Lilly Has Edge on Matthaeus in This Game
Lothar Matthaeus, meet Kristine Lilly.
On Wednesday, the New York/New Jersey MetroStars’ 1990 World Cup-winning defender was in Kaiserslautern, where he played his 146th game for Germany in a 1-1 tie with Switzerland.
No man in history has ever represented his country more often than Matthaeus, who sets a new standard each time he takes the field for Germany.
But it’s a record with an asterisk attached.
On Friday, Lilly, who won a World Cup of her own in China in 1991 and repeated the feat in the U.S. last summer, will play her 199th game for the United States, against Mexico at the Nike U.S. Women’s Cup in Portland, Ore.
On May 7, if Coach April Heinrichs again selects her--there is really no “if” involved--Lilly, 28, will become the first player in the 130-year history of international soccer to play 200 games for their country.
The opponent that morning (live on ESPN2 at 11:30 a.m.) will be either Canada or South Korea.
Lilly made her U.S. debut against China on Aug. 3, 1987. She was only 12 days past her 16th birthday and became the second-youngest player behind Mia Hamm to play for the women’s national team.
In the almost 13 years since then, the midfielder has set one statistical mark after another. For example:
* She has played against 34 countries and scored against 28.
* She has played in 18 countries.
* She was the first American woman to play 100 national team games.
* Her 83 goals rank third in U.S. history behind Hamm and Michelle Akers.
* She also had 63 assists.
* She has played in all 18 of the U.S. Women’s World Cup matches, scoring five goals.
* She has started 191 of the 198 games for the U.S., including a record 62 in a row.
* She has played in 87% of the matches played by the U.S. women’s national team.
Throw in a gold medal from the 1996 Olympic Games and championships from a host of lesser tournaments and it’s a record Matthaeus, 39, would be proud to call his own.
On May 26, the German standout will be given a testimonial match in Munich’s Olympic Stadium. He said Thursday he would like Argentina’s Diego Maradona to be one of the guest players taking part.
The idea of testimonial games--in which all proceeds go to the player being honored--has not been tried in the U.S.
But if ever there was a player who deserved one, it’s Lilly. The same goes for Hamm and Akers, and probably a few more of the U.S. pioneers.
It’s something U.S. Soccer should start thinking about, regardless of what happens at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
SHARPENED KNIVES
Bruce Arena believes he comes in for more than a fair share of criticism as U.S. men’s national team coach. He might be correct.
But the barbs aimed Arena’s way are nothing compared to what Germany’s coach, Erich Ribbeck, has been enduring for the last several months.
Germany, a three-time World Cup winner and the reigning European champion, has a miserable 8-6-5 record in 19 games under Ribbeck’s control and the coach has been lambasted by media and former and current national team players.
According to Reuters, the mass-circulation Bild newspaper last week published a tiny photograph of the team above the headline: “We Are Europe’s Football Dwarves.”
The calls for Ribbeck’s job have come from far and wide, but he is fighting back.
“Who is saying all this rubbish?” he asked. “Why should I throw in the towel?”
Chances are, Ribbeck will be gone after the European Championship in Belgium and the Netherlands June 10-July 2.
And lining up to take his place, if not now then before 2006?
Matthaeus, of course.
