Still playing at a high level, former LCMR soccer star named finalist for U.S. roster spot for upcoming Over-40 World Cup

Posted: February 2nd 2026

Former Lower Cape May Regional High School soccer star Matt Lucas in action at an exposure event for the U.S. Men's Senior National Team. Lucas is one of the 33 finalists for a spot on the 25-player roster ahead of the Over-40 World Cup that takes place this spring in Thailand.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

Matt Lucas loved the sport of soccer so much that he worked enough on his game to become one of the best high school players this area has ever produced.

He scored 97 goals and recorded 105 assists over his high school career before graduating from Lower Cape May Regional in 1996. He went on to an excellent four-year career at South Carolina Spartanburg, then a Division II school, which has since changed its name to South Carolina Upstate and moved up to the Division I level.

For many of even the very best players out there, that would be it. You’d move on to a working career and maybe get into a little coaching as an adult.

Lucas did both of those. But he also didn’t give up his playing career along the way.

Now, nearly 30 years later and at 47 years of age, Lucas is close to earning a massive playing opportunity – he’s one of the 33 players nationally selected to compete for one of the 25 places on the United States Men’s Senior Soccer Team that’s set to participate in the Over-40 World Cup in Thailand in late May and early June.

“I’d say it’s probably the competitiveness in me,” Lucas said when asked why he’s still playing the sport.

Lucas, who now lives in Annapolis, Md., has stayed active in the sport his whole adult life. Before moving to Maryland, he was an assistant and later head coach at his alma mater at the high school level, while also coaching in the Cape Express youth program. In Maryland, he coached at Archbishop Spaulding High School and with the Celtic Soccer Club youth program.

All the while, though, Lucas continued to play as well, competing in various adult leagues over the years.

“Until someone says or I say myself that I can’t do this anymore, I’m going to keep doing it,” said Lucas, who has overcome various foot and knee ailments to keep his career alive. “I love the game of soccer. If I get hurt, I get hurt. But the competitiveness, the camaraderie with the guys, that’s what I love the most and that’s what keeps me going.”

Unlike the traditional World Cup, which is held every four years, the Over-40 World Cup takes place every year. 

Lucas was turned on to the possibility of playing for the U.S. Over-40 team by a friend, Pat Crawford, with whom he had coached in Maryland. Crawford is friends with U.S. Men’s Senior National Team coach Dave Jones.

Lucas, who has worked for the federal government for the past eight years after serving as a Maryland state trooper for five years, first competed at an exposure tournament in Las Vegas last year but couldn’t commit to competing for a spot due to work commitments.

He returned to the same event this year and played well enough to be selected to the training camp roster.

Training camp will take place May 22-27 in North Augusta, S.C. Included in the training camp are a pair of high-profile exhibition games, one against a military all-star team and the other against Wyhthenshaw Vets, a side made up of former English Premier League players, most of whom are in their late 30s and 40s.

Lucas said the USMSNT has a potential player pool of about 200 players. Some couldn’t commit due to work or family obligations. The roster was originally trimmed to 60 before being whittled down to 33 recently.

The final roster will be selected following the May training camp.

Lucas is listed on the training-squad roster as a center back.

The U.S. Men’s Senior National Team is currently not recognized by the United States Soccer Federation. Therefore, the players and coaches must raise their own funds and pay their own way to make the team go. The organization holds various fundraisers to help defray costs.

Lucas said it would be a great honor to be selected to the team and earn the opportunity to play halfway around the world.

“I think for any athlete, it’s the greatest honor to have, to represent your country no matter what level and no matter what age,” Lucas said. “Walking out wearing the uniform and hearing the National Anthem, that has to be one of the greatest honors an athlete could ever have. Not everyone gets to do it. 

“People look at you trying to play at this kind of level at this age and they say, ‘Are you nuts?’ but I look at it as an amazing opportunity to represent our country. Whether it’s one time or five times, it would probably be one of the greatest things I’ve ever accomplished.”

For more information on the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team and to view sponsorship and donation opportunities, log on to www.usmsnt.com.