Ricardo Clark
Encyclopedia
Ricardo Clark is an American
soccer player who currently plays for Eintracht Frankfurt
in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga
.
, Georgia
, and played college soccer
at Furman University
in 2001 and 2002, where he was named a first-team All-American
in his second season. In 2001, he overcame foot injury to start 14 games and record one assist. In 2002 he scored three goals and registered three assists, and was named, First Team NSCAA All-American, first-team All-American, First Team College Soccer News All-American and All-Southern Conference First Team. He also helped lead Furman to 19–3–1 record and Southern Conference regular season and tournament championships.
contract with MLS, and entered the 2003 MLS SuperDraft
, where he was selected second overall by the MetroStars. Clark was excellent from the first game with the Metros, playing a vital role in the team's midfield, and finishing the season first on the team in minutes. Although Clark was an early favorite to be named MLS Rookie of the Year
, he faded near the end, but still was a finalist for the award. He helped the MetroStars win four games en route to the first final in club history. MetroStars were defeated 1–0 by Chicago Fire in Open Cup final.
In his second year with the Metros, Clark struggled to find playing time in a very crowded midfield and to find his form after some minor injuries, but he came on strong at the end of the year, becoming an automatic starter. In two years with the MetroStars, Clark scored four goals and added two assists.
for an allocation
before the 2005 season.
Clark played very well in San Jose in a defensive midfield position, scoring three goals and two assists. He was named Player Of The Month for July and Earthquakes Player Of The Month for July. Along with the rest of his Earthquakes teammates, he moved to Houston for the 2006 season where he was part of two MLS Cup Championship runs in the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Clark scored MLS Goal of the Week nominee on August 16 vs. Real Salt Lake with a long-range strike.
In 2007, Clark started 19 games in 2007 despite missing almost a month while competing in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
and CONMEBOL 2007 Copa America with the U.S. national team. He was named to MLS All-Star squad that faced Celtic F.C.
He finished season with two goals and three assists, but missed the final two regular season and all playoff matches due to a suspension resulting from a deliberate kick aimed at a prone Carlos Ruiz in a match with FC Dallas. On March 3, 2009, started in second leg of a CONCACAF Champions League match at Atlante, made him the fifth player in club history to make 100 starts in all competitions.
club Eintracht Frankfurt
for the remainder of the 2009–10 season with an option to extend the contract at the end of the season. Despite being injured for much of his time in Germany, Clark inked a three-year deal with Frankfurt on May 7, 2010.
. He played for the US at the 2003 World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates
. Clark got his first senior cap on October 12, 2005 against Panama
, and scored his first international goal on July 2, 2007 against Paraguay
in the 2007 Copa America. He received his first appearance in a World Cup Qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago and his first start in World Cup Qualifying against Guatemala. He also participated in the 2009 Confederations Cup where he was sent off in the American's first match against Italy
, following a kick on Gennaro Gattuso
. Clark scored his first goal in World Cup Qualifying on a 26-yard strike against Trinidad and Tobago
, giving the U.S. a 1–0 victory. His father, born in Trinidad, was watching from the stands. Clark has drawn criticism for his play in major tournaments; in the 2010 World Cup, his turnover in the midfield led to Ghana's first goal in the second round. He was also shown a straight red card in the 2009 Confederations Cup against Italy.
|-
|2003||rowspan="2"|MetroStars
||rowspan="7"|Major League Soccer
||28||3||5||0||2||0||0||0||35||3
|-
|2004||26||1||0||0||2||0||0||0||28||1
|-
|2005||rowspan="1"|San Jose Earthquakes
||30||3||0||0||2||1||0||0||32||4
|-
|2006||rowspan="4"|Houston Dynamo
||31||2||2||0||2||0||0||0||35||2
|-
|2007
||19||2||0||0||0||0||3||0||22||2
|-
|2008
||25||2||0||0||2||0||7||0||34||2
|-
|2009
||22||1||0||0||3||0||3||0||28||1
|-
|2009-10||rowspan="3"|Eintracht Frankfurt
||rowspan="2"|Bundesliga
||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|2010-11||11||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||14||0
|-
|2011-12
||rowspan="1"|2. Bundesliga
||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
181||14||7||0||13||1||13||0||214||15
15||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||18||0
196||14||10||0||13||1||13||0||232||15
Last updated November 8, 2011
Statistics accurate as of match played November 8, 2011
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player who currently plays for Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
.
High School and College
Clark attended St. Pius X Catholic High School in AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and played college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
at Furman University
Furman University
Furman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina...
in 2001 and 2002, where he was named a first-team All-American
Division I First-Team All-American (soccer)
The Division I First-Team All-Americans are the best eleven U.S. college soccer players as selected by the NCAA.-1970–1983:From 1970 to 1983 the NCAA only named defenders and forwards in addition to one goalkeeper.-1983–present:...
in his second season. In 2001, he overcame foot injury to start 14 games and record one assist. In 2002 he scored three goals and registered three assists, and was named, First Team NSCAA All-American, first-team All-American, First Team College Soccer News All-American and All-Southern Conference First Team. He also helped lead Furman to 19–3–1 record and Southern Conference regular season and tournament championships.
