San Diego FC has officially named Mikey Varas as their new head coach, making history as the first head coach in the club’s existence. The announcement was made on Monday, with SDFC chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour expressing his confidence in Varas.
“As we prepare for our inaugural season, Mikey’s leadership, desire to win now and his deep understanding of player development make him the ideal choice to guide our club forward,” Mansour said in a statement.
Varas comes to San Diego FC after a successful stint as the interim head coach of the U.S. men’s national team. He previously served as the head coach of the U-20 U.S. men’s national team from 2021 to 2023, where he achieved an impressive 8-3-3 record and led the team to a Concacaf U-20 Championship title.
Prior to his time with U.S. Soccer, Varas worked as an assistant coach for FC Dallas from 2019 to 2021, gaining valuable experience in MLS.
San Diego FC is set to enter Major League Soccer as an expansion club in 2025, and Varas’ appointment is seen as a key step in building a competitive team for the upcoming season.
Varas’ coaching journey has taken him through various youth clubs in California, before moving on to Sacramento Republic and eventually FC Dallas. His success at the youth level earned him a spot on Luchi Gonzalez’s first-team staff and eventually led to his role as U.S. under-20 coach.
While Varas experienced some setbacks during his time as interim manager of the USMNT, his dedication and perseverance have not gone unnoticed. National soccer writer Paul Tenorio commended Varas for his hard work and expressed optimism about his future in MLS.
That Varas’ background in player development played a crucial role in his hiring at San Diego FC, a club with a focus on developing talent, is evident. With exciting prospects like Mexico winger Chucky Lozano already on the roster, Varas will have the opportunity to make his mark on the team and showcase his coaching abilities on a larger stage.
As Varas takes on this new challenge with San Diego FC, all eyes will be on him to see how he leads the team in their inaugural MLS season.
(Photo: John Dorton /ISI Photos /USSF / Getty Images)
