Mikey Varas was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was born to a Chilean father and American mother.[1] He played collegiate soccer for four years at the University of San Francisco. Following his college career, Varas spent a season with Santiago Wanderers in Chile. Despite a promising start as a player, Varas decided to transition into coaching shortly after his time in Chile.[2] He holds a U.S. Soccer “A” Coaching License[3] and is fluent in Spanish. Varas also earned a master’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in physical education from Fresno Pacific University.[4]
Coaching career
Early coaching career
Mikey Varas began his coaching journey in California, where he held various coaching positions that contributed to his development as a coach. His early career saw him take on roles such as Director of Coaching for Burlingame’s Gamer Futsal School and Regional Coordinator for the NorCal Premier Soccer Player Development Program. He also coached U-12, U-17, and U-19 teams at De Anza Force in the ECNL before joining the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.[4]
Sacramento Republic and FC Dallas
In 2016, Varas joined the Sacramento Republic academy,[5] where he was named U.S. Soccer Development Academy West Conference U-14 coach of the year after just one season.[4] His success at Sacramento caught the attention of FC Dallas, where he was hired as the U-16 head coach in 2017.[4]
Varas's work with FC Dallas quickly gained recognition, and in 2019, he was promoted to assistant coach for the first team under head coach Luchi Gonzalez.[6] During his time with FC Dallas, the club made consecutive MLS Cup playoff appearances, bolstered by the contributions of several homegrown players such as Reggie Cannon, Paxton Pomykal, and Ricardo Pepi. Varas played a key role in developing these young talents, many of whom would later represent the senior U.S. men's national team.[7]
United States
Varas was appointed head coach of the United States U-20 men's national team on November 5, 2021.[8] His appointment was seen as a strategic move by U.S. Soccer, given his proven track record in youth development. In 2022, Varas led the U-20 team to victory in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship, securing the team's third consecutive title in the competition.[9]
However, his success at the regional level did not fully translate to the global stage. In the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, the United States reached the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Uruguay.[10] Despite the early exit, Varas was praised for his ability to develop young talent and prepare them for higher levels of competition.
He was named interim head coach of the United States men's national team on September 1, 2024 amidst the program's search for a full-time replacement for Gregg Berhalter. Varas had scouted the USMNT's opponents during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[11] His record during his two-friendly stint was 0–1–1. His first match was a 2–1 loss at Children's Mercy Park on September 7 which was the second-ever defeat to Canada on home soil and the first since 1957.[12] The other was a 1–1 draw with New Zealand at TQL Stadium on September 10.[13]Mauricio Pochettino was announced as Varas' full-time successor just hours prior to the New Zealand contest.[14]
San Diego FC
On September 16, 2024, Varas was named the first-ever head coach of Major League Soccer's San Diego FC, which will begin play in 2025.[15]
