Former men’s soccer standout returns to FIU with Miami FC

Former FIU men’s soccer midfielder Roberto Alterio ’15 signed with Miami FC, a new pro soccer team playing its home games at FIU Stadium.

By Joel Delgado ’12 MS ’17 

On a warm Saturday morning last November, more than 200 soccer players – many from South Florida, but some traveling from as far as France – gathered at Barry University for an open tryout held by newly formed professional soccer team Miami FC.

They all shared the same dream of playing professional soccer and came to the tryout hoping to capture the attention of former A.C. Milan star Alessandro Nesta, now Miami FC’s head coach.

Amidst the throng of players chasing that dream was former FIU men’s soccer midfielder Roberto Alterio ’15.

After completing his collegiate career with the FIU men’s soccer team the previous fall and graduating from the university in May 2015 with a degree in sports management, he began looking for opportunities to continue his soccer career.

“After graduating, I was just training hard every day, by myself,” Alterio says. “I tried to stay fit and push myself every day as much as I could.”

He looked as far as Mexico and all across Europe, but the formation of Miami FC as one of the newest teams to join the North American Soccer League (NASL) opened a door much closer to home.

“Everything just seemed to work out perfectly,” Alterio says.

Alterio (center) impressed Miami FC Head Coach Alessandro Nesta during an open tryout in November 2015. Photo appears courtesy of Miami FC.

During the tryout, the 25-year-old Venezuelan midfielder’s relentless training and preparation paid off. As an attacking midfielder, Alterio’s speed and technical skill helped him stand out above the rest and he was one of 19 players from that open tryout chosen to take part in an invitational tryout two weeks later.

After training with the team for a couple months, the team made it official and signed Alterio Feb. 1.

“He was the best player we saw in the tryout, and I remember that he was our first choice to make it out of that group,” Nesta says. “I love players that work hard every day and have passion. He is that type of player.”

A month before the open tryouts, Miami FC announced that the team will play its home games at FIU Stadium in a deal that marked the return of professional soccer to the university. The team will play its inaugural home game April 9 at FIU against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, which will be a homecoming of sorts for Alterio.

Battling a hamstring injury that forced him to miss the first game of the season, Alterio is hoping to be ready and medically cleared for action against the Rowdies. If he is cleared to play, he hopes to make his debut for Miami FC at the university he called home.

“I went to school here. I played soccer here. I’ll have friends and family there, and I’m excited to get started and to play at FIU again,” Alterio said.

In college, Alterio arrived at FIU for his junior season in 2013 after transferring from the University of South Florida in search of a fresh start. The change in scenery served him well.

He immediately became a scoring threat for the Panthers under former head coach Kenny Arena and current coach Scott Calabrese in his senior season. In his two seasons at FIU, Alterio scored 10 goals and added four assists.

“He’s always been very meticulous with his preparation off the field and was carrying himself as a professional while he was at FIU,” Calabrese says of Alterio.

Calabrese believes he can follow the path of other notable men’s soccer alumni — such as D.C. United defender Bobby Boswell, former Jamaican national team member Tyrone Marshall and former New England Revolution midfielder Steve Ralston — and set an example for current and future Panthers.

“When you look at the history of FIU soccer, we have some incredibly successful and famous players who played here and went on to have great professional careers,” Calabrese says. “It’s important that FIU continues to give opportunities for players to develop so that they can reach their goals of playing professional soccer and becoming well-rounded human beings. Teams want players who are mature and can handle the pressures of being a pro player.”

In the same way FIU gave Alterio a chance to experience a fresh start in college, Miami FC is now providing the former Panthers’ midfielder an opportunity to continue playing the game that he has played since he was five years old. In many ways, soccer is much more than a game for Alterio.

“Soccer has given me everything. My education, my career… everything I have is because of soccer,” Alterio says. “You have to give your entire life to the game because that’s the only way to have success.”

FIU students can purchase tickets to Saturday’s Miami FC game vs. Tampa Bay for $10. For more information on Miami FC and to find out more about their home games at FIU Stadium, visit MiamiFC.com.