Fotopoulos has long been considered one of the sport’s true legends and the ultimate winner at all levels of soccer, whether as a player or a coach. 

Her latest accomplishment? She became head coach at Sunlake High School, a successful program in Pasco County. A female coaching high-school boys? Not an issue. In 2026, the Seahawks (18-3-3) won the program’s first state title and Fotopoulos was named the state’s Class 6A Coach of the Year by the Florida Dairy Farmers. 

It was the latest chapter in a lifelong success story. 

Fotopoulos was a 1996 Olympic gold medalist and a member of the 1999 United States team that captured the FIFA Women’s World Cup (in a shootout against China) before a sellout crowd of 90,000 at the Rose Bowl, a watershed moment for the sport. 

“I still get chills thinking about it,’’ Fotopoulos said. “What I loved is when I would meet a soldier and sometimes they knew a little bit about me and they would thank me for what we did. I thanked them for serving us. That makes me real emotional and really proud to be part of the United States of America.’’ 

A three-time All-American and the 1998 National Player of the Year, Fotopoulos was a catalyst behind the University of Florida’s 1998 NCAA championship team in women’s soccer. 

Nearly three decades later, she still holds NCAA Division I records for career goals (118) and points (284). 

Fotopoulos was co-coach of the LSU women’s program with her husband, George, from 2000-04. She also served as head coach with the Eckerd College women’s program from 2010-22.