Ep. 143: From Pitch to Front Office: Manny Lagos from the Minnesota United FC

About this episode

Manny Lagos discusses his journey in soccer and the growth of Minnesota United FC.

Soccer is more than a game…it’s leadership, culture, and business. In this episode, we’re joined by Manny Lagos, a Minnesota soccer legend whose career has taken him from professional player to head coach of Minnesota United FC and now to Chief Development Officer for the club. Manny shares insights from his journey through the sport and what it takes to lead both on the field and inside a professional sports organization. We talk about the current Minnesota United season, how teams manage pressure and setbacks, and the growing impact of global stars like James Rodríguez on the modern game. We also explore the rapid rise of soccer fandom in the U.S., the role of social media in building a global fan base, and how the 2026 FIFA World Cup could accelerate the sport’s growth even further. 1:07 Manny dives in with childhood memories of soccer games with the former Minnesota Kicks 5:40 Manny was a fan of international soccer stars, to Olympian to professional soccer player, to coaching to club executive 7:45 Talking The Loons fan base – they are dedicated and full of passion for the team and game 8:45 The history of Minnesota United FC, celebrating 10 years and 50 years of…

People in this episode

Guest: Manny Lagos

Topics covered

• soccer
• leadership
• sports culture
• Minnesota United FC
• soccer fandom
• social media
• FIFA World Cup

Keywords

• soccer
• leadership
• Minnesota United FC
• James Rodríguez
• 2026 FIFA World Cup
• fan base
• social media
• sports organization

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Minnesota United FC, Minnesota Kicks

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