Fear the Beard is officially returning to San Antonio FC. The club announced yesterday that goalkeeper Matt Cardone will return to Toyota Field for the 2017 season, keeping the San Antonio native in his hometown and giving fans the chance to cheer on the best beard in soccer for yet another year.
Cardone impressed with his performances in goal, setting a club record for most saves in a single match and leading the league with his four penalty saves. In addition, Cardone was the first SAFC player in history to earn USL Player of the Week honors after a stellar performance in Saint Louis. Now, the keeper has his sights set on 2017 with the objective to improve on his accomplishments from last season and contribute as much as he can to his squad.
Despite making a few sporadic appearances for a large part of the season, Cardone’s chance to prove himself came after in-form starting goalkeeper Josh Ford suffered an injury that cut his season short. It didn’t take long for the San Antonio native to make his mark, but he credits his success on the pitch to his ability to make the most of an opportunity.
“It’s an example for all players that they need to be ready all the time,” Cardone said. “Whether they’re a week-in-week-out starter or whether they’re on the bench or on the roster. It’s important to always be mentally and physically ready.”
His impressive performances in goal started the Fear the Beard movement among fans. Snapchat filters, signs, and even fake beards became a common sight at Toyota Field, and the hashtag attached to the 23-year-old’s nickname became a trend in San Antonio. For Cardone, the love from fans was motivating, and he is grateful for their support.
“It was really awesome to be part of something cool like that,” Cardone said. “It really doesn’t take a lot of work from me, I just let my beard grow (laughs), so the easy part is on my side. But really, it’s cool to be recognized.”
Before the days of Fear the Beard, however, Cardone was just a guy playing the sport he loved and taking it one step at a time. He played for MacArthur in high school and at Trinity University in San Antonio, but going pro wasn’t always at the top of his priorities.
“Playing professionally wasn’t always a specific goal for me,” Cardone said. “It was mostly in the back of my mind, and as time went on I sort of got the idea that I could possibly do it, and when the opportunity manifested itself, I just said ‘let’s roll; let’s do it’”
Cardone’s first pro opportunity came through the now-defunct San Antonio Scorpions, where he played for one year prior to joining San Antonio FC in early 2016, shortly after the expansion side was announced. Not every athlete gets the opportunity to represent their city at the different levels that Cardone has, and the goalkeeper truly appreciates the opportunity that soccer has provided him to continue to be a part of his city.
“It’s been a crazy journey for me,” Cardone said. “From growing up here as a kid, to playing college here at Trinity, to being signed with the Scorpions for a year, and now being at SAFC for my second year. It’s been really exciting to see how San Antonio has grown as a community, especially in the soccer facet.”
After a breakout season in 2016, Cardone looks forward to what’s to come in 2017 for San Antonio FC. He expects the team to improve on their inaugural record and to compete in the USL playoffs, but above all, he continues to cherish the privilege or representing his hometown through the beautiful game.
“We want to get better all-around [compared to last year],” Cardone said. “The players that are coming back so far are great additions, and next year we’ll make a good run in the playoffs. San Antonio is a great city. It’s my city and I’m part of this community, so being able to represent them on a stage like this is a huge honor.”
Fear the Beard is officially returning to San Antonio FC. The club announced yesterday that goalkeeper Matt Cardone will return to Toyota Field for the 2017 season, keeping the San Antonio native in his hometown and giving fans the chance to cheer on the best beard in soccer for yet another year.
Cardone impressed with his performances in goal, setting a club record for most saves in a single match and leading the league with his four penalty saves. In addition, Cardone was the first SAFC player in history to earn USL Player of the Week honors after a stellar performance in Saint Louis. Now, the keeper has his sights set on 2017 with the objective to improve on his accomplishments from last season and contribute as much as he can to his squad.
Despite making a few sporadic appearances for a large part of the season, Cardone’s chance to prove himself came after in-form starting goalkeeper Josh Ford suffered an injury that cut his season short. It didn’t take long for the San Antonio native to make his mark, but he credits his success on the pitch to his ability to make the most of an opportunity.
“It’s an example for all players that they need to be ready all the time,” Cardone said. “Whether they’re a week-in-week-out starter or whether they’re on the bench or on the roster. It’s important to always be mentally and physically ready.”
His impressive performances in goal started the Fear the Beard movement among fans. Snapchat filters, signs, and even fake beards became a common sight at Toyota Field, and the hashtag attached to the 23-year-old’s nickname became a trend in San Antonio. For Cardone, the love from fans was motivating, and he is grateful for their support.
“It was really awesome to be part of something cool like that,” Cardone said. “It really doesn’t take a lot of work from me, I just let my beard grow (laughs), so the easy part is on my side. But really, it’s cool to be recognized.”
Before the days of Fear the Beard, however, Cardone was just a guy playing the sport he loved and taking it one step at a time. He played for MacArthur in high school and at Trinity University in San Antonio, but going pro wasn’t always at the top of his priorities.
“Playing professionally wasn’t always a specific goal for me,” Cardone said. “It was mostly in the back of my mind, and as time went on I sort of got the idea that I could possibly do it, and when the opportunity manifested itself, I just said ‘let’s roll; let’s do it’”
Cardone’s first pro opportunity came through the now-defunct San Antonio Scorpions, where he played for one year prior to joining San Antonio FC in early 2016, shortly after the expansion side was announced. Not every athlete gets the opportunity to represent their city at the different levels that Cardone has, and the goalkeeper truly appreciates the opportunity that soccer has provided him to continue to be a part of his city.
“It’s been a crazy journey for me,” Cardone said. “From growing up here as a kid, to playing college here at Trinity, to being signed with the Scorpions for a year, and now being at SAFC for my second year. It’s been really exciting to see how San Antonio has grown as a community, especially in the soccer facet.”
After a breakout season in 2016, Cardone looks forward to what’s to come in 2017 for San Antonio FC. He expects the team to improve on their inaugural record and to compete in the USL playoffs, but above all, he continues to cherish the privilege or representing his hometown through the beautiful game.
“We want to get better all-around [compared to last year],” Cardone said. “The players that are coming back so far are great additions, and next year we’ll make a good run in the playoffs. San Antonio is a great city. It’s my city and I’m part of this community, so being able to represent them on a stage like this is a huge honor.”