Tony Meola, a former World Cup goalkeeper for the U.S. national soccer team, suffered a heart attack on Thursday, one day ahead of his 56th birthday.
Meola represented the USMNT at the World Cup in 1990, 1994 and 2002 — the first two as the starting goalie and the latter as a backup — posting 35 clean sheets over 101 career caps.
The New Jersey native also played five MLS seasons in two separate stints for the MetroStars/Red Bulls and six more for Sporting Kansas City.
United States Men’s National Team goalkeeper Tony Meola practices at SAS Stadium on April 10, 2006. AP
Meola told The Athletic on Saturday that he “will be OK,” and he also was quoted on the soccer website FrontRowSoccer as saying, “if I get one of you to go to the doctor and get a checkup, this was all worth it for me. I’m going to be fine in a week, but I should have been smarter.”
Tony Meola is a former USMNT goalkeeper. APMeola, who also played briefly in England for Watford and Brighton & Hove Albion, has spent time as a television commentator since retiring in 2007.
He even tried out for the Jets as a placekicker in 1994 but was cut during training camp.
