FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis retired Wednesday after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Reis, who spent the past 11 seasons with the Revolution, is a four-time MLS all-star. He starred at UCLA before playing for the Galaxy from 1998 to 2002 and helping the club win its first MLS Cup in 2002.
He’s coming off a strong season with a 7-0-4 record for New England, the first MLS goalkeeper to go undefeated while playing at least 10 games. But he played in just 12 games because of physical problems and the Boston Marathon bombing in which his father-in-law, John Odom, was severely injured.
Reis, 38, returned in August and helped the Revolution to the playoffs. But in their last game of the season when they were eliminated by Sporting Kansas City he tore a tendon in his left thigh. He underwent surgery on Nov. 11, five days after the game, and faced several months of rehabilitation.
He’s fourth in MLS history among goalkeepers in games, fifth in wins and saves and sixth in shutouts.
Reis called himself “an MLS lifer” and said he’s “proud of where the league has gone.”
But, he said, “everything that happened in April and not playing for a while” contributed to his decision to retire. Until then, he said, “I just kept going out every day trying to get a little bit better.”
Jay Heaps played against and with Reis before coaching him the past two years with the Revolution.
“He made the guys in front of him better,” said Heaps, a former defender. “Matt always was there to make the save.”
Editor’s note: See Reis farewell press conference below (Courtesy of Revolutionsoccer.net).
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