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Sigi Schmid, winningest coach in MLS history, dies at 65

Tim Clayton - Corbis / Corbis Sport / Getty

Sigi Schmid, the winningest coach in Major League Soccer history, died Tuesday. He was 65.

The Schmid family, via MLS, announced on Wednesday that the decorated manager passed away at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles due to a "personal health matter." Schmid was admitted to hospital three weeks ago in need of a heart transplant, according to Kevin Baxter of the LA Times.

Schmid recorded 266 victories between the regular season and playoffs over his 18 years on the sidelines in North America's top flight.

He split time between the LA Galaxy, Columbus Crew, and Seattle Sounders, leading the former to their first-ever MLS Cup in 2002 before winning another with the Crew in 2008. He served as the Sounders' first MLS manager and spent seven years with the club after taking over in 2009. He returned to the Galaxy in 2017 before stepping down in September of this past season.

"Major League Soccer is devastated by the news of the passing of Sigi Schmid," MLS commissioner Don Garber said.

"Sigi will go down as one of the leading figures in the history of our league ... Sigi's passion for soccer was unrivaled, and he was loved and admired by everyone in MLS. We deeply mourn his passing and send our heartfelt condolences to his wife Valerie, their children, and all of his loved ones."

Born in Germany before moving to the United States as a child, Schmid was also a decorated NCAA coach, winning three championships in 19 years at UCLA, his alma matter. His trophy cabinet also included three Supporters' Shields, five U.S. Open Cup titles, and a CONCACAF Champions' Cup.

He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2015.

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