Bruce Arena has done almost everything there is to be done in American soccer aside from lift the World Cup itself, and that’s especially true now that US Soccer announced on Thursday that Arena is the 2014 winner of the Werner Fricker Builder Award.
Considering the highest honor one can earn from US Soccer, the award is named after Werner Fricker (obviously), a man who played a pivotal role in getting the 1994 World Cup the the U.S.
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US Soccer said the award, “is bestowed on an individual who has worked tirelessly on furthering the interest of the sport of soccer without regard to personal recognition or advancement. The award honors those who created or fostered programs that will outlast their own active involvement in the sport and who have established a lasting legacy in the history and structure of soccer in the United States.”
Pretty much sums up Arena.
The former Cornell goalkeeper was capped once in 1973 by the USMNT before embarking on a long coaching career that really took off at the University of Virginia, where he won five NCAA titles. Between DC United and the L.A. Galaxy, Arena has won five MLS Cups, a U.S. Open Cup, three Supporters Shields and a CONCACAF Champions’ Cup. Oh, and he led the States to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup, which is nice.
Werner Fricker Builder Award winners
2002 Werner Fricker Sr.
2003 Sunil Gulati
2005 Gerhard Mengel
2006 Sal Rapaglia
2007 Francisco Marcos
2008 Bob Gansler
2009 Alan Rothenberg
2010 Bob Contiguglia
2011 Kevin Payne
2012 Hank Steinbrecher
2013 Richard Groff
2014 Bruce Arena
