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Inside Soccer
Posted: Tuesday July 02, 2002 1:47 PM
The World at His Feet
After a sparkling World Cup, U.S. defender Tony Sanneh is suddenly a wanted man By
Grant Wahl 
Now that the World Cup has ended, it's time for soccer's Silly Season, when European clubs open their checkbooks and plunder the rosters of lesser rivals. This year's market is livelier than usual for American players after their run to the quarterfinals, and no Yank is a more surprisingly hot commodity than defender Tony Sanneh. Eight European clubs, including English powers Arsenal and Newcastle United and Italy's Lazio, have made serious inquiries about the St. Paul native, who was the American revelation of the Cup.
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Top clubs in England and Italy covet the skills Sanneh displayed in South Korea. Ben Radford/Getty Images |
The most remarkable part of Sanneh's rise has been how he seemingly turned overnight from a dubious defender with shaky ball skills into a world-class stopper who was also dangerous on the attack in the tournament. Sanneh credits a confidence-building switch from right back to sweeper last spring at FC Nürnberg, his club in the German Bundesliga. "A lot of people say, 'You really surprised me. I didn't used to like you at all,'" he says. "Well, people are quick to form opinions -- until you're on a stage like the World Cup, where opinions don't matter so much."
If Sanneh were 25 instead of 31 his market value might be several times higher than the $2.5 million transfer fee Nürnberg was demanding. (He recently finished the first season of a three-year, $2.7 million contract.) But, says U.S. coach Bruce Arena, "Tony's a young 31. He's also a great athlete, which will allow him to last longer in the game. Physically, mentally and technically, he looks like he's only beginning to peak."
Sanneh started the first three Cup games at right back -- his overlapping run and cross to Brian McBride for the third goal against Portugal was a thing of beauty -- but he was even more versatile in the last two games as a center back who defended mercilessly and picked his spots to move forward. Though Arena says Sanneh's future on the national team most likely is at center back or holding midfielder, most of Sanneh's club pursuers envision him as a rightside defender.
Sanneh's success proves that American minor league soccer can produce top talent, even if it takes awhile. A striker at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and in two seasons with the Milwaukee Rampage and Minnesota Thunder, the 6'2", 190-pound Sanneh was spotted at the 1996 MLS combine by Arena, then the D.C. United coach, who converted Sanneh to a rightside midfielder. With D.C., he displayed a knack for performing in big games, scoring goals in the first two MLS Cups, and in '98 he was picked up by the Bundesliga's Hertha Berlin.
Sanneh has adapted comfortably in Germany, where he learned the language and became part-owner of a Berlin pub called Leibniz. This fall he plans to introduce a clothing line called UGLY Wear (an acronym for U Gotta Love Yourself). "It doesn't matter if people don't like the way I play or say I'm ugly," he says. "It's all about being comfortable with who you are."
And, not least, about showing that late bloomers can be just as valuable as 20-year-old phenoms when it counts most.
| Best of the
Best |
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There are no Beckhams or Tottis on SI's All-World Cup squad -- in this most
improbable tournament, a player had to prove his worth on the field to make our
team. |
| GOALKEEPER | Oliver Kahn , Germany Put on a one-man show and dragged his team to the final. |
| DEFENDERS | Tony Sanneh , U.S. Came out of nowhere to be a rock on defense and a threat on attack. |
| | Rio Ferdinand , England The world's most-in-demand center back is being eyed by Manchester United. |
| | Puyol , Spain Outplayed linemate Fernando Hierro to help the Spaniards reach the quarterfinals. |
| | Roberto Carlos , Brazil The relentlessly forward-thinking wingback played fine defense too. |
| MIDFIELDERS | Yoo Sang Chul , South Korea Peerless holding mid set the tone for co-host's magical run tosemifinals. |
| | Papa Bouba Diop , Senegal Top-level showings proved his game-winner against France was no fluke. |
| | Ronaldinho , Brazil Displayed verve and imagination that were all too rare in this Cup. |
| FORWARDS | Rivaldo , Brazil Theatrics aside, his ruthless artistry and five goals were breathtaking. |
| | Hasan Sas , Turkey Fearless finisher for surprise semifinalists. |
| | Ronaldo, Brazil Came full circle after the nightmare in '98 to reclaim his place atop the sport. |
Issue date: July 8, 2002
For more Inside Soccer see this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands Wednesday, July 3. Click here to subscribe to SI.
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