C. J. Sapong facts for kids
Sapong with the Philadelphia Union in 2017
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Charles Nana Kwabena Sapong | ||
| Date of birth | December 27, 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Manassas, Virginia, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| D.C. United | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2010 | James Madison Dukes | 67 | (35) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009 | Fredericksburg Gunners | 8 | (0) |
| 2010 | Reading United | 11 | (4) |
| 2011–2014 | Sporting Kansas City | 110 | (20) |
| 2013 | → Orlando City (loan) | 4 | (1) |
| 2015–2018 | Philadelphia Union | 123 | (36) |
| 2019–2020 | Chicago Fire | 43 | (15) |
| 2021–2023 | Nashville SC | 74 | (17) |
| 2023 | Toronto FC | 20 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2012–2018 | United States | 4 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 2, 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 30, 2019 |
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Charles "CJ" Nana Kwabena Sapong (born December 27, 1988) is a former American professional soccer player. He played as a forward, which is an attacking position.
CJ Sapong was born in Manassas, Virginia. He started his soccer journey in the D.C. United youth academy. Later, he played college soccer for the James Madison Dukes. After four seasons in college, Sapong was chosen in the first round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. He was the 11th player picked overall by Sporting Kansas City.
After his first professional season, Sapong was named the MLS Rookie of the Year in 2011. In 2012, he won his first championship with Kansas City, helping them win the U.S. Open Cup. He was also part of the team that won MLS Cup in 2013. Before the 2015 season, Sapong moved to the Philadelphia Union. He played for the Union for three seasons. During this time, he changed his playing role from a winger to a forward. In 2019, he was traded to the Chicago Fire. Sapong also played for the United States national team. He played in four international matches between 2012 and 2018.
Playing Career
College Soccer Journey
Sapong played college soccer at James Madison University from 2007 to 2010. He scored 37 goals and made 21 assists during his four seasons. He was recognized as a top player every year. This included being named First Team All-Conference and the team's Offensive MVP. In 2010, he was the CAA Player of the Year as a senior co-captain.
Before turning professional, Sapong also played in a league called the USL Premier Development League. In 2009, he played eight games for Fredericksburg Gunners. In 2010, he played eleven games and scored four goals for Reading United.
Professional Club Career
Starting with Sporting Kansas City
On January 14, 2011, CJ Sapong was drafted by Sporting Kansas City. He was the 10th player picked overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. He officially joined the club on March 1, 2011. Sapong made his first professional appearance on March 19, 2011. This was in Kansas City's first game of the 2011 MLS season against Chivas USA. He scored his first professional goal just two minutes into the game. This helped his team win 3–2. Sapong was given the MLS Rookie of the Year Award for 2011. He was chosen over other talented young players like Perry Kitchen.
Loan to Orlando City
In July 2013, Sapong was loaned to Orlando City. This team played in the USL Pro league. Just one week later, on July 18, Sporting Kansas City called him back. In his short time with Orlando, Sapong scored one goal in three matches. He also made one assist.
Time with Philadelphia Union
On December 8, 2014, Sapong was traded to Philadelphia Union. In return, Kansas City received a first-round pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. With Kansas City, Sapong often played on the wing. At the Union, he became the main center forward. This allowed him to use his strength and ability to hold up the ball. He was the Union's top scorer in 2015 with 9 goals. He continued to score even more in the following seasons. On May 6, 2017, he scored his first career hat-trick (three goals in one game). This happened in Philadelphia's 3–0 win over the New York Red Bulls.
On October 22, 2017, Sapong broke the Union's single-season scoring record. The previous record was 14 goals, held by Sebastian Le Toux in 2010. In a home game against Orlando City, on the last day of the season, Sapong scored his fifteenth and sixteenth goals. This set a new record for the club.
Moving to Chicago Fire
On February 23, 2019, Sapong was traded from Philadelphia to Chicago Fire. His contract with the Chicago Fire ended at the close of the 2020 season.
Playing for Nashville SC
On February 10, 2021, Sapong signed with Nashville SC as a free agent. This means he joined the team without a transfer fee.
Final Stop at Toronto FC
On April 25, 2023, Sapong was traded to Toronto FC. This trade involved player Lukas MacNaughton and some allocation money. At the end of the 2023 season, Toronto FC decided not to keep him for the 2024 season. On May 6, 2025, CJ Sapong announced that he was retiring from professional soccer.
International Play
On January 21, 2012, Sapong played his first game for the senior United States team. He came in as a substitute in the second half. The U.S. won 1–0 against Venezuela in a friendly match. On November 14, 2017, Sapong started his first game for the United States. This was in a friendly match against Portugal. He made an assist with a great pass to Weston McKennie.
Personal Life
CJ Sapong was born in the United States. His family background is from Ghana. On February 23, 2017, Sapong helped start the Sacred Seeds foundation. This foundation works to help communities that need support. It focuses on providing food and helping people become self-sufficient. Sapong was inspired by his own experiences. He learned about healthy ways to recover from injuries during his soccer career.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Playoffs | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sporting Kansas City | 2011 | Major League Soccer | 34 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | – | — | 38 | 6 | ||
| 2012 | 31 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 | – | — | 38 | 11 | ||||
| 2013 | 25 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 37 | 5 | |||
| 2014 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 27 | 2 | |||
| Total | 110 | 20 | 11 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 140 | 24 | ||
| Orlando City (loan) | 2013 | USL Pro | 4 | 1 | – | 0 | 0 | – | — | 4 | 1 | |||
| Philadelphia Union | 2015 | Major League Soccer | 27 | 9 | – | 4 | 0 | – | — | 31 | 9 | |||
| 2016 | 31 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | — | 33 | 7 | ||||
| 2017 | 33 | 16 | – | 2 | 1 | – | — | 35 | 17 | |||||
| 2018 | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | – | — | 36 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 123 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 | – | – | 135 | 38 | ||||
| Chicago Fire | 2019 | Major League Soccer | 32 | 13 | – | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 34 | 13 | ||
| 2020 | 11 | 2 | – | – | – | — | 11 | 2 | ||||||
| Total | 43 | 15 | – | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 15 | |||
| Nashville SC | 2021 | Major League Soccer | 33 | 12 | 2 | 0 | – | – | — | 35 | 12 | |||
| 2022 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | – | — | 37 | 6 | ||||
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 74 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 18 | ||
| Toronto FC | 2023 | Major League Soccer | 20 | 1 | – | 1 | 0 | – | 1 | 0 | 22 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 370 | 90 | 16 | 2 | 25 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 377 | 97 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2012 | 2 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 0 | |
Honors and Awards
Sporting Kansas City
- MLS Cup: 2013
- U.S. Open Cup: 2012
Individual
- MLS Rookie of the Year: 2011
See also
In Spanish: C. J. Sapong para niños
