# Ben Astorga > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ben_Astorga > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ben_Astorga.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Astorga > Source revision: 1354747788 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American former beach soccer player and coach}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Ben Astorga | full_name = Benyam Astorga | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|5|14}} | birth_place = United States {{where|date=May 2025}} | position = Defender, Attacker | years1 = 1998 | clubs1 = [Miami Breakers](/source/Miami_Breakers) | nationalyears1 = 2001–2008; 2012 | nationalteam1 = [United States (Beach)](/source/United_States_men's_national_beach_soccer_team) | nationalcaps1 = 27 | nationalgoals1 = 11 | manageryears1 = 2013–2015 | managerclubs1 = [Trinidad and Tobago (Beach)](/source/Trinidad_and_Tobago_national_beach_soccer_team) (AC) | manageryears2 = 2016 | managerclubs2 = [United States (Footvolley)](/source/USA_Footvolley) (HC) | manageryears3 = 2015–2017 | managerclubs3 = [Trinidad and Tobago (Beach)](/source/Trinidad_and_Tobago_national_beach_soccer_team) (HC) | clubs2 = [Florida Beach Soccer FC](/source/Florida_Beach_Soccer_FC) | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 4 | years2 = 2010–2013 | manageryears4 = 2020–2024 | managerclubs4 = [Gulliver Prep](/source/Gulliver_Preparatory_School) (AC) | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's [Beach Soccer](/source/Beach_Soccer)}} {{MedalCountry | {{USA}}}} {{MedalCompetition | [CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship](/source/CONCACAF_Beach_Soccer_Championship)}} {{MedalBronze | [2005](/source/2005_CONCACAF_and_CONMEBOL_Beach_Soccer_Championship) | 3rd}} {{MedalGold | [2006](/source/2006_CONCACAF_Beach_Soccer_Championship) | 1st}} {{MedalGold | [2007](/source/2007_CONCACAF_and_CONMEBOL_Beach_Soccer_Championship) | 1st}} {{MedalBronze | [2008](/source/2008_CONCACAF_Beach_Soccer_Championship) | 3rd}} | managerclubs5 = [United States (Beach)](/source/United_States_men's_national_beach_soccer_team) (AC) | manageryears5 = 2021–2024 | caps2 = 34 }} '''Benyam "Ben" Astorga (born May 14, 1972)''' is an American former beach soccer player and former assistant coach for the [U.S. Men's National Beach Soccer Team](/source/United_States_men's_national_beach_soccer_team). He played in three [FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups](/source/FIFA_Beach_Soccer_World_Cup) and was named to the 2025 [National Soccer Hall of Fame](/source/National_Soccer_Hall_of_Fame) Veteran Eligibility List. == Early life == Benyam Astorga was born on May 14, 1972, in the [United States](/source/United_States).{{where|date=May 2025}} == Playing career == === Professional === In the 1998 season, Astorga played for the [Miami Breakers](/source/Miami_Breakers) in the [USL D-3 Pro League](/source/USL_D-3_Pro_League). On July 19, he scored a goal in a victory against Orlando.{{Cite web |date=July 19, 1998 |title=Scoreboard (Local Roundup): Miami tops Orlando |url=https://miamiherald.newspapers.com/image/642239725/ |url-access=subscription |website=The Miami Herald}}{{Cite web |title=Benyam Astorga {{!}} SoccerStats.us |url=http://soccerstats.us/bios/benyam-astorga/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=soccerstats.us}} === International === Ben Astorga represented the [United States Men’s National Beach Soccer Team](/source/United_States_men's_national_beach_soccer_team) across a decade, earning 27 caps and scoring 11 goals during the modern era (2005–present).{{Cite web |date=August 5, 2024 |title=National Soccer Hall of Fame - 2025 Veteran Eligibility List |url=https://soccerhof.imgix.net/hall-of-fame/2025/EligibleVeteranList_2025a.pdf}} He was one of three players to appear in the first three [FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups](/source/FIFA_Beach_Soccer_World_Cup) ([2005](/source/2005_FIFA_Beach_Soccer_World_Cup), [2006](/source/2006_FIFA_Beach_Soccer_World_Cup), [2007](/source/2007_FIFA_Beach_Soccer_World_Cup)), scoring seven goals in eight World Cup matches.