MetroStars
After his sophomore year, Clark signed a Project-40Generation adidas
Generation adidas is a joint venture between Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer aimed at raising the level of young soccer talent in the United States. The program, sponsored by adidas, encourages early entry of American players into MLS...
contract with MLS, and entered the 2003 MLS SuperDraft
2003 MLS SuperDraft
The 2003 Major League Soccer SuperDraft was held January 17, 2003 in Kansas City, Missouri.-Round 1:-Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6:References=* USA Today MLS Draft List...
, where he was selected second overall by the MetroStars. Clark was excellent from the first game with the Metros, playing a vital role in the team's midfield, and finishing the season first on the team in minutes. Although Clark was an early favorite to be named MLS Rookie of the Year
MLS Rookie of the Year Award
In the United States, Major League Soccer has handed out a Rookie of the Year Award since its inception in 1996. MLS, as opposed to other American sports leagues like Major League Baseball, only designates a player as a rookie if the player has had no prior professional experience...
, he faded near the end, but still was a finalist for the award. He helped the MetroStars win four games en route to the first final in club history. MetroStars were defeated 1–0 by Chicago Fire in Open Cup final.
In his second year with the Metros, Clark struggled to find playing time in a very crowded midfield and to find his form after some minor injuries, but he came on strong at the end of the year, becoming an automatic starter. In two years with the MetroStars, Clark scored four goals and added two assists.
San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo
He was traded to the San Jose EarthquakesSan Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
for an allocation
Allocation (MLS)
In Major League Soccer, an allocation represents an amount of money teams can use to sign players and/or allocate to their salaries to get under the salary cap. Allocations are given to teams that have missed the playoffs the previous seasons, given to expansion teams, or awarded as compensation...
before the 2005 season.
Clark played very well in San Jose in a defensive midfield position, scoring three goals and two assists. He was named Player Of The Month for July and Earthquakes Player Of The Month for July. Along with the rest of his Earthquakes teammates, he moved to Houston for the 2006 season where he was part of two MLS Cup Championship runs in the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Clark scored MLS Goal of the Week nominee on August 16 vs. Real Salt Lake with a long-range strike.
In 2007, Clark started 19 games in 2007 despite missing almost a month while competing in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup
The 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the ninth edition of the Gold Cup, the football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean , and was won by the United States over Mexico. It was contested in the United States from June 6 to June 24, 2007.This competition was the third...
and CONMEBOL 2007 Copa America with the U.S. national team. He was named to MLS All-Star squad that faced Celtic F.C.
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
He finished season with two goals and three assists, but missed the final two regular season and all playoff matches due to a suspension resulting from a deliberate kick aimed at a prone Carlos Ruiz in a match with FC Dallas. On March 3, 2009, started in second leg of a CONCACAF Champions League match at Atlante, made him the fifth player in club history to make 100 starts in all competitions.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Clark, whose contract with MLS expired at the end of the 2009 season, signed a deal with Fußball-BundesligaFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
club Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
for the remainder of the 2009–10 season with an option to extend the contract at the end of the season. Despite being injured for much of his time in Germany, Clark inked a three-year deal with Frankfurt on May 7, 2010.
International
Clark has played for several youth United States national teamsUnited States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
. He played for the US at the 2003 World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. Clark got his first senior cap on October 12, 2005 against Panama
Panama national football team
The Panama national football team is the national team of Panama and is controlled by the Panamanian Football Federation. Panama reached the 2006 World Cup CONCACAF Final Round in the qualifiers and finished as runners-up at the final game of the 2005 Gold Cup...
, and scored his first international goal on July 2, 2007 against Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
in the 2007 Copa America. He received his first appearance in a World Cup Qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago and his first start in World Cup Qualifying against Guatemala. He also participated in the 2009 Confederations Cup where he was sent off in the American's first match against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, following a kick on Gennaro Gattuso
Gennaro Gattuso
Gennaro Ivan Gattuso, Ufficiale OMRI is an Italian footballer, who plays for Serie A club Milan. He mainly plays as a defensive midfielder. Gattuso is an aggressive, hard tackling player and in his prime, was widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world...
