Claudio Reyna |
For years, U.S. men’s national soccer teams have had a distinctly Cavalier feel. Players like John Harkes, Tony Meola and Jeff Agoos first made their reputations while winning national championships at U.Va., then ascended to national and even international stardom.
The most visible link has been Bruce Arena, indisputably the most successful coach of any sport in U.Va. history. In 17 seasons on Grounds, his teams won more than 80 percent of their games and five NCAA championships.
In 1996, Arena left to coach in fledgling Major League Soccer; his D.C. United teams promptly captured two of that league’s first three championships.
U.S. Soccer came calling after a disastrous last-place finish at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In the next competition four years later, the Americans reached the quarterfinals. Two months before this summer’s Cup in Germany, the U.S. is ranked a best-ever fourth in the world.
Nonetheless, the 2006 World Cup may mark the end of the U.S. team’s ties to U.Va.’s glorious past. The roster is likely to include only one player who won an NCAA title at U.Va., team captain Claudio Reyna (Col ’93). The 54-year-old Arena’s contract expires after the Cup, and his future remained undetermined as of mid-April.
Ben Olsen |
Four other former Cavaliers of more recent vintage—Ben Olsen, Chris Albright, Kyle Martino and Alecko Eskandarian—were listed in the player pool, but were considered long shots to make the final roster.
George Gelnovatch (Col ’87) first played for Arena in 1982, then assisted him for seven years before finally succeeding him as U.Va.’s coach. He has maintained close ties with his mentor and friend, and will be in the stands in Germany this summer. "I’ll be watching him go through what could be his last time around with the full team," he says. "I want to see him do well, to be great."
Update: On May 2, U.S. Coach Bruce Arena named former Cavalier players Ben Olsen and Chris Albright to join Claudio Reyna on the United States roster for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
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