John Limniatis
A versatile midfielder turned coach who became a foundational figure for professional soccer in Montreal, bridging Canadian and Greek sporting cultures.
Born 1967 (age 59)·Former soccer player·Birthday: June 24·Generation X
Biography
John Limniatis carved out a career defined by adaptability and leadership on both sides of the border. Born in Greece, his family moved to Montreal when he was a child, and he developed his game in the Canadian system. His professional journey took him from the Canadian Soccer League to the American Professional Soccer League, where his intelligence and work rate in midfield made him a consistent presence. His deepest impact came with the Montreal Impact, where he served as team captain, embodying the club's identity in its early professional years. After hanging up his boots, he seamlessly transitioned to the sidelines, taking the helm as head coach of the Impact and guiding the team through several seasons. His international career was spent representing Canada, earning caps and contributing to the national team's efforts throughout the 1990s.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
John was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When John Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
John's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Captained the Montreal Impact during his playing career and later served as the club's head coach.
- Earned 44 caps for the Canada men's national soccer team, scoring one international goal.
- Played professionally in both the Canadian Soccer League and the American Professional Soccer League.
Did You Know?
He was born in the village of Kato Tithorea in Greece.
He scored his only goal for Canada in a 1993 World Cup qualifier against Australia.
After his coaching stint with the Impact, he worked as a technical director for soccer academies in Quebec.
“I played wherever the team needed me, defense or midfield.”
