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Reyna was guaranteed a salary of $1.26 million in 2008.
NEW YORK (AFP) - Former Rangers and Manchester City midfielder Claudio Reyna, who won 112 caps for the American national team, announced his retirement on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old, who competed in three different World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006), made his decision after picking up a series of injuries.
The New York Red Bulls player spent most of his career in Europe, beginning in 1995 with German side Leverkusen, then moving to Wolfsburg, Rangers, Sunderland and Manchester City before returning to America last year.
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Reyna signs with Red BullsUpdated 1/24/2007 8:49 PM ETBy Jane Havsy, (Parsippany, N.J.) Daily Record
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Claudio Reyna knew he would play in Major League Soccer someday. But he hadn't thought he'd be returning to the United States quite this soon.
The 33-year-old midfielder was introduced as the newest member of the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday, picking up the No. 10 jersey and a significant role in guiding the hapless franchise, which has never reached Major League Soccer's championship game.
Reyna rejoined coach Bruce Arena, for whom he played on the United States national team and at the University of Virginia.
"This is home for me," said Reyna, who had been released from his contract with Manchester City in the English Premier League on Tuesday. "I think I would've regretted never playing in the MLS. I wanted to do it at the right time. Things aligned themselves. A year ago, I wouldn't have envisioned this happening."
Terms of Reyna's multiyear deal are undisclosed, but he is one of the Red Bulls' designated players, which means that he can earn more than Major League Soccer's maximum of about $280,000, with Red Bull being responsible for the difference. The Los Angeles Galaxy used the same mechanism to pay David Beckham a reported $250 million over five years, most of that charged to team owner Anschutz Entertainment Group.
"You've seen a number of players come in who had a big name on the back of their shirt but they didn't prove the name is bigger on the front," said Red Bulls technical director Jeff Agoos, who played alongside Reyna on the United States national team. "That's the opposite with Claudio."
Dubbed "Captain America" by the English newspapers, Reyna brings much needed leadership to the Red Bulls' locker room. He was also the first American to captain a European soccer team, when he took that position with German club VfL Wolfsburg in the summer of 1998.
"Claudio's quality as a player is proven," said Arena, who won three NCAA championships during Reyna's years at Virginia. "He'll be as reliable a central midfielder as you can have in this league. That's a real plus, and something I think we can build our team around."
The 5-10, 160-pound Reyna has played in Europe for 12 years, beginning his career with Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. Reyna scored four goals in 77 starts with Manchester City, which he joined in August 2003. He played in 15 of 24 Premier League matches this season but not since a 2-1 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Dec. 17.
Reyna faced up to his many injuries, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament in 2002, a broken ankle in 2005, and a left shoulder problem last year but said some were either misdiagnosed or poorly treated by his previous teams.
Reyna and Arena won three NCAA championships together at Virginia, and Reyna was twice named the Missouri Athletic Club's Player of the Year. He ranks fourth all-time with 112 international appearances, and was named to four World Cup and two Olympic teams. The only American to be named to the FIFA World Cup all-star first team, Reyna retired from international play in June.
Reyna returned to the United States a few weeks ago to join his wife, Danielle Egan, who is due to give birth to the couple's third son next month, at their home in Westhampton, N.Y. Egan, their sons Jack and Giovanni, and Reyna's father Miguel all attended the press conference, as did longtime St. Benedict's Prep coach Rick Jacobs.
"We're very happy, because now we have the family together," said Miguel Reyna, who still lives in Springfield. "Another baby, it was too hard for his wife when he's traveling. He feels like it's enough, 12 years in Europe."
Reyna is expected to join the Red Bulls in Florida for preseason training Feb. 2.
Arena is not done trying to bring top players to New Jersey. The Red Bulls had two designated player slots available, acquiring a second from Chivas USA in exchange for Amado Guevara in November. Arena said the remaining spot could be filled by the time the international transfer window closes at the end of the month, likely with a proven striker. Recent rumors have included Brazilian star Ronaldo of Real Madrid — reportedly also coveted by AC Milan — and Ecuadorian forward Agustin Delgado.
"We need help at a lot of spots," Arena said. "One thing missing at the press conference was a table that had a trophy on it. We're hopefully building a team that can compete for a trophy."
