Born in Switzerland to Italian parents, Giuseppe 'Joe' Balsamo grew up in Carini, Palermo. Joe made his professional debut at the age of 16 playing for legendary coach Zdenek Zeman (AS Roma, Fenerbahçe S.K., S.S.C. Napoli) with Palermo's Primavera Team.

 

He emigrated to the United States at 17 to play for San Diego Sockers in the North American Soccer League, before the berth of Major League Soccer. After two seasons, he returned to Italy to play with Modena FC, playing in the Italian Serie C under coach Giovanni Seghedoni (S.P.A.L, U.S. Sassuolo Calcio). In 1989, Joe returned to the United States and settled in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. 

 

Joe’s accomplishments as a coach include many championships and titles at various age levels, including, in 2002, the championship of the Enzo Ferrari Cup in Italy, where his team comprised of American players defeated the Primavera squads of Juventus and Modena. Joe also led the United States representative team at the 2003 Danone Cup in Paris, France. In 2007, Joe won the USL League Two Eastern Conference with the Brooklyn Knights.  In 2013, Joe achieved a life long dream of opening his own club when he created FA Euro with co-founders Angelo Orlando (Inter Milan), Giandomenico Costi (AC Milan), and Lodovico Costacurta (AC Milan).