Matt Reis

Matt Reis (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell; born March 28, 1975) is an American former soccer player and coach who played as a goalkeeper. A long-time Major League Soccer mainstay, he has served as goalkeeper coach for LA Galaxy and the United States.

Youth and college

Reid was born in Atlanta and raised in Southern California. He played college soccer at UCLA. He finished his college career with an NCAA Championship in 1997, and was named 1997 NCAA College Cup Defensive MVP after recording 20 saves - including a school-record 11 in the semifinals - and posting 221 shutout minutes on the way to the title.

Career

Professional

LA Galaxy

Reis was selected by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the third round (26th overall) in the 1998 MLS College Draft on January 31, 1998.<ref name="Draft">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, with Kevin Hartman firmly entrenched as the club's starter,<ref name="Reis Globe Interview">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Reis did not see much playing time during his five seasons in LA.<ref name="MLS Profile">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Hartman Profile">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Reis' largest contribution to the club came in 2001, when he made 16 appearances (15 starts), recording a 1.41 GAA with six shutouts.<ref name="MLS Profile"/><ref name="Reis Starter">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2000, the Galaxy sent him on loan to the Orange County Waves for seven games.<ref>2000 Orange County Waves</ref><ref name="Waves">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

New England Revolution

On January 17, 2003, Reis was traded to the New England Revolution in exchange for Alex Pineda Chacón and a second-round pick in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="2024 New England Revolution Media Guide">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Reis made his Revolution debut on July 19, 2003, starting in a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Fire.<ref name="2024 New England Revolution Media Guide"/>

Although signed by the Revolution as backup to Adin Brown, Reis became the club's starer in 2004 after Brown was sidelined with injuries.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Reis is widely considered one of the best goalkeepers in MLS during the 2000's.<ref name="MLS Profile"/> He was a finalist for the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2005, Reis received MLS All-Star honors.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was also named Revolution Humanitarian of the Year.<ref name="2024 New England Revolution Media Guide"/> He again received MLS All-Star honors in 2006, 2007, and 2008.<ref name="2024 New England Revolution Media Guide"/><ref name="2007 MLS All-Star Game">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="2008 MLS All-Star Game">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2004, Reis was named Revolution Defender of the Year.<ref name="2024 New England Revolution Media Guide"/> On October 31, he became the first goalie in MLS history to stop two penalty kicks in one playoff game, doing as the Revs upset the much-favored Columbus Crew.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Reis set the Revolution club-record for shutouts in 2005, recording ten; a tally he would match again in 2006 and then again in 2007.<ref name="Revolution MVP"/>

On October 28, 2006, Reis saved two of four penalties, and converted a shot of his own, in the penalty shootout against the Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2006 MLS Cup Playoffs.<ref name="2006 Penalties">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Reis helped the Revolution to their first two pieces of silverware in club history; winning the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in 2007, and the SuperLiga in 2008.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="U.S. Open Cup">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was also named the 2008 Midnight Riders Man of the Year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Reis was again named Revolution Most Valuable Player in 2011, recording 111 saves and five shut-outs.<ref name="Revolution MVP">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in In 2012, Reis became the first player in Revolution history to win MLS Save of the Week honors, earning the award in week 20 in a 0-0 draw with Sporting Kansas City, a match in which he made six saves and recorded his fourth clean sheet of the season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was additionally named Revolution Humanitarian of the Year in 2012 and 2013.<ref name="2024 New England Revolution Media Guide"/>

Reis announced his retirement on December 11, 2013, joining the Los Angeles Galaxy as goalkeeper coach.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He concluded his career as the Revolution's all-time statistical leader several categories, including: appearances by a goalkeeper (254), starts (253), minutes played (22,697), goals against average (1.31), wins (93), saves (989), shutouts (66) and save percentage (72.3).<ref name="Retirement Announcement">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

International

Reis earned his first cap for the United States on January 22, 2006, a 0–0 shutout against Canada.<ref name="MLS Profile"/> He was an alternate for the 2006 U.S. World Cup squad.<ref name="MLS Profile"/> Reis' second cap came on January 20, 2007, in which he started and earned a 3-1 victory over Denmark. In the match, Reis wore a headband honoring David Vanole, who had died earlier in the month.<ref name="Second Cap"/> Vanole had coached Reis both in college and with the Revolution.<ref name="MLS Profile"/><ref name="Second Cap">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Personal

Reis was considered to be a bit of a jokester among his teammates and in the soccer community.<ref name="Pranks">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As an April Fools' Day prank in 2004, the Revs' front office announced their newest foreign acquisition, Luis "El Lobo" Fangoso, who eventually turned out to be Matt Reis wearing a shaggy wig and headband.<ref name="Pranks"/> Although the initial joke died down fairly quickly, Reis' antics helped him win over many Revolution fans (to this day, Revs fans occasionally make joking references to Fangoso when discussing possible player transactions).<ref name="Pranks"/> On April 1, 2007, the Revolution announced that they had resigned Fangoso to a 2-year deal.<ref name="Fangoso">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Pranks"/>

On April Fool's Day in 2005, the team announced that Reis was retiring to pursue a career in musical theater.<ref name="Reis Globe Interview"/> The team distributed a press release complete with an image of Reis painted blue.<ref name="Reis Globe Interview"/>

Reis, who is bald, also convinced Mexican international José Manuel Abundis, who had just signed with the team, to shave his head for the 2006 MLS Playoffs.Template:Citation needed This has enabled Reis to achieve cult status among Revs fans who know him as the "Skin headed, short sleeved shot stopper."Template:Citation needed

Reis is married to Nicole Reis (née Odom), who was an All American Softball player at UCLA. They have three boys. He is the son of J.T. and Kathy Reis of Mission Viejo, California, and he has one older brother, Mike.

On 15 April 2013, Reis was present at the Boston Marathon bombing where he saved the life of his father-in-law (John Odom), whose legs had been pierced by shrapnel, causing two severed arteries.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Honors

Individual

• MLS Humanitarian of the Year: 2013

Team

United States

• CONCACAF Gold Cup Champions (1): 2005

Los Angeles Galaxy

• CONCACAF Champions Cup (1): 2000
• MLS Cup (1): 2002
• Supporters' Shield (2): 1998, 2002
• U.S. Open Cup (1): 2001

New England Revolution

• U.S. Open Cup (1): 2007
• North American SuperLiga (1): 2008

External links

• Template:MLS player
• Template:NFT player