The timing of a call from Pádraig Smith was a bit odd, but the duty of offseason housekeeping put Colorado Rapids coach Chris Armas on a plane from New York anyway.
Once in Colorado, he was asked to do a photoshoot on the field at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. No problem.
When nearly all of his immediate family — who also flew out from New York — walked onto the field behind him, he knew something was up. Then they told him the real reason he spontaneously packed a bag and flew across the country: He had been selected for induction into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
He’s been an NSHOF finalist for the past five years. His family somehow made it all the way to the grass at DSGP without conceding the news. It was all official, yet it still didn’t seem real to the 52-year-old coach from the Bronx.
“When the list comes out, I always go through the list and say, ‘Well, do I have a chance at this?’ And I see some old teammates — Tony Sanneh, Clint Mathis, different guys — and some exceptional women players, and it’s always fun because any one of those people can win,” Armas told The Denver Post. “I really was pleasantly surprised and honored, to be honest. When that list comes out, it’s not even at the top of my mind because it’s almost nice enough just being mentioned with such grace.”
Armas was selected from the veteran ballot for his lengthy career, which included an MLS Cup, three U.S. Open Cups, five MLS Best XI (all-star) selections and 66 appearances for the U.S. Men’s National Team. In addition to playing for the L.A. Galaxy in Major League Soccer’s inaugural season, the former defensive midfielder helped the Chicago Fire to an MLS Cup and Open Cup victory in its expansion year of 1998.
In total, Armas spent 12 years in the MLS between the Galaxy and Fire. He won three Open Cups, appeared in four MLS Cup matches, saw action in 19 World Cup qualifiers and contributed to the USMNT’s 2002 and 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup titles.
Those in the veteran category include players who have been retired for at least 10 calendar years. Those selected from the players category must be retired for at least three years. The builder category consists of people who have “left a distinct mark on soccer in a non-playing capacity,” according to the NSHOF. A class typically consists of two or three olayers, one or two veterans and a builder.
Armas’ coaching career, which began in 2008 a year after his retirement from playing, has taken a sharp turn for the best in 2024. After Colorado had its worst season in franchise history, he took over and authored a complete turnaround this year, which garnered an MLS Coach of the Year finalist nod.
Armas will be officially inducted to the NSHOF on May 3 next year.
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