By the time professional soccer players turn 40, most are talking about their careers in the past tense.
Those on the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team, however, are just getting started.
The U.S. Men’s Senior National Team is a self-funded national program consisting of 33 former competitive soccer players aged 40 or older who compete in the annual Seniors World Cup held in Bangkok, Thailand. This year’s tournament, held from June 1-6, featured the United States, France, England and several other nations. England captured its ninth title, while France and the United States finished second and third, respectively.
Playing a role in that third-place finish was Benicia resident Ryan Schaeffer. Schaeffer, 50, is a former Air Force Academy soccer standout who was competing in his first-ever Seniors World Cup.
“It was just fun to play at that level and see people who are still competing at our age,” he said. “Competing at a high level and representing the U.S. team as well as we did, with class and soccer talent, was really fun.”
The United States returned to the tournament in 2025 after a nine-year absence and finished last, earning just one point from a draw with Uruguay. This year, the team did a complete 180, advancing all the way to the semifinals before falling to France in a penalty shootout.
Schaeffer played almost every sport under the sun while growing up in Cheyenne, Wyoming, but soccer was always his first love. So much so that he quit the football team at the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School to pursue it.
“They weren’t real happy with me when I ended up quitting the football team, but ultimately I did make the soccer team and got to play four years at the Air Force Academy,” Schaeffer said. “It all worked out in the long run.”
It certainly did.
During his four seasons with the Falcons from 1995-1998, Schaeffer scored 41 goals, which still ranks him as the third leading scorer in program history. He helped the team earn a No. 3 national ranking in 1996 and reach the NCAA tournament in 1997.
“We played some really high-level, competitive soccer all four years,” Schaeffer said. “Maybe our touch and our skill wasn’t as high level as other teams, but our athleticism and our will to win was a lot higher.”
Benicia resident Ryan Schaeffer (left) poses for a picture with U.S. Men’s Senior National Team head coach David Jones (right). (Courtesy photo)
Following his graduation from pilot training in 2001, Schaeffer was assigned to Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield. He flew for the Air Force until December of 2023 and was hired by Southwest Airlines in 2014 while serving in the reserves. He continues to work as a pilot for Southwest today.
With all that time spent in the air, it was hard for Schaeffer to make time on the pitch. The pilot gave up soccer for 10 years before joining a soccer club in 2011 to get back into the sport.
“I was very casual, maybe played 10 games a year, didn’t really practice or anything like that,” Schaeffer said.
Little did he know, an opportunity to take his game to a whole different level would come knocking.
“This past August, I got a message on Facebook from a former Air Force Academy player who knew who I was,” Schaeffer said. “He just said, ‘are you still playing and do you have any interest in trying out for this upcoming 2025-26 cycle for the senior national team? I talked to my wife, and I had no idea what I was getting into.”
Schaeffer soon found himself at player identification events in cities like Las Vegas and Phoenix, where he showcased enough to qualify for the final roster.
“You’re playing with guys and you don’t even know their name, let alone how they play,” he said. “But the coach didn’t necessarily care about results, he just cared about watching you play and how you did as an individual.”
Schaeffer said making the trip to Thailand and competing against some of the world’s top senior players rekindled the competitive edge he hadn’t felt since his time with the Falcons.
“The competitive fire hadn’t burned out, but it definitely was dim,” Schaeffer said. “Competing on this stage when you’re putting on the crest and your jersey that says USA on the back, the competitive fire definitely burned a little brighter.”
He added that he couldn’t have asked for a better group of teammates.
“We lived together for a week prior to going. We showed up at 7 a.m. I think we got to bed at about 11 p.m., so it was 16 hours, and I wasn’t separated from the team for a single minute,” he said. “You got to know those guys really fast, and they become your best friends and brothers. It was a phenomenal experience.”
Just one day removed from a 25-hour trip back home and nearly a year of dedication, Schaeffer said he’s unsure whether he wants to return next year, but he knows the program is in good hands.
“Us taking third place and bringing back the bronze medal, it kind of legitimizes the program,” he said. “It really is gaining a lot of traction. I think there’s gonna be a lot better talent moving forward.”