Americans celebrate end of ugly game

SEPP BLATTER’S resignation was cause for celebration in most soccer circles, none with more enthusiasm than those in the U.S.

For a nation that led the investigation into FIFA’s corruption, lost a World Cup bid in an allegedly rigged vote and had its soccer federation president publicly turn his back on Blatter, the shocking turn of events Tuesday became a rallying cry for reform.

It also was a chance for one former American star to pound Blatter’s regime and legacy.

“Wholesale changes need to made,” Tony Meola, who appeared in two World Cups as a goalkeeper, told the Daily News. “What’s been going on for years and years is nothing short of disgusting. I don’t want to sound naïve and say no one knew about it. We knew about it. But now it took Loretta Lynch and the FBI to uncover things.

“It’s terrible what’s been happening for years where fans of the game — and I’m including myself — have just been slapped in the face with these guys, and I’ll call them criminals, laughing at us the entire time. In one sentence we call this the beautiful game, and in another sentence it’s been about as ugly as it could be.”

Meola, 46, the host of a soccer radio show on SiriusXM, acknowledged that a re-vote for the 2018/2022 World Cup bids would be a difficult and unlikely proposition, but said that the U.S. Soccer Federation should at least fight for a reimbursement on its campaign costs. While that cost is unknown, the English Football Association, for instance, shelled out about $32 million for its losing bid in the same election that took place five years ago. Qatar and Russia won those bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively, after votes were allegedly bought and sold amongst FIFA officials.

“If we found out that there was corruption in the voting, what about the U.S. and England and everybody else that bid for a World Cup that spent millions and millions of dollars that basically never had a chance?” Meola said. “Our federation, I look at U.S. Soccer, our federation spent millions of dollars to put a bid together and we basically gave millions of dollars away. Why are we not fighting for this back? If they are going to play in Qatar and Russia, we have to fight for our money back at a minimum. If it was a clean vote, you knew what you were getting into. You take a chance. It’s like putting a bet down. It’s betting to win the World Cup. But if you never had a chance, you’re basically just donating money.”

U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati has stated the U.S. will consider bidding for the 2026 World Cup once the process becomes “more transparent and fair.” Following Blatter’s resignation announcement, Gulati issued a statement Tuesday about it being a step toward “meaningful reform.” Logic would indicate Gulati now has a better chance of winning a World Cup bid.

In the meantime, Americans can applaud Blatter’s ouster.

“Daddy got his hand caught in the cookie jar,” tweeted U.S. midfielder Megan Rapinoe, less than a week from the start of FIFA’s Women’s World Cup.

“Hallelujah,” added former U.S. star Julie Foudy on Twitter. “Sepp Blatter is out.”