Tony Meola

Antonio Michael " Tony" Meola ( born February 21, 1969 in Belleville, New Jersey ) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper.

Meola was in the squad of the USA at the FIFA World Cups in 1990 and 1994 and from 1996 to 2006 in the Major League Soccer active. During this time he received several awards.

He not only played football but was successful as a baseball and basketball player in his youth.

Career as a football player

Youth and College

Meola grew up in Kearny, New Jersey. There he attended Kearny High School and played for the football team at school. His father, Vincent Meola, was active as a footballer in Italy before emigrating to the United States. He played for the then second division club AS Avellino 1912. Tony was appointed to the 1985 and 1986 All-State team selection in 1986, however, as a striker. In total, he completed 41 games without conceding a goal as goalkeeper and scored 42 goals as a striker during his high school years.

Meola received an athletic scholarship for baseball and football at the University of Virginia. During his time at college he was, inter alia, coached by Bruce Arena. In October 1987, he was in the squad of the United States at the Junior World Cup 1987 in Chile. At that time he was considered one of the best goalkeepers in the country. He was repeatedly appointed to the Selection Division I First - Team All-American NCAA. In 1988, he won the Hermann Trophy and was awarded the Missouri Athletic Club Award 1989. Both are high awards in the U.S. college football. On December 15, 1989, he left college to play with the U.S. national team.

In addition to football, he was also active in the baseball team from the University of Virginia.

England

Before the Football World Cup 1990, he signed with the United States Soccer Federation, the Football Association of the USA, a contract. After the World Cup he was loaned to English club Brighton & Hove Albion. There he was eleven times on the court, which twice in a league game. In his first game, he replaced the injured goalkeeper Perry Digweed, he was named player of the game. On September 14, 1990, he was loaned to Watford FC. Then he returned to the United States.

Back in the USA

In 1991, he played for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Professional Soccer League. There he shared the goal with Arnie Mausser. After one season, he returned to the national team to prepare this on the Football World Cup 1994.

After the World Cup Meola signed on 14 December 1994 at the Buffalo Blizzard, which played in the National Professional Soccer League, an indoor soccer league. He was main goalkeeper of the team, but this had to end because of a commitment on Broadway. He played the lead role in the play Tony n ' Tina's Wedding.

He then moved in February 1995 on Long Iceland Roughriders for the USISL season 1995. With the Rough Riders, he could win the championship this season.

Major League Soccer

In the course of the formation of Major League Soccer, he was taken by the MetroStars under contract. There was from 1996 to 1998 in almost every game on the court.

For the 1999 season, he moved along with Alexi Lalas to the Kansas City Wizards. Due to an injury he had to stop the greatest part of the season. Meola won the MLS Cup and was named the best goalkeeper in the league with the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award with the Wizards in the 2000 season. In addition, he was the best player in the MLS Cup Final and the best player in the MLS. It remains up to the 2004 season with the Wizards, in which he could play only a limited due to injury. Bo Oshoniyi took his place and Meola 's contract was not renewed.

In June 2005, he was again committed by the MetroStars. After this season XI selection was elected to the MLS All- Time Best. That He is one of the best eleven players who have played in the early years of Major League Soccer. He was no longer needed by now renamed New York Red Bulls team in late 2006.

His last position he took up in the indoor soccer team New Jersey Ironmen on 14 August 2007. The team played in the Major Indoor Soccer League.

National

On 10 June 1988, the then 19 -year-old Meola made ​​his debut for the U.S. national team against Ecuador. His second outing, he completed a year- Peru.

In the summer of 1989, the United States completed several games against Italian clubs. The actual choice goalkeeper David Vanole had in the time problems with his body weight. For this reason Meola got his chance, but injured himself in his first match against AS Roma. There he was injured and was replaced by Vanole. However, this could not prevent three goals. Although the United States won 4-3, but then Venola was no longer considered. Meola thus became the new goalkeeper of the team and also graduated from the remaining qualifying matches for the World Cup 1990. During the World Cup he was in every game of the USA on the court.

This regular seat he held until the 1994 World Cup in their own country. He was in the squad at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1991, King Fahd Cup in 1992 and the Copa América 1993.

During the World Cup, he became the face of the national team. After losing to Brazil in the second round he informed the then-coach Bora Milutinovic about which he now seeks a career as a professional placekicker in American football. Milutinovic nominated Meola since that time no longer.

In 1999 he returned to the national team, but could not get back to his place. In the Football World Cup 2002, he was the third goalkeeper of the team behind Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel. In 2006, he completed his last and at the same 100th game for the U.S..

Outside of football

• During his time as a high school Meola was also active as a baseball player. He was drafted by the New York Yankees and later played in their farm teams. He was also the captain of the basketball school team.
• In 1994 he completed a trial at the American football team New York Jets.
• In 1995, he starred in the Off- Broadway play Tony n 'Tina 's Wedding, the main role and started a mortgage company.
• Meola was the drummer of the cover band " MUSHMOUTH ". Still occurs with the on and off to the band. The last concert with him was in Seaside Heights, NJ on November 11, 2011.
• In 1993, an SNES video game with his name, Tony Meola 's Sidekick Soccer, on the market.
• He trained today, the U -12 of a local club in Toms River, NJ. His son plays in this team.