Ricardo Clark facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ricardo Clark

Clark with the Columbus Crew in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Ricardo Anthony Clark
Date of birth	(1983-02-10) February 10, 1983 (age 42)
Place of birth	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Height	5 ft 10 in
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
0000–2001	AFC Lightning
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2003–2004	MetroStars	54	(4)
2005	San Jose Earthquakes	30	(3)
2006–2009	Houston Dynamo	97	(7)
2010–2012	Eintracht Frankfurt	15	(0)
2012	→ Stabæk (loan)	12	(0)
2012–2017	Houston Dynamo	156	(21)
2018–2019	Columbus Crew SC	20	(1)
Total		384	(36)
National team
2000–2001	United States U18	6	(3)
2002–2003	United States U20	47	(3)
2003	United States U23	2	(0)
2005–2012	United States	34	(3)
Teams managed
2021–	Vancouver Whitecaps (assistant)
Honours  United States FIFA Confederations Cup Runner-up 2009 South Africa CONCACAF Gold Cup Winner 2007 United States
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Ricardo Anthony Clark (born February 10, 1983) is an American former soccer player. He played as a midfielder, which is a player who helps both defense and offense on the field. Ricardo played for several teams in the United States, including MetroStars, San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo, and Columbus Crew SC. He also played in Germany for Eintracht Frankfurt and in Norway for Stabæk.

Ricardo Clark was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He played college soccer for Furman before starting his professional career. He was picked second overall in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft by MetroStars. After playing for MetroStars and San Jose Earthquakes, he moved with the team to Houston, where they became the Houston Dynamo. He helped the Dynamo win two MLS Cup championships.

Later, Ricardo played in Europe for three years before returning to the Houston Dynamo. He spent many years with the Dynamo, becoming one of their most important players. He finished his career with Columbus Crew SC in 2019. Ricardo also played for the U.S. national team, representing his country in big tournaments like the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Early Life and College Soccer

Ricardo Clark grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. He went to St. Pius X Catholic High School. His father is from Trinidad, which means Ricardo has Trinidadian heritage. In high school, he was a two-time state champion in soccer. He was also named the State Player of the Year twice.

Ricardo was a Parade All-American player in his senior year. For his club team, AFC Lightning, he won two state titles. He was also named the MVP of a big soccer camp in 2000. Ricardo decided to play college soccer at Furman University. His college team was ranked as one of the best in the country.

Ricardo played for Furman for two years. He played in 37 games and scored three goals. In his very first college game, he helped his team win by assisting a goal. He scored his first college goal in his second season. After his sophomore year, he was named an NSCAA first-team All-American. This means he was recognized as one of the best college players in the nation.

Professional Soccer Career

Starting with MetroStars

After college, Ricardo Clark signed a special contract with Major League Soccer (MLS). He was then picked second overall in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft by the MetroStars. He quickly became a starter for the team. Ricardo played his first professional game on April 12, 2003.

He set a new record for the club by starting 27 games in his first year. He scored three goals in his rookie season. Ricardo also helped the MetroStars reach the 2003 U.S. Open Cup Final. He was a finalist for the MLS Rookie of the Year Award. In his second season, he scored one goal in 28 games. He played a total of 63 games for the MetroStars.

Moving to San Jose and Houston

Clark with Houston in 2009

In 2005, Ricardo Clark was traded to the San Jose Earthquakes. He immediately became a starter for his new team. He scored three goals that season while playing as a defensive midfielder. Ricardo was even named the MLS Player of the Month in July 2005. He also scored his first playoff goal that year.

The San Jose Earthquakes team later moved to Houston in 2006. They became the Houston Dynamo. Ricardo moved with the team and played in their first-ever game. He scored two goals in his first season with the Dynamo. He was named to the MLS Best XI, which means he was one of the best players in the league. However, he missed the MLS Cup 2006 final due to a suspension. Even without him, Houston won their first championship.

In 2007, Ricardo played in the 2007 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. He also played for the national team in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and 2007 Copa América. He was chosen for the 2007 MLS All-Star Game for the second year in a row. Later that season, he received a long suspension for an incident in a game. Because of this, he missed the MLS Cup 2007 final. The Dynamo won again, becoming champions for the second time.

Ricardo returned in 2008 and played a lot of games. He scored two goals in MLS play. He also played in many international club competitions. He scored his first goal in a continental competition that year. In 2008, he played a career-high 43 games. In 2009, he scored one goal for the Dynamo. His contract ended that season, and he decided to look for opportunities to play in Europe. He left Houston with 8 goals in 129 games.

Playing in Europe

Ricardo Clark signed with Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany. He made his debut in April 2010. He played three games that season as the team finished 10th. He then signed a three-year contract with Frankfurt.

In the 2010–11 season, Eintracht Frankfurt struggled and was moved down to a lower league. Ricardo played in 12 games that season. In 2011, he played only one game for the club. He was then loaned to Stabæk, a team in Norway.

Loan to Stabæk

Ricardo joined Stabæk in February 2012. He quickly became a regular player for the team. He played his first game for Stabæk in March. He played in 15 games for the Norwegian club. This included two games in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds. His loan ended in July, and he left Eintracht Frankfurt.

