Frank Klopas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Frank Klopas

Personal information
Full name	Fotios Klopas
Date of birth	(1966-09-01) 1 September 1966 (age 58)
Place of birth	Prosymna, Greece
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s)	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1983–1988	Chicago Sting (indoor)	140	(62)
1988–1993	AEK Athens	49	(6)
1994–1996	Apollon Athens	10	(0)
1996–1997	Kansas City Wizards	54	(7)
1998–1999	Chicago Fire	45	(6)
Total		298	(81)
International career
1987–1995	United States	39	(12)
Managerial career
2004–2006	Chicago Storm
2011–2013	Chicago Fire
2013–2015	Montreal Impact
2020–2023	Chicago Fire (assistant)
2023–2024	Chicago Fire
Medal record Representing  United States Third CONCACAF Gold Cup 1996 Men's Soccer
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Frank Klopas (born September 1, 1966) is a former American soccer player. He was a forward, which means he played at the front of the team to score goals. After he stopped playing, Frank worked as a commentator for the Chicago Fire. He also became a leader in the team's office and a head coach for both the Fire and the Montreal Impact.

Frank Klopas's Soccer Journey

Starting Out in Soccer

Frank Klopas was born in Prosymna, Greece. When he was eight years old, his family moved to the United States. They settled in Chicago. Frank became a U.S. citizen when he turned 18.

He played soccer at Mather High School in Chicago. In his final year, he helped his team win the Chicago Public League championship.

Playing Professionally

In 1983, right after high school, Frank joined the Chicago Sting team. This was part of the North American Soccer League. He played for the indoor Sting team in the MISL for four seasons. He was even named a second-team All Star in the 1986–1987 season.

In 1988, Frank moved to Greece and signed with AEK Athens. He played there for four seasons. During this time, his team won four championships, a Greek Super Cup, and a Greek League Cup. However, he had a serious knee injury in 1991. This injury kept him from playing for almost two years.

After the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Frank went back to Greece. He played for Apollon Athens for two seasons. In 1996, Major League Soccer (MLS) started in the U.S. Frank was assigned to the Kansas City Wizards. He played there for two years.

In 1998, he joined the Chicago Fire. He played for the Fire for two years before he retired. He helped the Fire win the MLS Cup in 1998. They also won the U.S. Open Cup that year, which is called "The Double". Frank scored 13 goals and made 16 assists in his four years in MLS. He scored both goals in the Fire's first game at Soldier Field on April 4, 1998. One of his most famous goals was a "Golden Goal" in overtime. This goal won the 1998 U.S. Open Cup Final for the Fire.

Frank Klopas retired from playing soccer after the 1999 season. In 2004, he was honored by the Chicago Fire. He was added to their "Ring of Fire" for his great contributions. In 2005, he was also inducted into the Illinois Soccer Hall of Fame.

Playing for His Country

Early International Games

Frank Klopas first played for the U.S. national team in 1987. This was during an Olympic Qualifying game against Canada. He also played for the U.S. team at the 1987 Pan American Games. He helped the team qualify for the 1988 Olympics. At the Olympics, he played in games against South Korea and the Soviet Union.

His first official senior team game was in May 1988 against Colombia. He scored his first two goals for the U.S. team in August 1988 against Jamaica. Even though he played in many qualifying games for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, he was not chosen for the final team that went to Italy.

The 1994 World Cup Journey

Between 1990 and 1993, Frank played only a few games for the national team due to injuries. In 1994, he worked hard to recover from his knee surgery. He wanted to be part of the U.S. team for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, which the U.S. was hosting.

Before the World Cup, Frank scored five goals in eight friendly games. He scored against teams like Iceland, Estonia, Armenia, and his home country, Greece. He also scored two goals in a friendly game against the German club Bayern Munich. He made it onto the U.S. World Cup roster.

Even with his recent goals, Frank did not start in the first two World Cup games. The U.S. team played well defensively. They advanced to the next round to play Brazil. The coach decided not to play Frank in the important game against Brazil. The U.S. lost 1–0 to Brazil, who later won the World Cup.

Despite not playing in the biggest games, Frank continued to score. He scored three more goals in 1994. He finished as the U.S. team's top goal scorer that year with eight goals in 15 games.

Final International Games

Frank's last games for the U.S. team were in 1995. He played in the 1995 Copa América tournament. He scored the first goal in a surprising 3–0 win over Argentina. This was one of the biggest upsets in U.S. Soccer history. He also scored the winning goal in a penalty shootout against Mexico in the quarterfinals. The U.S. team was knocked out by Brazil again in the semifinals.

Frank's final game for the U.S. was on October 8, 1995, against Saudi Arabia. From 1988 to 1995, Frank Klopas played 39 games for the U.S. national team and scored 12 goals. He is still one of the top goal scorers for the U.S. team.

Frank Klopas as a Coach

In 2000, the Chicago Fire hired Frank Klopas as a fitness trainer. He later became the head coach and general manager for the Chicago Storm indoor soccer team in 2004. He led them to the playoffs in their second season.

In 2008, he became the technical director for the Chicago Fire. In May 2011, he became the Fire's interim head coach. He got his first MLS win as a coach on June 12. The Fire almost made the playoffs that season under his coaching. He coached the Fire until the end of the 2013 season.

In December 2013, Frank became the head coach for the Montreal Impact. He led the Impact to the CONCACAF Champions League final in 2015. They narrowly lost to the Mexican team Club América. He left the Impact in August 2015.

After working as a commentator, Frank returned to the Chicago Fire as an assistant coach in January 2020. He was named interim head coach again on May 8, 2023. He stepped down at the end of the 2024 season.

Personal Life

Frank Klopas lives in Chicago with his wife, Sophia.

Awards and Achievements

As a Player

Chicago Sting

• NASL Championship: 1984

AEK Athens

• Alpha Ethniki (Greek League): 1988–89, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94
• Greek Super Cup: 1989
• Greek League Cup: 1990

Chicago Fire

• MLS Cup: 1998
• U.S. Open Cup: 1998

As a Coach

Montreal Impact

• Canadian Championship: 2014
• CONCACAF Champions League - Runners-up: 2014–15

See also

In Spanish: Frank Klopas para niños