. Clark scored his first goal in World Cup Qualifying on a 26-yard strike against Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago national football team
The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
, giving the U.S. a 1–0 victory. His father, born in Trinidad, was watching from the stands. Clark has drawn criticism for his play in major tournaments; in the 2010 World Cup, his turnover in the midfield led to Ghana's first goal in the second round. He was also shown a straight red card in the 2009 Confederations Cup against Italy.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01. | July 2, 2007 | Estadio Agustín Tovar Estadio Agustín Tovar Estadio Agustín Tovar, also known as Estadio La Carolina, is a multi-purpose stadium in Barinas, Venezuela. It is currently used mostly for football matches and it is the home stadium of Zamora FC... , Barinas Barinas, Barinas Barinas is a city in west central Venezuela. According to an estimate in 2009, its population is 251,535. It is the capital of the Barinas Municipality and the State of Barinas... , Venezuela Venezuela Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south... |
Copa América 2007 The 2007 Campeonato Sudamericano Copa América, known simply as the 2007 Copa América or 2007 Copa América Venezuela, was the 42nd edition of the Copa América, the South-American championship for international association football teams... |
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| 02. | September 9, 2009 | Hasely Crawford Stadium Hasely Crawford Stadium The Hasely Crawford Stadium, located in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, is named after Hasely Crawford, the first person from Trinidad and Tobago to win an Olympic gold medal. Originally built as the National Stadium in 1980, the stadium was re-named to honour Crawford in 2001. The stadium... , Port of Spain Port of Spain Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population... , Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles... |
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - CONCACAF Fourth Round This page provides the summaries of the CONCACAF Fourth Round, often referred to as "The Hexagonal" or "The Hex", matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification... |
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Club
|-|-
|2003||rowspan="2"|MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
||rowspan="7"|Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
||28||3||5||0||2||0||0||0||35||3
|-
|2004||26||1||0||0||2||0||0||0||28||1
|-
|2005||rowspan="1"|San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
||30||3||0||0||2||1||0||0||32||4
|-
|2006||rowspan="4"|Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
||31||2||2||0||2||0||0||0||35||2
|-
|2007
2007 Major League Soccer season
The 2007 Major League Soccer season was the 12th season in league history. The season began on April 7 and concluded with MLS Cup 2007 on November 18, 2007 at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C.....
||19||2||0||0||0||0||3||0||22||2
|-
|2008
2008 Major League Soccer season
The 2008 Major League Soccer season was the 13th season in league history. The season began on March 29 and ended with MLS Cup 2008, on November 23 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.-Changes from the 2007 season:...
||25||2||0||0||2||0||7||0||34||2
|-
|2009
2009 Major League Soccer season
The 2009 Major League Soccer season was the 14th season of Major League Soccer. The season began on March 19 and ended with Real Salt Lake winning the MLS Cup 2009, on November 22 at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington-Changes from the 2008 season:...
||22||1||0||0||3||0||3||0||28||1
|-
|2009-10||rowspan="3"|Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt is a German sports club, based in Frankfurt, Hesse that is best known for its association football club.- Club origins :...
||rowspan="2"|Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
||3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0
|-
|2010-11||11||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||14||0
|-
|2011-12
2011–12 2. Fußball-Bundesliga
The 2011–12 2. Fußball-Bundesliga is the 38th season of the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga, Germany's second tier of its football league system. The season commenced on 15 July 2011, three weeks earlier than the 2011–12 Fußball-Bundesliga season, and will end with the last games on 6 May 2012...
||rowspan="1"|2. Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
||1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
181||14||7||0||13||1||13||0||214||15
15||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||18||0
196||14||10||0||13||1||13||0||232||15
Last updated November 8, 2011
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States United States men's national soccer team The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF... |
|||
| 2005 2005 in American soccer The 2005 season was the 93rd year of competitive soccer in the United States.-National team:The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Standings:... |
1 | 0 | |
| 2006 2006 in American soccer The 2006 season was the 94th year of competitive soccer in the United States.-National team:The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Tables:... |
0 | 0 | |
| 2007 2007 in American soccer The 2007 season was the 95th year of competitive soccer in the United States.-National team:The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Table:... |
9 | 1 | |
| 2008 2008 in American soccer The 2008 season was the 96th year of competitive soccer in the United States.-National team:The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Playoffs:... |
6 | 0 | |
| 2009 2009 in American soccer -National team:The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the rightcolumn.-MLS Cup:-Table:Purple indicates league title clinched.... |
11 | 1 | |
| 2010 2010 in American soccer The 2010 Season was the 98th season of competitive soccer in the United States.- National teams :The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Friendly matches:... |
4 | 0 | |
| 2011 2011 in American soccer The 2011 Season is the 99th season of competitive soccer in the United States.- National teams :The home team or the team that is designated as the home team is listed in the left column; the away team is in the right column.-Senior:... |
0 | 0 | |
| Total | 32 | 2 | |
Statistics accurate as of match played November 8, 2011
Houston Dynamo
- Major League SoccerMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
MLS Cup Champion (2): 2006MLS Cup 2006The 2006 MLS Cup was the championship game of the 2006 Major League Soccer season, played on November 12, 2006 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas between the New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo. Houston won 4-3 on penalty kicks, after a 1-1 draw following extra time...
, 2007MLS Cup 2007The 2007 MLS Cup was the 12th edition of the MLS Cup championship game. The match was played on November 18, 2007 between the New England Revolution and the Houston Dynamo — a rematch of the 2006 MLS Cup final. For the second straight year, the Dynamo defeated the Revolution, this time by a 2-1...