The National Soccer Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2012 on Wednesday, featuring former Kansas City goalkeeping great Tony Meola on the Player ballot. A three-time FIFA World Cup veteran, Meola played in Kansas City from 1999-2004 and holds several club records at the goalkeeping position (see below).
"It’s certainly the greatest honor you can have in your chosen profession, to be mentioned in the same breath as the great people that were before you and one day the great ones that will come after you," Meola told USSoccer.com. "I’m certainly humbled and I’m honored, and I’m thrilled to think that somebody actually thought I was worthy of it."
Meola received more than 90 percent of votes for the Class of 2012 and will be inducted along with Claudio Reyna from the Player ballot. He becomes the third former Kansas City player to be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame as a Player, joining Preki (2010) and Alexi Lalas (2006). Former Kansas City Managers Bob Gansler (2011) and Ron Newman (1992) were each inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame on the Builders ballot.
Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes received 35.29 percent of votes in his final year on the Player ballot and will be available for election on the Veteran ballot, beginning in 2013.
Meola spent 125 of his 250 MLS matches in a Kansas City uniform and will forever be remembered for his contributions to the club's historic 2000 season, in which he was named MLS MVP and Goalkeeper of the Year. His spectacular play led KC to the Supporters Shield as he recorded an MLS-record 16 shutouts in the regular season. The team then won the 2000 MLS Cup with Meola named the MLS Cup MVP for a 10-save performance in the 1-0 victory over the Chicago Fire.
Sporting KC Single-Season GK Records
Goals-Against Average: Tony Meola, 0.92 (2000)
Saves: Tony Meola, 129 (2000)
Shutouts: Tony Meola, 16 (2000)
Saves Percentage: Tony Meola, 79.6 (2000)
Sporting KC All-Time GK Records
Games Played: Tony Meola, 125
Games Started: Tony Meola, 125
Minutes: Tony Meola, 11,323
Games Won: Tony Meola, 59
Saves: Tony Meola, 507
Shutouts: Tony Meola, 37
Saves Percentage: Tony Meola, 74.2
