New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara announces his retirement for the professional game after over a decade of service in MLS. Meara played 12 seasons between MLS and USL for Red Bulls, Red Bulls II and NYCFC, with him being one of the longest tenured players in team history.
“I am extremely proud to have spent almost all of my career with New York Red Bulls,” said Meara. “When you spend so much time with a club it become so much more than just a team you play for. This club and the fans have become a second home to myself and an extension of my family. There is no doubt I will miss playing but I’m very excited for the next chapter and to be a fan of this great club.”
Meara joined the club in 2012 as a SuperDraft pick and was the starter for the club in a star-studded roster which included Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez. Injuries kept him from completing that first season and the emergence of Luis Robles relegated him to a bench role for much of his career.
While that may seem like a demotion, Meara is the only goalkeeper and captain to take a New York Red Bulls club to a major trophy having lifted the 2016 USL Championship with New York Red Bulls II following a dominant victory over Swope Park Rangers. Meara would go on to feature in US Open Cup and even MLS games where starts such as Carlos Coronel were not available.
Meara’s contribution to the club is not one that can be seen on television week to week but can be felt within the organization. His local roots are at the heart of the 2015 Red Bulls revamp and has helped to establish the club as a very local inclusive club with regards to local player integration.
“Ryan exemplifies everything we look for in a player and is an incredible human being on and off the field,” said Head of Sport Jochen Schneider. “We will miss him very much and we wish him the best in the next chapter of his life.”
photo by Matt Kremkau