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) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| D.C. United | |||
| 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) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2012–2018 | United States | 4 | (0) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Charles "CJ" Nana Kwabena Sapong (born December 27, 1988) is an American professional soccer player. He plays as a forward, which means he tries to score goals.
CJ Sapong was born in Manassas, Virginia. He started playing soccer in the D.C. United youth academy. Later, he played college soccer for the James Madison Dukes. After college, he was picked by Sporting Kansas City in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft.
In his first year as a professional, Sapong was named the MLS Rookie of the Year. He helped Kansas City win the U.S. Open Cup in 2012 and the MLS Cup in 2013. He later played for the Philadelphia Union, Chicago Fire, Nashville SC, and Toronto FC. Sapong has also played for the United States national team.
Playing Soccer: CJ Sapong's Journey
College Soccer Days
CJ Sapong played college soccer at James Madison University from 2007 to 2010. He was a great scorer, getting 37 goals and 21 assists during his time there. He was named the best offensive player for his team all four years. This was the first time anyone had done that in the program's history!
In 2010, he was named the CAA Player of the Year. As a freshman, he was also named the Rookie of the Year for his conference. Before becoming a professional, Sapong played for two amateur teams: Fredericksburg Gunners in 2009 and Reading United in 2010.
Professional Club Career
Starting Strong at Sporting Kansas City
On January 14, 2011, Sporting Kansas City chose Sapong as the 10th player in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. He joined the team on March 1, 2011. He played his first professional game on March 19, 2011, against Chivas USA. He scored his first goal just two minutes into the game, helping his team win 3–2.
Because of his amazing first year, Sapong won the MLS Rookie of the Year Award for 2011. He beat out other talented young players for this honor.
Short Loan to Orlando City
In July 2013, Sapong was loaned to Orlando City, a team in the USL Pro. He scored one goal and had one assist in three games. After only a week, Sporting Kansas City called him back to their team.
Becoming a Star at Philadelphia Union
On December 8, 2014, Sapong was traded to the Philadelphia Union. With Kansas City, he often played on the side of the field. But at the Union, he became the main forward, using his strength to hold the ball and create chances. He was the top scorer for the Union in 2015 with 9 goals.
He kept getting better, and on May 6, 2017, he scored his first career hat-trick (three goals in one game). This happened in a 3–0 win against the New York Red Bulls. On October 22, 2017, Sapong broke the Union's record for most goals in a single season. He scored his 15th and 16th goals on the last day of the season against Orlando City.
Moving to Chicago Fire
On February 23, 2019, Sapong was traded from Philadelphia to Chicago Fire. He played for the Fire for two seasons. His contract with the club ended at the end of the 2020 season.
Playing for Nashville SC
On February 10, 2021, Sapong signed with Nashville SC as a free agent. This means he could join any team he wanted since his previous contract had ended. He played for Nashville for three seasons.
Joining Toronto FC
On April 25, 2023, Sapong was traded to Toronto FC. He played 20 games for them, scoring one goal. At the end of the 2023 season, the club decided not to keep him for the next year.
Playing for His Country: International Career
On January 21, 2012, CJ Sapong played his first game for the United States national team. He came in as a substitute in a friendly match against Venezuela, which the U.S. won 1–0. On November 14, 2017, he started his first game for the U.S. team against Portugal. In that game, he helped set up a goal for his teammate Weston McKennie.
Personal Life
CJ Sapong was born in the United States, and his family comes 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 more self-sufficient.
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
Sporting Kansas City
- MLS Cup: 2013
- U.S. Open Cup: 2012
Individual Awards
- MLS Rookie of the Year: 2011
See also
In Spanish: C. J. Sapong para niños
