Tony Meola

Tony Meola is recognized as one of the greatest American goalkeepers and players in soccer history. He attended the University of Virginia on a soccer/baseball athletic scholarship. There, he was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Year and the NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 1989, the same year he won the Hermann Trophy. After leading UVA to its first National Championship, he left the university to pursue a career with the U.S. national team.

Meola made his U.S. National Team debut on June 10, 1988, against Ecuador. He played in three FIFA World Cups, and was a key player in the U.S. team that won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1991 and 2002. He was awarded the Golden Ball at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 1991. Meola ended his career with the national team in 2006, earning his 100th cap.

Following the 1990 World Cup, Meola had short stints in England with Brighton & Hove Albion and Watford before returning to America. He played in Major League Soccer from 1996 to 2006, starting with the New York Metrostars. In the inaugural season, he led the league in shutouts with nine, a record at the time. In 2000, while playing for the Kansas City Wizards, he won the MLS Most Valuable Player award, the Goalkeeper of the Year award, and was pivotal in the team's MLS Cup victory, earning the MLS Cup MVP. He set a record for single-season shutouts with 16, and was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI following the 2005 season. Post-MLS, Meola played for the New Jersey Ironmen before retiring in 2008.

Meola was inducted into the United States Soccer National Hall of Fame in May 2012. He has also made contributions off the pitch, sharing his insights as a broadcaster in various capacities. Currently, he co-hosts a daily program on SiriusXM FC Counter Attack radio show, a role he's held since 2013. He has also covered multiple World Cups as an Analyst for various networks, including TNT, ESPN, beIN Sports, FOX, and as a color analyst for the Chicago Fire FC from 2020-2022.

In addition to his broadcasting career, Meola has experience in acting, having taken a lead role in the off-Broadway play "Tony and Tina's Wedding". He also served as the head coach and technical director for Jacksonville Armada FC from November 24, 2015, until parting ways in 2016 due to a series of poor results. Regardless of the arena, Meola's extensive experience and accolades in the soccer world make him a seasoned professional and respected figure in the sport.