San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Cardone continues to build on records, roots
Through his run as the longesttenured player in San Antonio FC history, Matt Cardone has learned to maintain a short-term outlook on his ambitions.
Each of his six seasons with SAFC has presented fresh challenges, including injuries and battles for playing time against new crops of talent at goalkeeper.
San Antonio assistant coach Juan Lamadrid has trained Cardone since his teenage years, describing him as a “beast” who never lets up or has a slow practice. One month shy of his 28th birthday, Cardone clings to the mentality that has spurred him to become a fixture in SAFC’s record book and a symbol for San Antonio soccer.
“You just have to embrace it,” Cardone said. “You have to prove that you’re the No. 1 every day. Whatever the challenge is, you have to come out and make sure you’re the guy day in and day out, for however long you’re able to play.”
If Cardone makes his third straight start in net for SAFC’s match against Rio Grande Valley FC Toros at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in Edinburg, it will mark his 79th match for San Antonio, ranking second in club history.
He also ranks second in career minutes (6,870) while leading the club in clean sheets (20), saves (232) and penalty kick saves (five).
His longevity has helped him build comfortable margins in some categories, with 89 saves separating him from the 143 notched by Diego Restrepo. Cardone has also carved out some less-flattering marks through the years, with his 109 goals allowed more than doubling the total of any other keeper in club history.
The 2021 season is Cardone’s sixth year with San Antonio FC — a rarity in a league marked by constant turnover. Of the 14 players who appeared in this year’s opener, only three had previous experience in an SAFC uniform.
No other player in club history has appeared in five seasons, and only three other players have been active with San Antonio for four years.
Cardone, meanwhile, has been a staple through every campaign since SAFC’s inception.
“He’s one of the growing legends to be of pro soccer in San Antonio for his role in the team, now as one of the leaders of the club,”
Lamadrid said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of him, for the man that he has grown to be, and for his dedication and commitment to the sport.”
Cardone said his greatest growth through the previous five seasons has been his confidence, which now allows him to take more of a voice in aligning SAFC’s defense. Lamadrid has seen Cardone become more demanding in his motivational tactics with San Antonio’s younger players.
Part of that leadership role comes naturally, as Cardone is the fourth-oldest player on the 26man roster. Lamadrid said teammates are also drawn to Cardone’s humility and dedication, and Cardone said he thinks about that impact more than any individual records or accolades.
“I would just like to be an important part of the club, and know that I’ve made a very positive contribution not only to the club itself, but to my other teammates who come in the door,” Cardone said. “I’d just like to be considered a positive influence on the club and the people who have been a part of it.”
Those traits have also made him a fixture in the community, as one of the players most often signing autographs or chatting with fans before the COVID-19 pandemic put many of those interactions on hold.
He also stands as a symbol for local talent — a San Antonio native who played at MacArthur, Trinity and with the San Antonio Scorpions of the NASL before joining the SAFC startup.
“To see guys who have come through the community, you can see them play in person and be like, ‘Hey, I can do that,’” Cardone said. “‘There’s potential for me to get there, because this guy was able to do it, so I believe in myself, as well.’ That’s something I’ll always have in the back of my mind.”
In a league centered on developing and advancing talent, Cardone said he’s kept the same approach since his first days with the club. Like everyone on the roster, he wants to play at the highest level possible, be it the MLS or elsewhere. If that opportunity never arises, Cardone said he’s not sure how many more seasons he would stay with SAFC, adding that he’s grateful for the resources and trust the club has invested in him through the years.
After training with Cardone and helping him plan his future for about a decade, Lamadrid said earning a shot with a higher-level club remains one of his aspirations, but not an obsession.
“He knows that if the opportunity arises, he would take it,” Lamadrid said. “And if not, it’s not going to affect him in his life, or in his performance here with us. I think if he decides to stay here forever, I’ll be happy to have him.”