Darlington Nagbe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Darlington Nagbe

Nagbe with the Columbus Crew in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Darlington Joephillip Nagbe
Date of birth	(1990-07-19) July 19, 1990 (age 35)
Place of birth	Monrovia, Liberia
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Columbus Crew
Number	6
Youth career
2001–2007	Internationals SC
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2010	Akron Zips	73	(19)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2010	Cleveland Internationals	18	(7)
2011–2017	Portland Timbers	214	(27)
2018–2019	Atlanta United	56	(2)
2020–	Columbus Crew	167	(9)
International career‡
2015–2018	United States	25	(1)
Medal record Representing  United States Winner CONCACAF Gold Cup 2017
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 03:20, July 17, 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of March 27, 2018

Darlington Joephillip Nagbe (born July 19, 1990) is a professional soccer player. He plays as a midfielder and is the captain for the Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew. Darlington was born in Liberia and later played for the United States national team.

His family moved from Liberia because of the First Liberian Civil War. They eventually settled in Lakewood, Ohio. There, he played club soccer for the Cleveland Internationals. He also played college soccer at the University of Akron. He helped his team win an NCAA title and received the Hermann Trophy.

Darlington Nagbe has played over 400 professional games. He spent his first seven seasons with the Portland Timbers. With them, he won the MLS Cup in 2015. He then joined Atlanta United FC and won another MLS Cup. He also won a U.S. Open Cup and the Campeones Cup with Atlanta. In 2019, he moved to the Columbus Crew. With the Crew, he has won two more MLS Cup titles, a Leagues Cup trophy, and another Campeones Cup.

He first played for the United States national team in November 2015. He played in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match. He played 25 games for the national team. He also won the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup with them.

Darlington Nagbe's Early Life

Darlington Nagbe was born in Liberia. When he was only five months old, his mother left the country. She was fleeing the First Liberian Civil War with Darlington and his brother. They joined his father, Joe Nagbe, who was a professional soccer player. His father's career took the family to France, Greece, and Switzerland. In 2001, when Darlington was 11, they finally settled in the Cleveland area in Ohio.

Darlington grew up in Lakewood, Ohio. He went to Lakewood High School and then St. Edward High School. In his senior year, he scored 18 goals and made 10 assists. He was a member of several top youth soccer teams. He also won four state club titles with the Cleveland Internationals.

College Soccer Journey

Nagbe played college soccer at the University of Akron. He scored 19 goals and made 19 assists in 73 games over three seasons. In 2008, he was named the All-MAC Newcomer of the Year. In 2009, he was recognized as one of the best college players.

In 2010, Nagbe helped the Akron Zips win their first national championship. They won 1–0 against Louisville. After this, he was named the Hermann Trophy winner. This award goes to the best college soccer player of the year. During his college years, Nagbe also played for the Cleveland Internationals. He scored seven goals in 18 games in the USL Premier Development League.

Professional Soccer Career

Playing for Portland Timbers

Nagbe with the Portland Timbers in 2015

Darlington Nagbe signed a special contract to leave college early for professional soccer. The Portland Timbers chose him as the second overall pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. He had hernia surgery and missed the first few weeks. He made his professional debut on April 2, 2011. His first MLS goal was a fantastic volley on July 2, 2011. This goal was later named the 2011 MLS Goal of the Year.

In 2012, Nagbe scored two goals in one game against Real Salt Lake. He ended the 2012 season with six goals. He mostly played as an attacking midfielder.

In 2013, Nagbe was reunited with his college coach, Caleb Porter, in Portland. Nagbe scored 11 goals that season, playing mostly on the left wing. He scored four goals against FC Dallas. He also scored in Portland's first-ever postseason game. After the season, he won the MLS Fair Play Award. He committed only eight fouls and received one yellow card all season.

The 2014 season saw Nagbe play mostly on the right wing. He scored two goals and made a career-high seven assists. In 2015, Nagbe helped Portland win the MLS Cup. He played as an attacking midfielder and then moved to a central role. He won the Fair Play Award again, committing only 11 fouls with no yellow cards.

Before the 2016 season, the Timbers gave Nagbe a new contract. He got injured in April 2016 after a hard tackle. He missed only two games. In July 2016, he was chosen for the 2016 MLS All-Star Game for the first time.

In 2017, Nagbe played in many different positions. He scored a great goal from outside the box in April. He also scored a "stunning" solo goal against the Vancouver Whitecaps. After the 2017 season, Nagbe was part of trade talks. This happened after his coach, Caleb Porter, left the team.

Time with Atlanta United

Nagbe playing for Atlanta United FC in 2018

On December 13, 2017, Atlanta United FC traded for Nagbe. They paid $1.05 million for him. He joined a strong Atlanta team that scored many goals.

