Sources: Ex-U.S interim Varas to coach San Diego

MLS expansion side San Diego FC has finalized its deal to hire former U.S. men’s national team assistant coach Mikey Varas as its first manager, sources tell ESPN.

An announcement could come as soon as Monday.

Varas, 41, recently concluded a stint as the interim manager of the USMNT, going 0-1-1 during the most recent international window, which included a 2-1 defeat to Canada — the first loss to their northern neighbors in 67 years — and a 1-1 draw with New Zealand. Prior to that, he served on the staff of former USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter.

Varas gained attention after the Canada match when he made some pointed comments about the performance of the U.S. players in that game.

“The mentality is on the players,” Varas said. “Sorry, they know it. We speak the truth to each other. I love those guys. But they know that mentality to fight and to run and to sacrifice, I can’t do that for them. That’s on them.

“The trainings were intense. They were aggressive. But when the game comes, you gotta get going. And the players are the ones that bring that. Coaches can only get you so far from a mentality perspective.”

Mauricio Pochettino was confirmed as the new permanent head coach of the USMNT on Tuesday.

Varas’ most recent, full-time managerial stint was when he led the U.S. men’s U20 team from 2021 to 2023, with his side claiming the 2022 Concacaf Championship, a title that officially qualified the U.S. for the 2024 Olympic Games.

At the subsequent 2023 FIFA U20 World Cup, Varas led the U20s to the quarterfinal stage, where the team was defeated 2-0 by Uruguay. Varas was an assistant on the staff at FC Dallas from 2016 to 2019 under Luchi Gonzalez. Before that assignment, he worked in the academies of Dallas and the Sacramento Republic.

The hire means that San Diego FC has filled out the leadership positions on the technical side, with Tyler Heaps having been named sporting director and GM last month. The team will begin play in February 2025.