When most people hear of the Florida Soccer Soldiers, nothing really comes to mind. This might change for the young team following a series of impressive wins in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
The semi-pro club was founded just last year in 2018 outside of Miami Beach, Florida, making the Soccer Soldiers one of the newest organizations in the Southeast Conference of the United Premier Soccer League. During their inaugural season, the team moved their way up to the top of their division quite quickly. They made it into the playoffs, defeating the Miami Sun 2-1 and Inocentes FC 2-0 before losing to the eventual champions, the Milwaukee Bavarians, 2-0 in the finals.
A lot of the Soccer Soldiers’ success can be attributed to the experience and knowledge of head coach, Daniel Godoy. Godoy, a native of Venezuela, played with Caracas FC for the bulk of his professional career from 2001-2007. During this time, he was able to help the team win four out of their 11 Primera División Venezolana titles. Godoy also made two international appearances with the Venezuelan National Team in the 2005-2006 season. Before joining the Soccer Soldiers as Head Coach, he was able to win two NPSL titles with Miami Dade FC in 2016 and with Miami United FC in 2017.
In addition to strong leadership within the club, the mixture of ex-professionals and younger up-and-coming players on the roster has provided the team with a solid foundation for victory. Some of the team’s ex-pros have had opportunities to compete for titles such as this one, but some of the younger players have yet to have a crack at something like the Open Cup, making it an exciting time for the young organization.
Following the team’s impressive 2018 season, they made it through the qualifiers for the 2019 Open Cup, becoming the only team from the South Florida region to do so. The team played Miami FC during the tournament’s first round and won 2-1, slating them to play against Charlotte Independence. The Soccer Soldiers pulled off a shocking victory against the Charlotte Independence that finished with a shootout (5-4) between the two teams. The Soccer Soldiers advanced are one of two amateur/semi-pro team to advance into the third round and they will face the North Carolina FC on Wednesday May 29 at 7:00 p.m. on Field 2 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.
The combination of the notable 2018 season and the seemingly impossible run in the 2019 Open Cup have put the Florida Soccer Soldiers on the map as a team with a unique dynamic and a certain depth to their roster. Under the leadership of Daniel Godoy, the young organization is likely to only continue to grow in their success during the next few years.
When most people hear of the Florida Soccer Soldiers, nothing really comes to mind. This might change for the young team following a series of impressive wins in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
The semi-pro club was founded just last year in 2018 outside of Miami Beach, Florida, making the Soccer Soldiers one of the newest organizations in the Southeast Conference of the United Premier Soccer League. During their inaugural season, the team moved their way up to the top of their division quite quickly. They made it into the playoffs, defeating the Miami Sun 2-1 and Inocentes FC 2-0 before losing to the eventual champions, the Milwaukee Bavarians, 2-0 in the finals.
A lot of the Soccer Soldiers’ success can be attributed to the experience and knowledge of head coach, Daniel Godoy. Godoy, a native of Venezuela, played with Caracas FC for the bulk of his professional career from 2001-2007. During this time, he was able to help the team win four out of their 11 Primera División Venezolana titles. Godoy also made two international appearances with the Venezuelan National Team in the 2005-2006 season. Before joining the Soccer Soldiers as Head Coach, he was able to win two NPSL titles with Miami Dade FC in 2016 and with Miami United FC in 2017.
In addition to strong leadership within the club, the mixture of ex-professionals and younger up-and-coming players on the roster has provided the team with a solid foundation for victory. Some of the team’s ex-pros have had opportunities to compete for titles such as this one, but some of the younger players have yet to have a crack at something like the Open Cup, making it an exciting time for the young organization.
Following the team’s impressive 2018 season, they made it through the qualifiers for the 2019 Open Cup, becoming the only team from the South Florida region to do so. The team played Miami FC during the tournament’s first round and won 2-1, slating them to play against Charlotte Independence. The Soccer Soldiers pulled off a shocking victory against the Charlotte Independence that finished with a shootout (5-4) between the two teams. The Soccer Soldiers advanced are one of two amateur/semi-pro team to advance into the third round and they will face the North Carolina FC on Wednesday May 29 at 7:00 p.m. on Field 2 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.
The combination of the notable 2018 season and the seemingly impossible run in the 2019 Open Cup have put the Florida Soccer Soldiers on the map as a team with a unique dynamic and a certain depth to their roster. Under the leadership of Daniel Godoy, the young organization is likely to only continue to grow in their success during the next few years.