NEW YORK (AFP) - Former Rangers and Manchester City midfielder Claudio Reyna, who won 112 caps for the American national team, announced his retirement on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old, who competed in three different World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006), made his decision after picking up a series of injuries.
The New York Red Bulls player spent most of his career in Europe, beginning in 1995 with German side Leverkusen, then moving to Wolfsburg, Rangers, Sunderland and Manchester City before returning to America last year.
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Reyna signs with Red BullsUpdated 1/24/2007 8:49 PM ETBy Jane Havsy, (Parsippany, N.J.) Daily Record
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Claudio Reyna knew he would play in Major League Soccer someday. But he hadn't thought he'd be returning to the United States quite this soon.
The 33-year-old midfielder was introduced as the newest member of the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday, picking up the No. 10 jersey and a significant role in guiding the hapless franchise, which has never reached Major League Soccer's championship game.
Reyna rejoined coach Bruce Arena, for whom he played on the United States national team and at the University of Virginia.
"This is home for me," said Reyna, who had been released from his contract with Manchester City in the English Premier League on Tuesday. "I think I would've regretted never playing in the MLS. I wanted to do it at the right time. Things aligned themselves. A year ago, I wouldn't have envisioned this happening."
Terms of Reyna's multiyear deal are undisclosed, but he is one of the Red Bulls' designated players, which means that he can earn more than Major League Soccer's maximum of about $280,000, with Red Bull being responsible for the difference. The Los Angeles Galaxy used the same mechanism to pay David Beckham a reported $250 million over five years, most of that charged to team owner Anschutz Entertainment Group.
"You've seen a number of players come in who had a big name on the back of their shirt but they didn't prove the name is bigger on the front," said Red Bulls technical director Jeff Agoos, who played alongside Reyna on the United States national team. "That's the opposite with Claudio."
Dubbed "Captain America" by the English newspapers, Reyna brings much needed leadership to the Red Bulls' locker room. He was also the first American to captain a European soccer team, when he took that position with German club VfL Wolfsburg in the summer of 1998.
"Claudio's quality as a player is proven," said Arena, who won three NCAA championships during Reyna's years at Virginia. "He'll be as reliable a central midfielder as you can have in this league. That's a real plus, and something I think we can build our team around."
The 5-10, 160-pound Reyna has played in Europe for 12 years, beginning his career with Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. Reyna scored four goals in 77 starts with Manchester City, which he joined in August 2003. He played in 15 of 24 Premier League matches this season but not since a 2-1 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur on Dec. 17.
Reyna faced up to his many injuries, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament in 2002, a broken ankle in 2005, and a left shoulder problem last year but said some were either misdiagnosed or poorly treated by his previous teams.
Reyna and Arena won three NCAA championships together at Virginia, and Reyna was twice named the Missouri Athletic Club's Player of the Year. He ranks fourth all-time with 112 international appearances, and was named to four World Cup and two Olympic teams. The only American to be named to the FIFA World Cup all-star first team, Reyna retired from international play in June.
Reyna returned to the United States a few weeks ago to join his wife, Danielle Egan, who is due to give birth to the couple's third son next month, at their home in Westhampton, N.Y. Egan, their sons Jack and Giovanni, and Reyna's father Miguel all attended the press conference, as did longtime St. Benedict's Prep coach Rick Jacobs.
"We're very happy, because now we have the family together," said Miguel Reyna, who still lives in Springfield. "Another baby, it was too hard for his wife when he's traveling. He feels like it's enough, 12 years in Europe."
Reyna is expected to join the Red Bulls in Florida for preseason training Feb. 2.
Arena is not done trying to bring top players to New Jersey. The Red Bulls had two designated player slots available, acquiring a second from Chivas USA in exchange for Amado Guevara in November. Arena said the remaining spot could be filled by the time the international transfer window closes at the end of the month, likely with a proven striker. Recent rumors have included Brazilian star Ronaldo of Real Madrid — reportedly also coveted by AC Milan — and Ecuadorian forward Agustin Delgado.
"We need help at a lot of spots," Arena said. "One thing missing at the press conference was a table that had a trophy on it. We're hopefully building a team that can compete for a trophy."
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