Returning to Houston Dynamo

Clark is second in Dynamo history in games played, behind only Brad Davis

After his time in Europe, Ricardo Clark returned to the United States. He signed with the Houston Dynamo again in August 2012. He made his second debut for the Dynamo soon after. He scored his first goal back with the team in September. Ricardo played in the MLS Cup 2012 final, but his team lost. He finished the season with one goal in 18 games.

In 2013, Ricardo started the season strong by scoring in the first game. He scored five goals in 36 games that year. He was named the Dynamo Player's Player of the Year. The 2014 season was tough for Houston, and they missed the playoffs. Ricardo played in 25 games and scored four goals.

The 2015 season was Ricardo's best for scoring goals. He played in 33 games and scored a career-high nine goals. He also scored his first goal in the U.S. Open Cup. He was named the club's Most Valuable Player and Player's Player of the Year. He also won the Humanitarian of the Year award. Ricardo signed a new contract with Houston after the season.

In 2016, his ninth season with Houston, Ricardo played in 32 league games. He reached 300 career MLS appearances. He scored four goals, including two in the Texas Derby against FC Dallas. These goals tied him for the most in the history of that rivalry. He also had a career-high four assists.

Before the 2017 season, Ricardo was named the sixth club captain in Dynamo history. He did not score any goals that year, which was a first in his MLS career. He played in 30 games as the Dynamo returned to the playoffs. However, his contract option was not picked up, and he left the Dynamo. He played a total of 304 games and scored 31 goals for Houston across his two times with the club.

Final Years with Columbus Crew SC

On February 2, 2018, Ricardo Clark joined Columbus Crew SC. At 34 years old, he was the oldest player on the team. He was part of the team's leadership group, serving as a vice-captain.

Ricardo made his debut for Columbus in March 2018. In his second game, he scored his first goal for the club, which was the winning goal in a 3–1 victory. He played in 13 games that season, scoring one goal. His contract option was declined, but he re-signed with the team for the 2019 season.

Ricardo Clark officially retired from playing professional soccer on February 12, 2020. He signed a special one-day contract with the Houston Dynamo to make the announcement.

International Career Highlights

Ricardo Clark played for the U.S. U18 national team early in his career. He played six games and scored three goals. He also helped the team win a tournament in Lisbon in 2001.

He then moved up to the U.S. U20 national team in 2002. He played 47 games for the U20 team. He helped them qualify for the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship. Ricardo played in all five games for the U.S. at that tournament.

While playing for the U20s, Ricardo also played for the U.S. U23 national team. He played two games for them in 2003.

Senior National Team Debut and Tournaments

Ricardo Clark earned his first cap (played his first game) for the senior U.S. national team on October 12, 2005. This was a World Cup qualifying game against Panama.

He returned to the team in 2007 when Bob Bradley became the new coach. That summer, Ricardo was part of two big U.S. squads: the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the 2007 Copa América. He played four games in the Gold Cup, helping the U.S. win the final against Mexico. At the Copa América, he played in all three games and scored his first international goal against Paraguay.

2009 Confederations Cup and World Cup Qualifying

Ricardo played a bigger role in the World Cup qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup. On September 10, 2009, he scored his first World Cup qualifying goal against Trinidad and Tobago. This goal helped the U.S. secure a spot in the World Cup.

During the World Cup qualifying, Ricardo was also chosen for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. He played in two group games for the U.S. He played the entire semifinal game against Spain, helping the U.S. reach their first-ever Confederations Cup final. In the final against Brazil, the U.S. lost 3–2, finishing as runners-up.

2010 World Cup and Later Career

Clark with fans prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Ricardo Clark was chosen for the 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He made his World Cup debut on June 12, starting against England. He also started in the Round of 16 game against Ghana, which the U.S. lost.

After the World Cup, Ricardo played three more times for the United States. He scored his third and final international goal on January 22, 2012, against Venezuela. Four days later, he played his last game for the U.S. national team against Panama. Ricardo earned 34 caps for the United States, scoring three goals over eight years.

Managerial Career

On March 11, 2021, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced that they hired Ricardo Clark as an assistant coach for their first team.

Career Statistics

Ricardo Clark played many games throughout his career. Here's a summary of his appearances and goals for clubs and his national team:

Club Summary

International Summary

International Goals

No.	Date	Location	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	July 2, 2007	Estadio Agustín Tovar, Barinas, Venezuela	Paraguay	1–1	1–3	2007 Copa América
2	September 9, 2009	Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago	Trinidad and Tobago	1–0	1–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
3	January 21, 2012	University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona, United States	Venezuela	1–0	1–0	Friendly

Awards and Achievements

Ricardo Clark won several awards and championships during his soccer career:

International Honors

United States

• CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2007 (Winner)

Club Honors

San Jose Earthquakes

• Supporters' Shield: 2005 (Award for best regular season record)

Houston Dynamo

• MLS Cup: 2006, 2007 (League Champion)

Individual Awards

• MLS Best XI: 2006 (One of the best 11 players in the league)
• MLS All-Star: 2006, 2007, 2008 (Selected to play in the All-Star Game)
• Houston Dynamo Player's Player of the Year: 2013, 2015 (Voted best player by teammates)
• Houston Dynamo MVP: 2015 (Most Valuable Player for the team)
• Houston Dynamo Humanitarian of the Year: 2015 (Recognized for community work)

See also

In Spanish: Ricardo Clark para niños