BRIAN MCBRIDE RETIRES – VIDEO TRIBUTE

BRIAN MCBRIDE RETIRES

Major League Soccer, US Soccer and the soccer world in general are losing one of the best.

Brian McBride is calling it quits, leaving behind a legacy of being one of the best players in the history of the American game, but his departure from the scene also leaves big shoes to fill in the area’s of gentlemen players and tough survivors.

It is hard not to think of Brian McBride and not imagine him bleeding or with some type of bandage on his head. That horrific eye injury

Fearless

that looked like a bad special effect! I didn’t realize then that McBride was always getting hurt because he was fearless and determined.

In fairness, I should say that I McBride grew on me. It took me awhile to see his virtues. To be completely honest, I straight up didn’t think he had what it takes to be a big-time American forward.

The United States had never had a true target forward, and after seeing him play for the Crew in MLS’s early days, I could be found oft repeating ‘The United States STILL doesn’t have a target man’, though he regularly suited up in just that spot on the field.

McBride scored a hell of a lot of goals with his feet for a target man, and very few with his head. He was the poster boy for that inane commentator cliche, ‘Good with his feet, for as big man’. This, though not his fault at all, added to my dislike of him.

Just another day at the office

Oh, and he played for my least favorite MLS team too. Being a proud Fire fan, it was hard to like McBride. Hell I didn’t like Friedel until he moved to Europe.

Over the years, McBride proved he was more than just good, he was great with his feet, and he became the ariel threat I always wanted.

McBride, now 38-years-old and hampered by a recurring shoulder injury, would go on to score 30 goals in 96 appearances for the United States in his career. He proved to the world that an American could start in the Premier League, and that the US was more than just a goalkeeper factory. He played up front for crissakes!

The Chicago area native, wasn’t good in the air because of any great skill, it was tenacity and determination that won him balls in the air, and his career progressed with the States and Fulham, those qualities blossomed.

Tenacity and determination was always on display when the United States were battling CONCACAF foes away from the calm soccer

The decider against Portugal in 02

specifics the United States. McBride set a tone in those matches, he wasn’t afraid of anything, any one or any team. Not Guatemala, Honduras and certainly not Mexico. McBride was also not afraid of big moments. Need I bring up Portugal and Mexico in the 2002 World Cup, or the Battle Royale against Italy in 2006?

Later in his career, I seemed to be oft repeating a completely different phrase; ‘if we could only start 10 more McBrides’.

Chicago is losing a native son in the sport I love, and he is stepping down in the jersey I cherish. McBride is one of those rare players that will leave an indelible mark and a big void.

Now McBride will have a victory lap in his final months of the MLS season, and side from my Fire bias, I can think of no better tribute for Brian McBride than an MLS Cup and a US farewell match in the October Friendly against Poland at Soldier Field in Chicago.

BRIAN MCBRIDE VIDEO TRIBUTES

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