Today, as I awaited my turn to referee a high-school soccer match, I overheard two men talking about the U.S. men’s soccer team. One said to another that he was sad that Brad Friedel had just retired and would not play in next year’s World Cup in Germany. My first thought was, Where have you been? Friedel announced his retirement back in February! But then my mind wandered back to the single greatest individual moment I have ever seen in men’s soccer (Sorry, but Pele, George Best, Johann Cruyff, etc. are before my time).

It was 1997 in Mexico City. The United States faced their nemesis at Estadio Azteca — 120,000 fans jeering in a stadium some 7,000 feet above sea level at noontime with air pollution as horrible as ever. The U.S. was 0-17-0 alltime in Azteca. To make matters worse, the Americans played 58 minutes a man down.

None of this bothered Friedel, as he made save after save after save. Mexico’s pressure on goal was as great as I have ever seen, and Friedel turned everything away. My memory is of watching the match in Spanish and hearing the announcer shout “Freeeee-Delllll” again and again as he foiled the Mexicans.

When the whistle blew, the U.S. had earned its first point in Mexico, drawing 0-0. That point was crucial because it opened the door for the Americans to qualify for the 1998 World Cup with a victory at Canada, which they easily did.

I recall Mexico dismayed at failing to put away the Americans. I recall U.S. coach Steve Sampson blowing kisses at the crowd. I don’t recall Friedel showing any emotion, but I was ecstatic.

I am not alone in remembering this match as Fridel’s masterpiece. In his official U.S. Soccer biography, that match “will go down as one of his greatest games.”

True, Friedel went on to bigger successes in the 2002 World Cup, starting all five matches and posting a 2-2-1 record and a 1.40 goals against average. He became one of two goalkeepers to have stopped two penalty kicks in the first round of a World Cup, doing so against Korea on June 10 and Poland on June 14; and he recorded the first U.S. shutout in World Cup play in more than 50 years with a 2-0 victory over Mexico in the second round, sending the U.S. to the quarterfinals, its best showing since 1930.

But to me, Friedel will always be the Man Who Mastered Azteca, turning back Mexico and single-handedly saving the U.S.’s 1998 Cup chances.