Aldo Santaga Obituary, Death – Aldo Santaga, the legendary coach of the soccer team at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, passed away on Saturday at the age of 87. Santaga was the head coach of the men’s squad from 1978 to 1992. In addition, he was the coach of the women’s team in 1991. In 1978, he coached teams who competed in the NCAA Division II tournament, and in 1983, he coached teams that competed in the NCAA Division I tournament. It is also attributed to Santaga that he was successful in securing financial support for what was at first known as Phoenix Field. In 2018, the venue was officially rechristened as the Aldo Santaga Stadium.
“My childhood was spent in a nation where there is no such thing as grass. We, the inhabitants of Libya, enjoy playing on sand beaches or on the ground when it is compacted by cinders. North Africa is home to us. To be able to come here and see this kind of field is incredible at this point “During the ceremony to dedicate the stadium, Santaga told FOX 11 the following:
Santaga was born in Tripoli, Libya, in 1934 to parents who were originally from Italy. After having success on the professional and national levels of the game in Libya, he moved to the United States in 1922. Before moving to Green Bay, he was a member of the Milwaukee-based Croatian Eagles Club and played there. Additionally, Santaga is credited with playing an instrumental role in the establishment of the soccer programs at both St. Norbert College and Premontre High School.
Santaga was inducted into the halls of fame of multiple soccer organizations, including the Wisconsin Soccer Association, the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame, the Croatian Eagles Soccer Club of Milwaukee, and the Green Bay Phoenix. Thursday was the day of a private funeral Mass that was held. The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay has indicated that it will release a statement in the coming days.
