CF Montreal assistant coach Jason Di Tullio, 38, dies following battle with cancer, as MLS club leads tributes to ‘brave, great player and man’… and it will honor him against NYCFC tonight
- Jason Di Tullio served as an assistant coach for MLS team in 2015-17 and in 2022
- The Montreal native played professionally for his hometown club from 2002-07
- Di Tullio represented the Canadian National Team at Under 17 and U20 level
- CF Montreal will pay tribute to their coach on Saturday vs. New York City FC
CF Montreal are grieving the loss of assistant coach Jason Di Tullio, who died Thursday night following a cancer battle.
Di Tullio was just 38 at the time of passing. The club announced his death before Montreal president and CEO Gabriel Gervais released a statement.
‘It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of our colleague, teammate, and friend, who left us far too soon. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones,’ he said.
‘Jason was a great player and a great man. His energy was ever-present until his final moments. He himself symbolically compared his battle to a soccer game.
‘Jason was extremely brave and fought until the end. He will forever be remembered in our minds and the memory of the Club as an iconic player and mentor.’
The Canadian club will honor Di Tullio’s memory on Saturday when they host New York City FC at Stade Saputo.
Di Tullio began his professional with Canadian’s hometown team, the then-Montreal Impact at 18-years-old.
CF Montreal are grieving the loss of assistant coach Jason Di Tullio, who died Thursday night
Di Tullio (L) played for the Canadian Under 23s during 2003 FIFA World Youth Championships
Before finding themselves in the MLS, Montreal resided in the USL, where Di Tullio, made 81 appearances, 60 of those as starts.
The defender scored once across his career. He also played for the Canadian Under 23s during the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championships in the United Arab Emirates.
Post his professional career he was head coach of the Montreal Under 17 and U23 teams in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
More recently, he served as an assistant coach with the MLS side from 2015-17 before returning to the position in 2021.
The Canadian club will honor Di Tullio’s memory on Saturday when they host New York City FC
Tributes poured in from friends and fellow Canadian soccer lovers on Twitter after news broke.
Elizabeth Cotignola shared her memories of Di Tullio, writing: ‘I don’t know him as “Jason, Impact Legend.”
‘I know him as the kid who was my first slow dance, who always showed up to my birthday parties in elementary school, who would lean over and copy my answers when got [sic] pop quizzes in high school.
’38 is just too young to go. It hurts.’
Tributes poured in from friends and fellow Canadian soccer lovers on Twitter after news broke