DAVID ADEOLA
HEAD COACH
Adeola is a former Nigerian U17 National Team Player who also played for the Shakhtar Donetsk U21 team. He also spent some time with Greek giants Panathinaikos briefly for negotiation and he is expected to continue his work as Head Coach at FC Minneapolis until 2026.
His past professional experience in Europe coupled with his National Team Experience with Nigeria enabled him to transform FC Minneapolis into a football powerhouse in the UPSL, reaching Division Semis, and becoming the first team in the entire State of Minnesota to reach the US National Cup Regional Finals and the Champions of Regions Semis during the 2021 Summer season within the first three years he had been in charge of the club.
KEITH BLEYER
FIRST ASSISTANT COACH
Bleyer holds the highest certifications offered to coaches, including a US Soccer National A Coaching License (earned on three separate occasions) and United Soccer Coaches National Premier and Director of Coaching Diplomas.
He joined the Lion Kings after spending seven years in the Seattle area leading both college and club teams. Most recently, he was a head coach at Green River College. He also served as a director and head coach of top teams at three large Seattle area clubs: Valor Soccer, Pacific Northwest, and ISC Gunners.
VICTOR MACHADO
DIRECTOR OF TALENT ACQUISITION
Victor Andrews Batista Machado is a sports entrepreneur whose work has been focused on bringing student-athletes from mainly South America to the US and Canada since 2018.
Throughout his career, he has worked with more than 600 athletes of which 136 of those committed last year.
KPATCHA TOYYISON
SECOND ASSISTANT COACH
Before retiring from competitive soccer, Togolese Toyisson spent five seasons with the Lion Kings between 2019 and 2023, and he recently returned as the second assistant coach to give back to the game and the club.
He was part of the squad that reached the league division semis in 2021 and 2022, made it to the US National Cup finals and the Champions of Regions semis in 2021, and won the Minnesota Fall Cup in 2022.
DANIEL MENDOZA
FIRST DEVELOPMENT COACH
Mendoza, who also recently served as part of the coaching staff at Cooper High School, brings to the Nexts program 8 years of soccer coaching experience, as well as experience working as an assistant coach at Brooklyn Center High School.