{{Cite web |last=Hill |first=Michael |date=May 10, 2005 |title=Kicking up a Sandstorm |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/248957556/ |url-access=subscription |website=The Baltimore Sun}} His goals include the match-winner in the United States’ first-ever World Cup victory against [Poland](/source/Poland_national_beach_soccer_team) in 2006 and another in the team's second World Cup win against [Iran](/source/Iran_national_beach_soccer_team) in 2007.{{Cite web |date=2013-12-18 |title=CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship 2006 |url=https://issuu.com/concacaf2013/docs/concacaf-beach-soccer-tournament-20 |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Issuu |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2013-12-18 |title=CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship 2007 |url=https://issuu.com/concacaf2013/docs/concacaf_beach_soccer_tournament_20/13 |access-date=2025-05-30 |website=Issuu |language=en}} During the 2006 World Cup, he scored twice in a 10–6 group stage loss to host nation [Brazil](/source/Brazil_national_beach_soccer_team), a match in which the U.S. recorded its highest-ever goal total against Brazil in official competition.{{Cite web |date=January 1, 2025 |title=Highest-scoring games in FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup history |url=https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/beachsoccerworldcup/seychelles-2025/articles/highest-scoring-games-matches-history-all-time}}{{Cite web |last=FIFA.com |title=FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Rio de Janeiro 2006 - Statistics - Players - Top goals - FIFA.com |url=https://www.fifa.com/beachsoccerworldcup/archive/riodejaneiro2006/statistics/players/goal-scored.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109024822/https://www.fifa.com/beachsoccerworldcup/archive/riodejaneiro2006/statistics/players/goal-scored.html |archive-date=2018-11-09 |access-date=2025-05-30 |website=FIFA.com |language=en-GB}} His seven World Cup goals tie him with [Anthony Chimienti](/source/Anthony_Chimienti) for second-most among U.S. players, behind [Nick Perera](/source/Nick_Perera) and [Alessandro Canale](/source/Alessandro_Canale_(soccer)) (nine each). [[File:Beach Soccer National Team Chris C Antonopoulos.jpg|thumb|[United States men's national beach soccer team](/source/United_States_men's_national_beach_soccer_team), [Figueira da Foz](/source/Figueira_da_Foz), [Portugal](/source/Portugal), 2002. (top row, second to right)]] Ben Astorga also competed in four [CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championships](/source/CONCACAF_Beach_Soccer_Championship) (2005–2008), recording 16 caps and three goals. He helped the United States win its first regional title in [2006](/source/2006_CONCACAF_Beach_Soccer_Championship).{{Cite web |date=2013-12-18 |title=CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship 2008 |url=https://issuu.com/concacaf2013/docs/concacaf-beach-soccer-tournament-20_9280026f55e127 |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Issuu |language=en}} At the same tournament, he scored four seconds into a match against [Canada](/source/Canada_national_beach_soccer_team), setting a record for the fastest goal in CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship history. After a four-year hiatus, he returned to the national team for the 2012 Copa América in [Brazil](/source/Brazil), where he scored his final international goal against the host nation. ==== FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup performances ==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" !Year{{Cite web |title=U.S. Men's Beach Soccer National Team Head Coach Francis Farberoff Names Final 12-Player Roster for 2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in United Arab Emirates |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2024/01/us-mens-beach-national-team-coach-francis-farberoff-names-roster-2024-fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=U.S. Soccer |language=en}} !Venue !Games !Goals |- |[2005](/source/2005_FIFA_Beach_Soccer_World_Cup) |Brazil |3 |2 |- |[2006](/source/2006_FIFA_Beach_Soccer_World_Cup) |Brazil |3 |3 |- |[2007](/source/2007_FIFA_Beach_Soccer_World_Cup) |Brazil |2 |2 |- !Total ! !8 !7 |} === Club === Ben Astorga played for [Florida Beach Soccer FC](/source/Florida_Beach_Soccer_FC) from 2010 to 2013, co-founding the team with teammates [Francis Farberoff](/source/Francis_Farberoff) and [Chris Antonopoulos](/source/Chris_Antonopoulos_(soccer)). The team won the U.S. Open Beach Soccer Championship at the [North American Sand Soccer Championships](/source/North_American_Sand_Soccer_Championships) in 2011 and 2012, runners-up in 2013, and placed third in 2010.{{Cite news |title=US Open at NASSC: Celebrating 20 Years of Beach Soccer |url=https://www.sandsoccer.com/us-open-history/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114182217/https://www.sandsoccer.com/us-open-history/ |archive-date=2025-01-14 |access-date=2025-05-17 |work=North American Sand Soccer Championships |language=en-US |url-status=live }} They also won the BagoSports Beach Football Invitational in 2011 with an undefeated record and the Clearwater Beach Tournament, part of the Major Beach Soccer National Championship Series.{{Cite web |date=2011-11-06 |title=Getting their kicks in the sand |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2011/11/06/getting-their-kicks-in-the-sand/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Sun Sentinel |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2011-11-23 |title=Beach football team places third in T/dad Invitational tourney |url=https://www.stabroeknews.com/2011/11/23/sports/beach-football-team-places-third-in-tdad-invitational-tourney/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Stabroek News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2011-07-19 |title=Soccer Invades Clearwater Beach |url=https://patch.com/florida/clearwater/soccer-invades-clearwater-beach |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Clearwater, FL Patch |language=en}} == Coaching career == ===Trinidad and Tobago=== Ben Astorga began coaching as an assistant for the [Trinidad and Tobago national beach soccer team](/source/Trinidad_and_Tobago_national_beach_soccer_team) at the [2013 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship](/source/2013_CONCACAF_Beach_Soccer_Championship) in Nassau, Bahamas, where the team finished seventh.{{Cite web |title=Men's Beach Soccer |url=https://thettfa.com/national-teams/beach-soccer/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=TTFA |language=en-US}} Appointed head coach in March 2015, succeeding [Alexandre Soares](/source/Alessandro_Soares), he led the team to fifth place at the [2015 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship](/source/2015_CONCACAF_Beach_Soccer_Championship) in El Salvador and won the 2015 Lucayan Cup, defeating the [Bahamas](/source/Bahamas_national_beach_soccer_team) (5–3) and [Mexico](/source/Mexico_national_beach_soccer_team) (5–4).{{Cite web |last=Newsday |first=Jonathan Ramnanansingh |date=2025-02-20 |title=Beach Soccer Warriors capture Lucayan Cup |url=https://www.socawarriors.net/120-news/beach-soccer/16076-beach-soccer-warriors-capture-lucayan-cup.html |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Soca Warriors Online - Trinidad and Tobago Football |language=en-gb}} Under his tenure, Trinidad and Tobago placed seventh at the [2017 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship](/source/2017_CONCACAF_Beach_Soccer_Championship).{{Cite web |date=March 7, 2015 |title=Ex-US player to coach TT beach soccer |url=https://www.socawarriors.net/mens-senior-team/120-news/beach-soccer/15146-ex-us-player-to-coach-tt-beach-soccer.html |website=Socawarriors.net}} === United States (Footvolley) === Ben Astorga served as the head coach of the [USA national footvolley team](/source/USA_Footvolley) during the 2016 Olympic demonstration event in [Rio de Janeiro, Brazil](/source/Rio_de_Janeiro%2C_Brazil).