CHICAGO (Feb. 7, 2020) – U.S. Beach Soccer Men’s National Team head coach Eddie Soto will step down from his position after 12 years leading the team.
After taking over the team in 2008, Soto guided the Beach MNT to the 2013 Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship title with an undefeated run through group play before defeating Costa Rica in the semifinal and claiming a dramatic 5-4 extra time win against El Salvador in the final. The team won its final group game at the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup but did not advance after finishing third in its group.
Soto’s teams never lost a game in group play of World Cup qualifying as he led the Beach MNT to the top of its group in each of the next three editions of the Concacaf Beach Soccer Championship, reaching the final in 2019 and qualifying for that year’s Beach Soccer World Cup.
Throughout his tenure with the Beach MNT, Soto helped develop a number of highly-regarded players on the world scene, including attacker Nick Perera and goalkeeper Chris Toth, who have both been included multiple times among the best 50 players in the world by Beach Soccer World Wide. He earned his USSF “A” Coaching License in 2007.
“I’ve very much enjoyed coaching our Beach National Team and want to thank U.S. Soccer for the opportunity to lead the program. It’s been an honor,” Soto said. “I want to applaud our players for the dedication, sacrifice and passion they’ve put in to growing this team and sport. I am very proud of what we accomplished in the face of many obstacles through the years and wish the future coaches and players the best as the program continues to develop for the future.”
U.S. Soccer, which has committed increased resources to its Extended National Team programming in recent years, including Men’s Beach Soccer and the launch of a Women’s Beach Soccer team in 2019, will begin a search for a new head coach immediately.
