Bakary Soumaré facts for kids
Soumaré with Chicago Fire in December 2008
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 9 November 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Bamako, Mali | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002–2005 | La Salle Cardinals | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2006 | Virginia Cavaliers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2009 | Chicago Fire | 63 | (0) |
| 2009–2012 | Boulogne | 67 | (2) |
| 2012 | → Karlsruher SC (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Philadelphia Union | 4 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Chicago Fire | 48 | (1) |
| 2015 | Montreal Impact | 10 | (0) |
| 2015 | FC Dallas | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 199 | (3) | |
| International career | |||
| 2009–2010 | Mali | 12 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Bakary Soumaré, born on November 9, 1985, is a former professional football player from Mali. He was a defender on the field. Bakary played for teams in the United States, France, Germany, and Canada. He also played twelve games for the Mali national team.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bakary Soumaré was born in Bamako, Mali. When he was two years old, his family moved to France. He grew up in Saint-Denis, a town near Paris.
At the age of sixteen, Bakary moved to New York City. He attended La Salle Academy, a Catholic high school, for four years. He earned a degree from the school.
After high school, Bakary received a sports scholarship. This allowed him to attend the University of Virginia. He studied there for three semesters. Then, he was chosen to play in the MLS, a professional football league.
Bakary's Club Football Career
Playing for Chicago Fire
In 2007, the Chicago Fire team chose Bakary Soumaré as their second pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft. He made his first game appearance on May 27, 2007. This was in a 0–0 tie against Real Salt Lake.
On July 1, 2007, Bakary received a red card during a game. This happened in another 0–0 tie, this time against Colorado Rapids. Despite this, he became an important player for the team.
During the 2008 season, Bakary accidentally scored a goal for the other team. This happened in a 1–1 tie during the first game of the season. Even with this, he was nominated for the MLS Defender of the Year award.
In August 2009, Bakary had a disagreement with his manager, Denis Hamlett. This happened during a game against Houston Dynamo.
Playing in France
In August 2009, Bakary joined the French club US Boulogne. He signed a four-year contract with them. He made his first appearance for the club on August 19, 2009. This was in a game they lost 2–0 against Bordeaux.
On March 20, 2010, Bakary received a red card in a game against Paris Saint-Germain. At the end of that season, Boulogne's team moved down to a lower league, Ligue 2. Bakary became the team captain for the next season.
He scored his first career goal on October 29, 2010. This helped his team win 1–0 against Reims. His second goal came in his last game of the season on April 22, 2011. This game was a 3–2 win over Tours.
Bakary played in 65 league games for Boulogne in total.
Playing in Germany
In January 2012, Bakary Soumaré joined the German club Karlsruher SC. He played for them on loan until the end of the 2011–12 season. He made his first game appearance on February 5, 2012. This was in a 2–1 win against Erzgebirge Aue.
However, his season ended early because of a knee injury.
Playing for Philadelphia Union
Bakary returned to Major League Soccer (MLS) when he signed with Philadelphia Union on June 26, 2012. He made his first MLS appearance since leaving Chicago Fire on August 13, 2012. This was in a 3–1 loss against his old club.
In September 2012, he had a check-up on his knee. He had undergone major knee surgery in April 2012.
Returning to Chicago Fire
After playing a few games against his old team, Philadelphia traded Bakary Soumaré back to Chicago Fire. This trade happened on May 23, 2013.
Playing for Montreal Impact
Bakary's second time playing for Chicago was not as successful. The club decided not to renew his contract for 2015. In December 2014, Bakary was chosen by Montreal Impact. He officially signed with them on January 6, 2015. He asked to leave the club in July 2015.
Playing for FC Dallas
In July 2015, Bakary Soumaré was traded to FC Dallas. This trade involved another player, Kyle Bekker.
International Football Career
Bakary Soumaré once said he wanted to play for the United States national team. He hoped to become an American citizen to do this.
However, this did not happen. So, Bakary decided to play for Mali, his home country. He made his first appearance for the Mali national team in 2009.
He was part of the Mali squad for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. He played in two games during this tournament. In one game, he received a yellow card, which meant he missed the next game.
Personal Life
Bakary Soumaré holds citizenship in three countries. He is a citizen of Mali, France, and the United States.
Achievements
Individual Awards
- MLS Best XI: 2008