{{Cite web |date=2016-07-30 |title=Volleyball Plus Soccer Makes Footvolley |url=https://www.kcur.org/2016-07-30/volleyball-plus-soccer-makes-footvolley |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=KCUR - Kansas City news and NPR |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-02-19 |title=FROM BOBCAT TO OLYMPIAN: MELONY POVIONES TO COMPETE IN RIO |url=https://stubobcats.com/news/2016/8/22/womens-soccer-from-bobcat-to-olympian-melony-poviones-to-compete-in-rio.aspx?path=wvball |access-date=2025-05-29 |website=St. Thomas University Athletics |language=en}} ===United States (Beach)=== Ben Astorga joined the [U.S. Beach Soccer National Team](/source/United_States_men's_national_beach_soccer_team) as assistant coach in 2021 under [Francis Farberoff](/source/Francis_Farberoff), contributing to qualifications for the [2019 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup](/source/2019_FIFA_Beach_Soccer_World_Cup) in [Paraguay](/source/Paraguay) and the [2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup](/source/2021_FIFA_Beach_Soccer_World_Cup) in [Russia](/source/Russia).{{Cite web |title=U.S. Beach Soccer MNT Head Coach Francis Farberoff Names Roster for 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2021/08/us-beach-soccer-mnt-head-coach-francis-farberoff--names-roster-for-2021-fifa-beach-soccer-world-cup |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=U.S. Soccer |language=en}} He coached at the [2024 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup](/source/2024_FIFA_Beach_Soccer_World_Cup) in [Dubai](/source/Dubai), where the U.S. lost 3–2 in extra time to the UAE. He remains assistant coach as of 2025. == Other == * In August 2024, Astorga was included on the Veteran Eligibility List for the [National Soccer Hall of Fame](/source/National_Soccer_Hall_of_Fame)’s 2025 election cycle.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-07 |title=National Soccer Hall of Fame Announces All Eligible Candidates for 2025 Election |url=https://www.nationalsoccerhof.com/news/2024/8/2025-soccer-hof-eligibility.html |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=National Soccer Hall of Fame |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Five new members inducted into National Soccer Hall of Fame |url=https://www.soccerwire.com/news/five-new-members-inducted-into-national-soccer-hall-of-fame/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=SoccerWire |language=en}} * Astorga served as a [CONCACAF](/source/CONCACAF) Beach Soccer Instructor.{{Cite web |last=Newsday |first=Jonathan Ramnanansingh |date=2025-02-20 |title=Ex-US player to coach TT beach soccer |url=https://www.socawarriors.net/mens-senior-team/120-news/beach-soccer/15146-ex-us-player-to-coach-tt-beach-soccer.html |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Soca Warriors Online - Trinidad and Tobago Football |language=en-gb}} == Honors == === Player === '''United States''' * [CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship](/source/CONCACAF_Beach_Soccer_Championship) ** '''Gold Medal''': 2006, 2007 ** '''Bronze Medal''': 2005, 2008 === Florida Beach Soccer FC === * '''[North American Sand Soccer Championships](/source/North_American_Sand_Soccer_Championships) US Open''': 2011, 2012, * '''North American Sand Soccer Championships US Open''': 2010 (3rd) * '''North American Sand Soccer Championships US Open''': 2013 (2nd) * '''BagoSports Beach Football Invitational Champion''': 2011 * '''Clearwater Beach Tournament/Major Beach Soccer National Championship''': 2010, 2011 * '''[Beach Soccer Championship (Oceanside)](/source/Beach_Soccer_Championships_(Oceanside)) USA Pro Cup''': 2011 === Coach === '''Trinidad and Tobago''' * '''Lucayan Cup''': 2015 == References == {{Reflist}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Astorga, Benyam}} Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:United States men's international soccer players Category:United States men's national soccer team non-playing staff Category:American beach soccer players Category:Men's association football players not categorized by position --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ben Astorga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Astorga) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Astorga?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.