Former MNT Coach Dies

Alketas Panagoulias, a former U.S. men’s national team, Greece national team and three-time U.S. Open Cup-winning coach died on Monday, June 18, at his home in Virginia. He was 78 years old.

Panagoulias was the coach of the U.S. men’s national team from 1983-1985, which included leading the men’s Olympic team in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

Born in Greece, he led his homeland to two of the biggest moments in its national team’s history, guiding the Greeks to their first major tournament, the 1980 European championship; and their first World Cup, the 1994 tournament that was held in the United States.

Prior to that he was coach of the Greek American Atlas club team in New York, guiding the club to three consecutive U.S. Open Cup titles from 1967-1969. His coaching career also included a stop in the defunct NASL as head of the D.C.-based Team America in addition to a number of stops at clubs in Greece, including Olympiakos and Aris, for whom he played as a defender in the 1950s.

According to the Greek federation, Greece players will wear black armbands in Panagoulias’ honor during their Euro 2012 quarterfinal match against Germany.