# Chris Antonopoulos (soccer)

Chris C. Antonopoulos (1968–2025) was an American soccer goalkeeper and coach. He played for Florida International University, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, and the U.S. Men's National Beach Soccer Team. He later coached Florida Beach Soccer FC, leading them to multiple national championships.

## Youth and collegiate career

Chris Antonopoulos was born in Alexandria, Louisiana and raised in Miami, Florida.
He attended Miami Curley High School, where he was the goalkeeper. In 1986, his senior year, he recorded 14 shutouts in 19 games, was named the Miami News High School Player of the Year, led Curley to the Florida Class 3A semi-finals in the playoffs, and played in the Dade-Broward All-Star Game.
Chris Antonopoulos continued at Florida International University (FIU) as the goalkeeper from 1987 to 1990, appearing in 44 matches with 36 starts in goal. He recorded 134 career saves, ranking 5th on FIU's all-time career saves leaderboard. His season-high of 79 saves came in 1990. Antonopoulos' career total remains among the top 10 in program history. He received a B.A. in Hospitality Management in 1990.

## Club career

After college, Antonopoulos played soccer with the Hollywood Kickers in the Gold Coast Soccer League during the early 1990s. In 1992, he served as goalkeeper for the Kickers during their playoff run, reaching the semifinals before losing 3-1 to a Miami-based team.

## Professional soccer career

In 1993, he turned professional with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the American Professional Soccer League (APSL), signing as a backup goalkeeper to starter Jorge Valenzuela. Antonopoulos made his professional debut on June 5, 1993, against the Colorado Foxes at Lockhart Stadium, playing 51 minutes in relief and conceding one goal in a 2-1 loss. He earned his only start on August 29, 1993, against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, allowing six goals in a 6-2 defeat. Across these two appearances, he played a total of 141 minutes and conceded seven goals.

## International soccer career

From 2002 to 2006, Antonopoulos represented the United States Men's National Beach Soccer Team as the backup goalkeeper and later an assistant coach. In 2006, Antonopoulos was part of the U.S. team that won the inaugural CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship, earning their first title and qualification for the 2006 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.

## Coaching career

Antonopoulos was the founder, general manager, and head coach of Florida Beach Soccer FC, a professional beach soccer team established in 2009. The team featured U.S. Beach Soccer National Team players, including Benyam Astorga, Oscar Gil, and Francis Farberoff. Antonopoulos initially served as the team’s goalkeeper in its first year before shifting primarily to coaching after a knee and shoulder injury.
Under Antonopoulos’ leadership, Florida Beach Soccer FC competed in national and international tournaments. The team placed third at the 2010 U.S. Open Beach Soccer Championship at the North American Sand Soccer Championship (NASSC) before winning national championships in 2011 and 2012, and finishing as runners-up in 2013. In 2011, the team also won the BagoSports Beach Football Invitational in Trinidad and Tobago, securing the Caribbean Championship with an undefeated record.
IIn 2010, he played in the Clearwater Beach Soccer Tournament, where the team won the championship as part of the Major Beach Soccer National Championship Series sponsored by the United Soccer League. In 2011, he coached the team to another championship victory in the same tournament. In 2013, he coached the team at the Beach Soccer Championships in Oceanside, California, where they competed against the U.S. National team. That same year, Antonopoulos played one period as a guest goalkeeper for a U.S. alumni team in a pro-am exhibition match against the Brazilian Legends at the NASSC in Virginia Beach, which ended in a 4-4 tie.

## Personal life and legacy

After retiring from professional beach soccer, Antonopoulos returned to his passion for the sport by coaching youth soccer through various organizations.
The NASSC referred to him as one of beach soccer's “OGs,” acknowledging his early contributions to its growth in the United States.
Chris Antonopoulos was married to Michele Antonopoulos in November 1998 and together they had four children. Brandon, Jacob, Ryan, and Tiffany. He passed away in Miami in January 2025.