The Survivor

Soccer Digest, Feb, 2001 by Everett J. Merrill

With the theater, the gridiron, and (hopefully) injuries in the past, Tony Meola once again has a bright future

AFTER STARTING IN THE 1990 and 1994 World Cups, Tony Meola was the premier American goal-keeper. His 93 international appearances are a record for a U.S. keeper and he received lots of the credit for putting his country on the international soccer map.

However, after the United States hosted the 1994 World Cup, Meola dropped off the soccer landscape. He tried acting, eventually landing a role in the off-Broadway production of "Tony 'n Tina's Wedding". The New Jersey native also gave football a try; albeit unsuccessfully, as a placekicker for the New York Jets. By the time Meola returned to soccer full time in 1996 with the MetroStars, a short free kick from his home in Kearny, N.J., he had lost his job on the national team to Kasey Keller.

It wasn't until 1998 that Meola was invited back to train with the U.S. squad, and he didn't get into a game until January 1999. Later that month he was dealt to the Kansas City Wizards as part of a MetroStars' salary dump. After the trade, Meola's career took another slide. He suffered a torn cruciate ligament during preseason, forcing him to miss all but nine games of that season.

"It was a helpless feeling," says Meola. "I couldn't do anything. I'm the kind of guy that if the ship stays up, I want to be there, and if it sinks, I want to be there, too."

Today, the 31-year-old Meola is again king of the American soccer world. He is challenging for a spot on the U.S. team after garnering every major award MLS had to offer for the 2000 season. Meola became the first goalkeeper to win the MVP award, received the inaugural Comeback Player of the Year award, and was voted the MVP of the MLS Cup. He is also a finalist, along with Claudio Reyna and Joe-Max Moore, for the Honda U.S. Player of the Year and will, along with Tab Ramos and Eric Wynalda be considered a favorite for the Honda Player of the Decade.

"I think I am playing better than ever, I feel better than ever," says Meola. "I never thought the knee injury would be the inspiration to improve my play, but it has been. Things happen for a reason."

Meola, the all-time MLS shutout and saves leader, was at full strength in 2000 and displayed stellar form with 16 shutouts. He also set a record with a stretch of 681 consecutive scoreless minutes during a span of eight games. With the assistance of a solid core of defenders, Meola led the Wizards to the best defensive performance over the course of a season (29 goals allowed). His 0.92 goals-against average was the second-lowest in MLS history.

"This was a fun season with the Wizards, our quality of play was much better than last year because of our willingness to sacrifice anything for the team," says Meola. "When I tell my children and grandchildren about my favorite teams, this group will be the first that I mention."

Meola's superior play was not lost on his teammates--or his coach. "He's the only keeper in the league who can win five to 10 games a season by himself," notes the Wizards Peter Vermes, the MLS Defender of the Year. "Tony can make saves that other guys can't, and he's so good at distribution that he puts us on the counterattack, whereas other goalkeepers look for the safe pass to the back."

"Tony is so smooth with angles," says Wizards coach Bob Gansler, who coached Meola with the 1990 U.S. World Cup team. "He has great communication with the players around him. That's critical for a keeper.

"I remember it used to be that if someone would make a mistake, Tony would tear into them. Now he's the one to put his arm around their shoulders."

The knee injury forced him to rededicate his passion to the game and helped him in the maturation process. "I'm almost the goalkeeper I never wanted to be," Meola admits. "I grew up in the day when a goalkeeper screamed and yelled, and that still works with some people. I guess it's just me doing a better job of recognizing the personnel that we have. They have enough to deal with, without having somebody on their own team yelling at them."

Meola saved his best performance on the 2000 comeback tour in the United States' 4-0 victory over Barbados in a critical World Cup do-or-die qualifying match in November. The win guaranteed the Americans a trip to the final round of The Football Confederation 2002 World Cup qualifying.

The setting was eerily familiar for Meola. In 1989, Meola and his teammates traveled to a Caribbean nation, needing a win to avoid elimination from World Cup qualifying.

"It's been 11 years since I played a World Cup qualifier," Meola notes. "Things have certainly come full circle."

Bruce Arena, the U.S. national team coach, could have easily picked Keller or Brad Friedel, who are both playing in Europe, to start the Barbados match. Instead, he selected Meola, his keeper from their time together at the University of Virginia. The Cavaliers shared the 1989 NCAA title. When Arena was appointed national team coach in 1999, he called Meola back onto the squad. The knee injury robbed him of any chance of international play.