ONE LAST TRY : For Davis, This Is the Final Chance to Realize a Dream
For 10 years, Rick Davis has been American soccer’s most visible symbol. Now, at 30, he has one last chance to play in a World Cup.
By the time 1994 rolls around, when the United States will play host to international soccer’s quadrennial world championship, Davis will be 35, past his prime and far above the average age of World Cup players.
With the emergence of a stronger, faster and better players in the U.S., Davis knows this is it.
He was on the U.S. team that failed to qualify for the 1982 World Cup in Spain and the one that missed going to Mexico in 1986.
“It’s always been the ultimate (goal),” Davis said. “Whether it was the first time back in 1981 or the second time in 1985, it’s always been the ultimate thing. I don’t look at this necessarily as being any more special, but it does place a little more urgency on it.”
Davis’ introduction to soccer was as a 7-year-old when his father took him to see a closed-circuit showing of the 1966 World Cup, in which England defeated West Germany, 4-2. Even as a youngster, it gave Davis a goal.
“Of all I wanted to accomplish in soccer, both for myself and for soccer in the United States collectively, the World Cup has been at the pinnacle of that,” he said.
As a midfielder for the Cosmos playing with the likes of Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia and Johan Neeskens, Davis helped the New York club win three North American Soccer League titles.
He was an all-star in the Major Indoor Soccer League, captained the U.S. national team for the last decade and has played more than 200 international games at club or national team level.
“One of the goals I set for myself, years and years ago, was to be a part of and play in a World Cup. And that’s something that I haven’t done yet,” Davis said. “And it’s something that I want personally to do. It’s (also) something I want to see happen for the United States.”
A recent knee injury has added to Davis’ sense of urgency. who missed only a handful of games in his professional career in the NASL and MISL.
Davis has had two arthroscopic operations on his right knee in the past four months to repair cartilage damage. He reportedly has been recovering slowly from the second operation. With the clock ticking down, the U.S.--absent from the World Cup for 39 years--has an added incentive to qualify this time.
“He (Davis) has accomplished so much, I know he would get no greater joy than to play in a World Cup,” said U.S. teammate Brent Goulet. “I would really like to see him get there.”
