Benno Nagel

Benno Nagel

Co-Founder, Club President and Director of Soccer

Leading the club will be Oakland Roots Co-founder Benno Nagel, who will serve as Club President and Director of Soccer. Nagel is an Oakland native and former professional soccer coach, having worked with Dutch Eredivisie club FC Twente, Croatian giants GNK Dinamo Zagreb and most recently with Rayo OKC of the NASL. Following his time with Rayo OKC, Nagel moved back to Oakland to form Oakland Pro Soccer, the entity which now operates Oakland Roots Sports Club. At the onset of the formation of Oakland Pro Soccer, Nagel had been inspired by the concept of creating a professional soccer team in Oakland who was as committed to social improvement and impact as it was with providing local soccer fans with an entertaining brand of soccer. Fueled by that vision and mission, Nagel and his partners progressed Oakland Pro Soccer to extensive conversations with Major League Soccer (MLS), the United Soccer League (USL), the North American Soccer League (NASL) and the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA). Benno attained his BA from San Francisco State University, where he also played collegiate soccer, and his MPA from CSU East Bay with a focus on Public Policy.

As Club President, Nagel will oversee all aspects of the day to day demands of the Front Office, as well as serve as an ever present participant in the overall Oakland community and social impact space. Expanding upon his overall duties, Nagel will double as Director of Soccer, coordinating all technical aspects regarding team operation and management for Oakland Roots’ men’s and women’s soon to be launched soccer teams in the Spring of 2019.