When Matt Eliason ’11, the all-time leading scorer for Northwestern men’s soccer, buried a bicycle kick during a July 2013 charity match with soccer star Lionel Messi, the highlight earned the No. 1 spot on SportsCenter’s “Top 10 Plays” and changed the trajectory of his life. Inspired by the goal, Eliason, who had been working as an analyst for GE Capital, rekindled his professional soccer career, earning a spot on Thróttur Reykjavík FC, a club in Iceland. His stint with the team was short-lived due to injury, and Eliason now lives in Chicago, working as a senior associate at TRC Advisory. His journey was chronicled in the documentary Messi & Me. Northwestern men’s soccer coach Tim Lenahan executive produced the film, and the crew included executive producer Gregg Latterman ’96 MBA, director Renny Maslow ’96 and producer Jake Abraham ’96. Messi & Me has screened at film festivals in New York, Los Angeles and Napa Valley, as well as Barcelona, Spain, and will be available through streaming outlets this spring.
Brothers in Arms
On the men’s soccer field, brothers Reese Mayer and Bryant Mayer have found an honorary brother in Nigel Prince. The three student-athletes shore up the Wildcats’ back-line defense on the pitch, but they’ve got each other’s backs off the field too.
Reader Responses
This is so awesome. Can't wait to watch. Congrats, Matt!
—Arturo Menchaca '06, Chicago, via Northwestern Magazine
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