Brad Friedel to be inducted into National Soccer Hall of Fame

Revolution manager Brad Friedel has been informed that he will be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame later this year.

His former US national team teammate Tab Ramos, currently the US’ Under-20 national team coach, made the announcement at Gillette Stadium this morning, alongside Revolution general manager Michael Burns.

The trio played together on the United States team that played at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

“Brad has meant a lot to US Soccer,” Ramos said. “And not just US Soccer: the national team, to players all over the country, and to millions of fans in this country who know that Brad Friedel has been the best representative US Soccer has ever had outside of the US playing internationally.”

Friedel’s professional career began in 1992 after he left UCLA and registered with US Soccer. He became a member of the 1994 World Cup squad and was the Americans’ first-choice goalkeeper in ’98, a spot he would hold until 2005. During that time, he played professionally at Galatasaray in Turkey before returning to his native Ohio to play for Columbus Crew at the start of Major League Soccer in 1996.

He went to England in ’97, where he made stops at Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, Aston Villa, and finally at Tottenham Hotspur. All told, Friedel made a total of 310 consecutive appearances in the Premier League, a record which still stands.

He retired from playing professional football following the 2014-15 season.

After working as an assistant coach for the US’ U-20 team alongside Ramos, he was named manager of the Revolution on Nov. 9, 2017.

He will be enshrined on Oct. 18 — the same day the Revs are in Salt Lake City, Utah to take on Real Salt Lake — in Frisco, Texas.