June 11, 2009 SANTA CLARA, CA - FC Gold Pride announced today the addition of Brazilian soccer legend Sisleide Lima Do Amor, most commonly known as Sissi, to the team`s roster. Sissi will continue with her Diablo FC coaching duties as she leads the U14 Diablo FC 95 and U15 Diablo FC 94 girls teams as well as serving as on the club`s coaching directors staff.

"We never sold short the idea that Sissi would be on the field with our team," said FC Gold Pride General Manager Ilisa Kessler. "She has been engaged with the team since the beginning on and off the field during training and she has been staying fit by playing with the Storm. The player-coach model is not new to the game of professional soccer and we are looking forward to having Sissi continue to contribute her knowledge of the game as a coach and bring her experience as a player back to the field."

Sissi, who has been serving as the Pride`s Assistant Coach since the inception of the team, will be added to the team`s roster as one of four developmental players. Sissi joins fellow Brazilians Formiga, Erika and Adriane on the Pride roster. The Bay Area team boasts the largest Brazilian contingency in the league.

"I wanted this so badly you couldn`t believe it," said Sissi. "I couldn`t sleep the last couple of days after Albertin told me this was a possibility. I know it will be a big challenge for me, but I also know I`m ready. It doesn`t matter how many minutes I play, I just feel so blessed and honored to be a part of this. I can`t wait to be on the field and play with this very special team. It will be a little weird since I was coaching them yesterday. I feel honored that Albertin is giving me a chance to be on the field again. This could be my last season so, any chance I have to be on the field, even if it`s just for five minutes, I`m going to give everything I have."

Sissi began her residency in the Bay Area in 2001 as an inaugural player of the Women`s United Soccer Association`s (WUSA) San Jose CyberRays. She rejoins the professional ranks of soccer after a six-year hiatus in her professional career, during which she continued to play for the California Storm of the WPSL while also lending her soccer knowledge, experience and expertise to local youth and collegiate soccer players as a coach for Los Positas College and Diablo Futbol Club.

The Brazil native represented her country in three FIFA Women`s World Cup tournaments (1991, 1995, 1999) as well as two Olympic Games (1996, 2000). She captured the world`s attention in 1999 during the historic Women`s World Cup tournament that changed the international landscape of women`s soccer, earning the Golden Boot as the tournament`s leading goal scorer and silver ball for her outstanding leadership and performance in the tournament.

She was elected along with Richard Weiszmann as the Diablo FC 2008 Coach of the Year in the newly-merged club`s inaugural season. She had served on the coaching staff of Diablo Valley Soccer Club since 2004.

The Brazilian national, who just celebrated her birthday June 2, enters the WPS as the league`s most senior player. The addition of Sissi`s cunning skill and experience adds to the depth of the Pride`s already strong midfield.

Ten games into the season the Pride has posted a 3-5-2 record and is currently tied for third place with the Boston Breakers and Saint Louis Athletica.