Aug. 3, 2010

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Former South Carolina soccer standout Clint Mathis (1994-97) announced on Tuesday his retirement from the sport, the LA Galaxy, his current MLS squad, made the announcement. Mathis will play his final game in a Galaxy uniform when the team faces Real Madrid in a friendly on August 7 at the Rose Bowl.

LINK: Complete LA Galaxy Retirement Release

“Clint Mathis has been one of the great personalities in American soccer throughout his career,” South Carolina head men’s soccer coach Mark Berson said. “Clint has been an exciting, dynamic and flamboyant attacking force out on the field. He has excelled on the youth, collegiate, professional and full international level with the U.S. World Cup Team. Clint has always been a person who cared deeply about people. Each community in which he has lived has benefited from his involvement with charities and youth work. Clint was inducted into the University of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007 and all of the Gamecock Soccer Nation thank him for his contributions to the game and we wish him and his family the very best.”

Mathis, an 11-year MLS veteran and member of the 2002 U.S. World Cup team, enters his final match with 61 career goals and 52 assists. During his career in the league, he has played with the Galaxy on three separate occasions, while also playing with Real Salt Lake, the Metrostars (now the New York Red Bulls), the Colorado Rapids and the New York Red Bulls during his career. Mathis’ top season in MLS came with the Metrostars in 2003, when he scored nine goals, while adding one assist in 2,019 minutes on the field. Mathis also won an MLS Title, helping Real Salt Lake win its first MLS Cup in 2009 by converting his penalty kick attempt in the penalty shootout that gave RSL the title.

Mathis still ranks among South Carolina’s greats several years after the conclusion of his college career. He ranks third all-time in total points (121), third in career coals (53) and is the single-season leader in points (53) and goals (25). Mathis was a consensus first-team All-American in 1995 and a third-team selection in 1997, while he was a three-time finalist for the prestigious Hermann Trophy. Mathis, one of two South Carolina athletes to ever be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, helped lead the Gamecocks to the NCAA Tournament in 1994, 1995 and 1997.