National Soccer Legacy Program is pleased to announce the appointment of Jose Pires as Head Coach of the USA Men’s Over-50 Senior National Team, strengthening the program’s leadership as preparations accelerate for a major 2027 international campaign.

Pires will take responsibility for leading the Men’s O50 Senior National Team through the next phase of player identification, evaluation, selection and international preparation, with the program working toward major competition opportunities that include the World Masters Games in Japan in 2027.

His appointment represents another important step in the continued expansion of the U.S. Senior National Soccer Legacy Program and its mission to create a structured national pathway for accomplished senior players across the United States.

Building the Men’s O50 Senior National Team

The development of a dedicated Men’s Over-50 program provides experienced players age 50 and above with an opportunity to continue competing at an elite level while pursuing the opportunity to represent the United States in national and international competition.

Rather than relying on a single tryout or selection event, the O50 program is being developed around an ongoing national identification process.

Players from across the country will have opportunities to enter the pathway through designated Player ID Events, competitive tournaments and final selection camps, allowing the coaching staff to evaluate players across multiple environments.

As Head Coach, Pires will play a central role throughout that process.

His responsibilities will include evaluating prospective national-team players, developing the O50 player pool, establishing the team's competitive identity and working alongside program leadership and additional coaching staff to ultimately identify the squad capable of representing the United States on the international stage.

The process is designed to evaluate more than a player’s previous accomplishments.

Technical ability, tactical understanding, physical condition, positional awareness, competitive mentality, professionalism and overall suitability for the national-team environment will all contribute to the selection process.

Experience in Coaching, Development and Leadership

Pires brings a diverse background in soccer, player development and organizational leadership to the position.

His soccer experience includes time within the Vasco da Gama youth system as well as involvement with organizations including Sporting KC/Sporting Blue Valley, Brahma FC, KC Cyclones and Atletico United.

That combination of playing and coaching experience provides Pires with a broad perspective as he begins building the next generation of the Men’s O50 Senior National Team.

His leadership background also extends beyond soccer.

Away from the field, Pires serves as CEO of Global Excellence & Innovation and is a TEDx speaker, bringing experience in leadership, development and organizational culture to his role with the national program.

That background aligns with the broader objectives of the Senior Legacy Program, where representing the United States involves more than performance during a match.

Players selected for the program are expected to demonstrate professionalism, commitment, accountability and an understanding of what it means to represent a national program both on and off the field.

The Road to 2027

Pires assumes leadership of the O50 program during an important period in its development.

The nationwide Player ID process is designed to identify experienced players from different regions, backgrounds and levels of competition who may have the ability to contribute to the national player pool.

Players who perform well during the identification process can continue progressing through tournament evaluations and subsequent selection opportunities as the coaching staff works toward establishing the final international roster.

The objective is to create a deeper and more competitive national player pool rather than limit selection to players from a particular region or existing team.

For Pires and his staff, the months ahead will therefore involve both building a team and establishing the standards expected of the program.

As the 2027 international calendar approaches, those standards will become increasingly important as players compete for roster positions and the coaching staff begins transforming a national player pool into a cohesive international squad.

Preparing for International Competition

One of the major targets on the horizon is the 2027 World Masters Games in Japan.

International competition will present a significant test for the developing O50 program, requiring the selected squad to compete against experienced senior players and teams from around the world.

The preparation process leading into that competition will give Pires and his staff an opportunity to develop the team's tactical identity, evaluate combinations of players and establish the level of performance required to compete internationally.

For the players, it represents something equally significant: an opportunity to continue pursuing meaningful competitive soccer after age 50 and potentially represent the United States on the world stage.

That opportunity sits at the heart of the Senior Legacy Program.

Part of a Growing National Program

The appointment comes during a period of significant expansion for the U.S. Senior National Soccer Legacy Program.

Building on the foundation established by the Men’s O40 Senior National Team, the organization is expanding its national structure to create dedicated pathways for the Men’s O50 Senior National Team and Women’s O40 Senior National Team.

Each program shares the same fundamental objective: identify accomplished senior players from across the United States, evaluate them within a structured national pathway and create meaningful opportunities to compete domestically and internationally.

The growth of the Men’s O50 program is an important part of that vision.

With Pires now leading the team, attention turns toward identifying the players who will form the foundation of the squad and preparing them for the demands of the upcoming international cycle.

A Clear Message for the Program

For Pires, the ambition behind the next chapter of the Men’s O50 Senior National Team can be summarized in a simple message:

“Together, We Go for Extraordinary!”

That mentality will now guide the program as Player ID Events, tournament evaluations and final selection opportunities bring together experienced players from across the country.

The destination is international competition.

The work toward getting there is already underway.

Jose Pires — Head Coach, USA Men’s O50 Senior National Team.

The road to Japan 2027 continues.