They say defense wins championships, but for Matt Poland, it was his crucial off-field offense that paid off. As FC Naples’ head coach, he’s building Naples’ first professional sports team from the ground up.
It all started with an impromptu conversation. “I just walked up to the CEO, Roberto Moreno, and introduced myself during an event,” he recalls. Matt, fresh off building the Chicago House A.C. club and leading them on a 15-match, unbeaten streak in 2023, was up against 300 contenders for the gig. His confident approach landed him the interview; his community-focused mindset and steadfast focus on creating a winning culture got him the gig. “It’s not just about the score but giving 100% focus—whether it’s an appearance at a hospital, while we’re training or during a match,” he says.
Matt is now responsible for steering FC Naples within the United Soccer League’s Level One division—the third tier of North American professional soccer—and establishing the team as a community cornerstone. Living in Marco Island between soccer seasons for the past 13 years, he’s witnessed Naples’ transformation into a market primed for its own pro team. Around town, adult and youth leagues pack local fields on weekends, while children’s programs continue expanding with the recent years’ influx of young families.
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Photography by Brian Tietz
matt polad fc naples coach
Drawing on 13 years of local experience on Marco Island, Matt leverages his deep community ties and global soccer expertise to guide FC Naples as the new team’s inaugural head coach.
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Photography by Brian Tietz
fc naples facility aerial view
The timing aligns with the growth of soccer in the U.S. and the excitement around the FIFA World Cup coming to the States in 2026. It also dovetails with Naples’ broader evolution from a snowbird destination to a dynamic, year-round community. Matt sees an opportunity to give the growing city something uniquely its own—a rallying point for permanent residents hungry for hometown pride. “When you drive around town, you see Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants signs and logos, but you don’t see a local team that unites us,” he says. “FC Naples can be that.”
The 33-year-old has been immersed in soccer since he first laced up cleats as a 3-year-old in Minnesota. In high school, his older brother gave up his senior-year spot in their soccer team’s final playoff game to make roster space for sophomore Matt. “It became a massive driving motivation for me,” he says, noting how his brother’s sacrifice propelled him to push on through moments of doubt and exhaustion. Now, with his brother as an Air Force pilot, Matt finds deep resonance in the pre-game singing of the national anthem, each note a reminder of the opportunities carved out by family. “I can’t afford to waste the gift that he gave me,” he reflects.
Matt went on to become the backbone of his teams as a central defender, leading his Indiana Taylor University team to its first national tournament appearance on the heels of a seven-game shutout streak. He later competed professionally in Finland and Sweden until an ACL injury in 2018 cut his playing career short and set him on a path toward coaching. “Soccer is a microcosm of life,” he says. “It’s about handling success, failure and relationships—things I learned firsthand as a player.”
Photography by Brian Tietz
matt polad fc naples coach
Matt leads the team in the USL League One, the third tier of professional soccer in the United States. “I feel an even deeper responsibility to give my utmost because this is my city,” he says.
Having successfully built Chicago’s team, Matt approaches FC Naples with hard-earned confidence. He knows how to navigate the intricate challenges of being the first—securing sponsorships, negotiating complex travel logistics, recruiting a roster that balances technical skills within the intangible alchemy of team chemistry. “Every time you go to a higher level, there’s less room for error,” he says.
Rather than commanding through volume, Matt focuses on personal development and building trust. The coach helps his players with dreams of grandeur drill into the granular details—nutrition, sleep, daily habits—that drive excellence. He challenges his guys to align their daily standards with aspirational goals and focus on continuous growth. “I tell the players every day, ‘Who we are today is not who we will be next week, is not who we will be six months from now,’” he adds, drawing inspiration from startup narratives like Apple’s garage beginnings.
Though victories matter, the Midwesterner, whose family ties in Collier County date to the 1960s, is most motivated by the responsibility of strengthening team and community bonds. “Especially in today’s world, and how divisive things can be, sports can help bring people together and find common ground,” he says.
Photography by Brian Tietz
matt polad fc naples in action
Matt previously coached the semi-pro Naples United FC team and helped develop youth skills at Marco Island Academy. “The game grows at a younger age,” he says. “Youth partners are massively important to the continued development of our club.”
After a long day spent juggling conversations with agents, acclimating new players to the area, onboarding staff and refining team strategies, Matt, a voracious reader, sneaks in a chapter or two from one of the three books he’s reading, including Quiet Leadership, about empathetic management. “If I don’t personally improve, grow and develop, then I can’t impact [my team],” he says.
While much of Matt’s time is dedicated to the behind-the-scenes work that sets the stage for FC Naples’ first season, he lives for the roughly two hours a day he spends on the pitch. In training, he often cites the Rudyard Kipling quote, “The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack,” underscoring his belief that individual brilliance and collective strength are intertwined. “I have a feeling the players are going to get tired of me saying this line,” Matt jokes.
The coach sees FC Naples as a catalyst for growing soccer in Southwest Florida, starting at the core—with kids. “The game grows at a younger age,” he says. Having a local pro team gives budding players local role models and a tangible path toward the majors. “That dream pushes them,” he says. “Maybe they don’t make it to professional soccer, but because they worked harder, they’re able to get a college scholarship. Or maybe, they are that hometown kid that started watching us at 12 years old, and now, six years down the road, they’re signing that contract.”
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Photography by Brian Tietz
fc naples field aerial view
“Soccer is a microcosm of life,” the coach says. “It’s about handling success, failure and relationships—things I learned firsthand as a player.”
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Photography by Brian Tietz
matt polad fc naples coach
For Matt, FC Naples is a unifier and badge of honor for a growing city. “It represents us as more than just a retirement or beach vacation place,” he says. “People that never lived here don’t know all the other amazing things that Naples has to offer.”
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Photography by Brian Tietz
fc naples locker room
When the squad opens its first match at the 3,500-seat Paradise Coast Sports Complex Stadium on March 8, Matt will see months of team-building come to life. He expects star players like attacking midfielder Jayden Onen, who went through the academy ranks with top-tier English soccer programs at Arsenal FC Academy and Crystal Palace F.C., and goalkeeper Edward “Lalo” Delgado, the two-time USL One’s leader in shutouts, to lift FC Naples’ standing in the league—and with local fans.
Last summer, FC Naples debuted its name, colors and logo to about 1,000 fans, braving a rainy day at the stadium. The crest, with details honoring Naples Pier’s boardwalk, shelling culture and the Gulf’s blue hue, is a unifying badge of pride for the city. “What an honor and privilege to start a new club here in Naples,” Matt says. “Now it’s time to compete and fight for wins.”