CHARLOTTE — Jorge Herrera has been appointed Assistant Coach for Charlotte FC’s Academy, the club announced on Tuesday.
Herrera played professional soccer for the Charlotte Eagles and Charlotte Independence, in addition to several top-division South American clubs. He will support the coaching staff across all age groups within the Academy, providing his expertise with position-specific training, individual performance plans and talent identification.
“We’re very excited to add Jorge to our Academy coaching staff,” says Academy Manager Dan Lock. “Jorge possesses a wonderful balance of international and domestic professional playing experience, as well as a wealth of knowledge of the region’s soccer scene. He will be a tremendous resource for our young players.”
A native of Colombia, Herrera enjoyed success across South America before arriving in Charlotte in 2007, when he began a prolific stint with the Eagles. After winning MVP nominations and securing the USL2 regular-season title in his second season, Herrera signed with the Independence in 2015, where he became a fan favorite.
“Jorge has a wealth of playing experience and knowledge that he can pass on to our young players,” says Charlotte FC Technical Director Marc Nicholls. “It’s always very interesting to have a recently retired professional on staff, and his perspective will be invaluable as we build and grow our new club.”
Through 13 years of playing and coaching in Charlotte, Herrera has developed a strong relationship with the city’s diverse soccer community. He has also worked closely with Charlotte’s Hispanic communities since the city was awarded Major League Soccer’s 30th franchise. Herrera joins an Academy with a significant proportion of Latino players.
“I am very excited to join the Academy Coaching staff, and to keep serving Charlotte FC,” says Herrera. “Fútbol has always been a very important part of my life and I look forward to helping our young talents achieve their dreams, while supporting and learning from our top-level coaching staff.”
