The City Lions have confirmed that Miguel Lopez Varela will join as a player-coach on an initial 1-year contract in March 2020 for competing in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL). Miguel Lopez Varela comes back to the City Lions after leaving the club in 2016 for playing stints in the professional divisions of Mexico, Costa Rica, and Belize.
During the last 4 years his most notable highlights were signing with Club Sporting Canamy in the Federacion Mexicana de Futbol Liga Premier in 2016. Then came back state side in 2017 to score multiple goals in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) with VSLT Football Club in Minnesota followed by rostering with Puerto Golfito FC’s championship team that was promoted to Liga de Ascenso in Costa Rica in 2018.
After that in 2019 Miguel had a great run in Cancun with Cracks del Futuro gaining more playing experience with first division teams like Atlante, Cafetaleros de Chiapas, Venados de Merida, as well as multiple Premier League of Belize clubs and national team.
Miguel brings a lot of experience to the table and has accepted taking on a leadership role with the club to help make a run into the UPSL play-offs and a national tournament appearance.
Not only have FC Minneapolis and Miguel committed to a partnership on the field but off the field as well. Miguel has introduced an initiative led by his own non-profit organization called Athletes Change The World (ACTW) to promote awareness for gun violence in the city. ACTW named the gun violence initiative Athletes Against Gun Violence to convoke the soccer community and all athletes in the state of Minnesota interested in joining the movement for gun violence prevention.
FC Minneapolis has incorporated this social issue initiative into their match day event of the June 13th UPSL home game against the Brooklyn Knights at Osseo Stadium. On that day there will be an ACTW convocation before the game for anyone interested in participating in the cause as well wanting to come share a meal with FC Minneapolis players while learning more about the gun violence initiative. There will be giveaways, and a free youth soccer camp provided for the community attending the game.
All participating fans are encouraged to come dressed in orange as a way of honoring the official colors for gun violence prevention awareness.
