Tony Meola

Antonio Michael "Tony" Meola (/miˈoʊlə/; born February 21, 1969) is an American former soccer goalkeeper who represented the United States national team at the 1990, 1994, and 2002 World Cups, and from 1996 to 2006 played in Major League Soccer, the U.S. top soccer division, where he obtained multiple honors. He currently serves as head coach of Jacksonville Armada FC.

Early life and soccer career

Meola, born in Belleville, New Jersey, grew up in Kearny. He played boys soccer for Kearny High School. He learned his love for the game from his father, Vincenzo, who had played for Italian second division club Avellino before immigrating to the U.S. Tony was All-State both as a goalkeeper (1985) and a forward (1986). He had a part in 41 clean sheets and scored 42 goals during his high school career.

In 1999, he was named by The Star-Ledger as one of the top ten New Jersey high school soccer players of the 1980s. Meola not only excelled at soccer, he was a three-sport varsity letterman. He was the captain of the school's basketball team and was named an All-State baseball player in 1987. The New York Yankees drafted him out of high school. Meola later played in their farm system.