In 2018, his first season in Atlanta, Nagbe started 17 games in a row. He then missed almost three months due to an injury. He was chosen for the 2018 MLS All-Star Game again but missed it due to his injury. After returning, Nagbe played in all five remaining regular season games. He also started all five playoff games. He helped Atlanta United win their first MLS Cup. They beat the Portland Timbers 2–0.

In 2019, Nagbe was a key player for Atlanta United. The team won the 2019 U.S. Open Cup and the Campeones Cup. He started 44 games and played in 46 across all competitions. At the end of the season, Nagbe was traded to the Columbus Crew.

Captaining the Columbus Crew

On November 13, 2019, the Columbus Crew got Nagbe in a trade. He was reunited with his former coach, Caleb Porter, at the Crew.

In the 2020 season, which was shorter due to COVID-19, Nagbe played in 15 games. He scored his first goal for Columbus on August 20. This goal was named the 2020 MLS Goal of the Year. It was his second time winning this award. He led the Crew through the regular season and playoffs. He missed the MLS Cup Final because he tested positive for COVID-19. However, Columbus won the game, giving Nagbe his third MLS Cup.

In 2021, Nagbe got injured in Columbus' first game of the Champions League. He missed two games. After returning, he played every remaining game that season. This included a 2–0 win against Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup.

During the 2022 season, Nagbe started every league game for Columbus. He scored three goals, his most since 2017. He scored a tying goal in the 95th minute against the New York Red Bulls. He also scored the winning goal against Toronto FC. Nagbe was again named to the 2022 MLS All-Star Game.

The 2023 season started with a new coach and a new team captain. Nagbe became the new club captain. He played in all 34 regular season games. He led Columbus to win the MLS Cup against LAFC 2–1. This was Nagbe's fourth MLS Cup. He became the tenth player in MLS history to win four titles.

At the end of the 2023 regular season, Columbus signed Nagbe to a new contract. This contract keeps him with the team through 2025, with an option for another year. As of July 2025, he continues to play for the Columbus Crew.

Playing for the United States

Nagbe became an American citizen in September 2015. Soon after, he was called up to the U.S. National Team. He joined them on November 6, 2015, for two World Cup qualifying matches. He made his international debut on November 13, 2015, coming in as a substitute.

Nagbe scored his first goal for the U.S. National Team on May 25, 2016. It was a volley in the 90th minute that secured a 1–0 win against Ecuador. He was added to the team for the knockout stage of the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which the United States won. Nagbe started all three games in the knockout stage. He was named to the tournament's Best XI team. He also played in the United States' World Cup qualifying campaign. The U.S. did not qualify for the tournament that year. Nagbe has since decided not to play for the national team. He wants to spend more time with his family.

How Darlington Nagbe Plays

Darlington Nagbe started his career as a winger or attacking midfielder. Later, he moved to a deeper role in the middle of the field. He is known for being a calm player in the midfield. He helps control the game's speed and keeps possession of the ball. He is very good at creating space and drawing fouls from opponents. In fact, he is the most fouled player in Major League Soccer history.

Coaches often praise his excellent technical skills and high soccer IQ. One coach described him as "the cement between the bricks." He has a great first touch and is comfortable with the ball. This allows him to quickly switch from defense to attack. Nagbe is also a very accurate passer. He is good at playing in tight spaces. He can also score amazing goals sometimes. Nagbe has said, "I feel like as a player, the more I get on the ball, the more comfortable I get and the easier it is to make plays."

Personal Life

Darlington Nagbe is the son of Somah Nagbe and Joe Nagbe. His father was a former captain of the Liberian national team. Darlington has two younger sisters, Martha and Seta, and one older brother, Joe Jr. In 2012, he married Felicia Houtz. They have a daughter named Mila and sons Kingston and Isaiah.

Nagbe received his U.S. green card in 2012. This made him a domestic player for MLS teams. He became a United States citizen in September 2015. He has said that his favorite soccer player is Thierry Henry.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances

International Appearances

Scores and results list the United States' goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Darlington Nagbe

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	May 25, 2016	Toyota Stadium, Frisco, United States	Ecuador	1–0	1–0	Friendly

Awards and Honors

Akron Zips

• NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament: 2010

Portland Timbers

• MLS Cup: 2015

Atlanta United

• MLS Cup: 2018
• Campeones Cup: 2019
• U.S. Open Cup: 2019

Columbus Crew

• MLS Cup: 2020, 2023
• Campeones Cup: 2021
• Leagues Cup: 2024
• CONCACAF Champions Cup runner-up: 2024

United States

• CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2017

Individual Awards

• Hermann Trophy Winner: 2010
• MLS Goal of the Year: 2011, 2020
• MLS Fair Play Award: 2013, 2015, 2019
• MLS All-Star: 2016, 2022, 2024
• CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI: 2017
• Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award: 2024
• MLS 400 Games Club

See also

In Spanish: Darlington Nagbe para niños