Filipa Patão Named Boston Legacy FC Head Coach
From Benfica to Boston
Boston Legacy FC officially announced its first head coach Wednesday, adding another European to its technical staff.
Filipa Patão, previously SL Benfica women’s head coach, will be at the helm of the expansion team and is expected to join the club in July after her visa is approved. While the coach is excited to head to Boston, she acknowledges the challenges that lie ahead.
“The American league is extremely competitive and that's one of the reasons I accepted this project: I like competition, difficulty, and getting the players to strive for more and better,” she said. “To transform themselves and always demand more of themselves.”
Her five years of coaching Benfica resulted in a 156-28-15 W-L-D record across all competitions. The Portuguese national also led her team to several domestic cup titles, and won Portugal’s top league, Campeonato Nacional, five years in a row.
General Manager Domè Guasch believes the gaffer will be the right fit as the Legacy builds its identity.
“Boston is a club where we want to develop both technical identity and have a clear style of play, but also we want a coach who thinks about more than just winning games,” he said. “Filipa is a coach I believe can help us build a great culture where players understand they will come here to grow and learn.”
In its 2023-2024 season, Benfica became the first Portuguese club to ever make it through to the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter finals. The following season, Patão’s squad advanced to the second round of the UWCL.
Patão spent 18 years at Benfica, starting out as a youth coach in 2007 then taking over the U-15, U-17, and then U-19 women’s teams. Her own playing career included caps for the Portuguese national team, and stints at 1º Dezembro, C.F. Benfica, and Estoril Praia.
The incoming coach was one of six nominated for the Ballon d'Or's 2024 Women's Coach of the Year award.
BLFC controlling owner Jennifer Epstein says Patão’s passion, grit, and style personify the club and is keen to watch her create a championship team.
“I know that Boston fans are passionate about the city and their teams and I'm looking forward to building a new history with them,” said Patão.