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Reyna, Meola voted into National Soccer Hall of Fame

ClaudioReyna (ISIPhotos.com)

U.S. national team legends Claudio Reyna and Tony Meola were the easiest selections in the latest ballot for the National Soccer Hall of Fame, and voters agreed, making them the headliners in the Hall's Class of 2012.

Reyna received 96 percent of the voting and Meola received 90 percent of the voting to headline a class that also includes former U.S. national team standout Desmond Armstrong and former U.S. Women's national team head coach Tony DiCicco.

Reyna earned 112 caps for the United States, serving as national team captain for a large part of his 13-year tenure with the national team.

Meola recorded 100 caps and was a member of three World Cup teams, including the famed 1990 team that helped snap the United States' 40-year-drought without a World Cup appearance.

DiCicco was the U.S. women's head coach when the women's team won the 1999 World Cup, while Armstrong enjoyed an 81-cap career for the men's team, and was a key member of the 1990 World Cup team.

What do you think of the selections? Who didn't make the Hall of Fame class that you feel deserved it?

Share your thoughts below.

TonyMeola (ISIPhotos.com)

Comments

  1. Meola is an even bigger no-brainer…best and most important keeper in US history. He helped build American goalkeeping.

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  2. Reyna had a soccer intelligence that none of his contemporaries on the national team could match — not even the brilliant Tabare Ramos. He gave us a glimpse of how beautiful the game could be, and always made us wonder what it would be like if the other field players could only think and execute at the same level.

    Total respect for you, Claudio. You were kind of a genius out there, and you moved the American game a long ways.

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  3. I grew up playing for Kearny Thistle FC in Meola, Harkes and Ramos’ hometown. Tony couldn’t have been a more genuine and generous role model to a starry-eyed kid.After training, sometimes we’d go over and take shots on him. One day he offered me his goal glove bag one day. People have good days and bad days, but Tony always struck me as a real good guy.

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  4. You may rate him higher than me.

    But I think underrated is the perfect word for it. He wasn’t going to be Keller, IMHO, BUT he was awesome at times and was a pleasure to watch in ’94, making huge plays which helped win VERY big games.

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  5. Not top 5?

    One of 3 players in US Soccer history to ever be voted to the FIFA World Cup All Star team.

    First US player in history to captain a big 4 European club.

    112 (5th best) caps for the USMNT who he also captained in 2002 (and 06) where they made it through the quarterfinals and put down Mexico in the round of 16 for the famous dos a cero match.

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  6. In reagrds to your take on Meola: I’m not discounting your experience with him. Not one bit. By the time I met him, he was no longer in MLS, he was playing indoor for the New Jersey Ironmen. He was real pleasant. He actually initiated a conversation with me after a scrimmage between the Ironmen & the Baltimore Blast. Of course, the fact the fact that he saw me with a three year old kid and a talking to a couple of Ironmen teamates that I was friendly with could have weighed in heavily on why he was so accessible.

    i would have been really disappointing if he had given me the cold shoulder like you say that he gave you. When I met him, he came off a lot more humble and pleasant.

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  7. I agree that Dez was and is inspirational to me, personally–for one of the reasons that you mentioned–I’m just not so sure that he should have been voted in. Then again, I can think of some others in there that I don’t think should be in.

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  8. You’re not serious…are you? I am guessing you were a HUGE Ricky Davis fan back in the day too. Reyna was a great player but sorry, not even in the top 5 of the best players the US has produced. He is Top 10 but not top 5.

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  9. Reyna, Meola and DiCicco–those guys are all “straight up locks” in my mind.

    I have a lot of love for one of my local guys, Desmond Armstrong. I really do. But I’m not convinced that he should be in the US soccer hall of fame. He accomplished a lot and he is by all accounts a very wonderful gentleman. But he sticks out when that series of names is read.

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  10. I would say Des wasn’t great by any means. He wouldn’t see the pitch with the USMNT these days, but he was a big part of the USA’s coming of age as we joined the world’s game at the World Cup level. This is a salute to his place in that history, more than calling him an all-time great.

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  11. This.

    He was the quintessential midfield maestro. His ball handling skills were so incredible that they earned him a spot on the FIFA World Cup All-Star team next to Rivaldo, Ronaldihno and Ballack.

    He played for Man City, captained a Bundesliga side and Rangers.

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  12. I think Meola was always underrated by the soccer community. He was a heckuva goalie. When he was with the USA, he suffered because his team wasn’t any good. I think if he had come up a few years later, he would have gotten more international attention, like Keller or Friedel.

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  13. Polo isn’t talking about how his career turned out — just the raw material. It’s hard to argue with, if you know what you’re talking about. Reyna was a very gifted player. If he’d stayed healthy, he would have accomplished much more. Also, you’re comparing apples and oranges, when you’re comparing someone like Claudio with a goal-scorer or goal-stopper who get so much more attention. Reyna wouldn’t make the highlight films, because that wasn’t his game — but, he sure could play.

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  14. Reyna, of course! He was on the world cup all star team at Japan/S Korea in 02. Think about that…Reyna was rated/voted the best midfielder with Ballack, Rivaldo and Roinadldinho…(as well as Sang-Chul)…that is the most impressive accomplishment of all in my mind. An American in the top 11 players in the world, right there with Ronaldinho in his primes, etc.

    Meola on the other hand, I get why he got the vote but let it be known I met him after a Metros game in New England where the players have their after game meal and he could not have been ruder, more arrogant or more dismissive. Just an absolute d-bag. That has stayed with me (obviously). So 90% is a bit much for my money.

    Des? I didn’t see him play enough but I’d love to hear if you all agree…

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  15. Congrats to all. Good to see Dez in there. I was 11 watching USA in Italia 90. He was the first black player I had seen until then. He was one of my role models growing up. At that time there weren’t too many others of us playing so it’s good to see US Soccer recognize him for his on and off field service.

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