Ugo Ihemelu facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ugochukwu Ihemelu | ||
| Date of birth | April 3, 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Enugu, Nigeria | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2004 | SMU Mustangs | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2004 | Legends FC | ||
| 2005–2006 | Los Angeles Galaxy | 54 | (0) |
| 2007–2009 | Colorado Rapids | 63 | (1) |
| 2009–2013 | FC Dallas | 68 | (5) |
| Total | 185 | (6) | |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006–2009 | United States | 2 | (0) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Ugochukwu "Ugo" Ihemelu 
i// was born on April 3, 1983, in Enugu, Nigeria. He is a retired American football (soccer) player. Ugo played as a defender during his career.
Contents
Ugo's Football Journey
Playing in College
Ugo Ihemelu grew up in the United States. He went to Cedar Hill High School in Cedar Hill, Texas. This town is close to Dallas.
After high school, Ugo played college soccer at Southern Methodist University. He was a very good player there. In his junior and senior years, he was named All-Missouri Valley Conference.
During the college off-season, Ugo played for a team called Legends FC. This team was based in Texas. He helped them get into the U.S. Open Cup in 2004.
Becoming a Professional Player
In 2005, the Los Angeles Galaxy picked Ugo in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft. He was the fifth player chosen overall. In his first year, he helped the Galaxy win two big trophies. They won the US Open Cup and the MLS Cup.
After two seasons with the Galaxy, Ugo moved teams. On December 1, 2006, he was traded to the Colorado Rapids. He played for the Rapids for three years.
In 2009, Ugo was traded again. He went to FC Dallas. In return, the Colorado Rapids received Drew Moor, a pick for the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, and some money.
Ugo played very well for FC Dallas. In 2011, he was named to the MLS Team of the Week twice. This was for his strong play against teams like D.C. United and Seattle Sounders FC.
In June 2011, Ugo signed a new contract with FC Dallas. This contract would keep him with the team until the end of the 2015 season. Before the 2012 season began, Ugo was chosen to be the captain of FC Dallas.
During the 2012 season, Ugo had a head injury. This injury eventually led him to retire from playing football.
Playing for His Country
Ugo Ihemelu played for the United States. His first game was on January 29, 2006, against Norway.
Later, in June 2008, he was asked to join the Canadian team. He even traveled with them for a game against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. However, there were questions about whether he could play for Canada. He had already played for the United States, and his Canadian citizenship was unclear. Because of these rules, he did not play in the game for Canada.
In January 2009, Ugo was called back to the US team's training camp. He played in a game against Sweden after the camp. In that game, he made an important play, stopping a shot that was sure to be a goal.
Awards and Achievements
Los Angeles Galaxy
- U.S. Open Cup: 2005
- Major League Soccer MLS Cup: 2005
- Major League Soccer Western Conference Championship: 2005
FC Dallas
- Major League Soccer Western Conference Championship: 2010
See also
In Spanish: Ugo Ihemelu para niños
