Jeff Cunningham
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | August 21, 1976 | ||
Place of birth | Montego Bay, Jamaica | ||
Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Youth career | |||
1994–1997 | South Florida Bulls | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1998–2004 | Columbus Crew | 182 | (62) |
2005 | Colorado Rapids | 26 | (12) |
2006–2007 | Real Salt Lake | 38 | (19) |
2007–2008 | Toronto FC | 32 | (6) |
2008–2010 | FC Dallas | 66 | (33) |
2011 | Columbus Crew | 21 | (2) |
2012 |
Comunicaciones | 12 | (4) |
2012 | San Antonio Scorpions | 8 | (1) |
Total | 385 | (139) | |
International career | |||
1999 | Jamaica | 1 | (0) |
2001–2010 | United States | 14 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Jeff Cunningham (born August 21, 1976) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a forward. He is Major League Soccer's third-all-time leader in regular-season goals scored with 134.
Youth and college
Cunningham was born in
Club career
Upon graduating, Cunningham was selected ninth overall in the 1998 MLS College Draft by the Columbus Crew. As a rookie, he played in twenty-five games, mostly as a substitute, and tied the rookie record for goals (since broken by Damani Ralph) with eight. Cunningham became a starter in 1999 and held that role for several years. In 182 games for Columbus, he scored sixty-two goals and notched forty-three assists. He was named to the MLS Best XI in 2002, after scoring sixteen goals and adding five assists. After a disappointing 2004 season Cunningham was traded to Colorado Rapids for a first-round 2006 MLS SuperDraft pick.[1] He left the Crew tied with Brian McBride for the all-time team lead in goals.
Cunningham finished the 2005 season with twelve league goals for Colorado. He scored twice against
During the 2006 season Cunningham led the league in scoring with sixteen goals, winning the MLS Golden Boot. He also tied for the second-most assists in the league with eleven. Both totals (16 goals and 11 assists) set single-season records for the RSL franchise.
On May 22, 2007, Cunningham was dealt to Toronto FC in exchange for Alecko Eskandarian and a first-round draft pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft.[3] In Toronto, he wore the number 96 to represent the 96 MLS goals he had scored after the conclusion of his first season with Toronto FC.[4]
Cunningham fell out of favor in his second season with Toronto FC, missing scoring a goal line ball that would have taken Toronto to the
On August 8, 2008, Cunningham was traded to FC Dallas in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.[6] He scored in his first match with FC Dallas on August 16, 2008, in a 2–1 loss to the Columbus Crew. It was Cunningham's 100th goal in MLS. Jeff played in 11 games with FC Dallas during the 2008 season scoring 5 goals.
Cunningham scored 17 goals in 2009, including
After the
At season's end, Columbus declined his 2012 contract option and he entered the
After his release by Comunicaciones, Cunningham signed with
As of November 29, 2013, Cunningham was on trial with
International career
In 1999, Cunningham played for Jamaica in a friendly international against Ghana.
Cunningham became a U.S. citizen in November 2001, and received his first
Personal life
Jeff and his wife, Jocelyn have two children, Mikayla, born in 2008 and Eli born in 2014.[17]
Cunningham became a naturalized U.S. citizen on November 13, 2001.[2]
Career statistics
Club
Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Columbus Crew | 1998 | Major League Soccer | 25 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 9 |
1999 | 28 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 15 | ||
2000 | 29 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2 | ||
2001 | 22 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 14 | ||
2002 | 27 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 16 | ||
2003 | 21 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 5 | ||
2004 | 30 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 9 | ||
Total | 182 | 62 | 16 | 5 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 214 | 70 | ||
Colorado Rapids | 2005 | Major League Soccer | 26 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 13 |
Real Salt Lake | 2006 | Major League Soccer | 31 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 17 |
2007 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | ||
Total | 38 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 20 | ||
Toronto FC | 2007 | Major League Soccer | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 |
2008 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 3 | ||
Total | 32 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 6 | ||
FC Dallas | 2008 | Major League Soccer | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 5 |
2009 | 28 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 17 | ||
2010 | 27 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 12 | ||
Total | 66 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 34 | ||
Columbus Crew | 2011 | Major League Soccer | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 2 |
Comunicaciones
|
2011–12
|
Liga Nacional | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 |
San Antonio Scorpions | 2012 | NASL | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
Career total | 385 | 139 | 24 | 6 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 432 | 150 |
- Open Cup, Voyageurs Cup
International
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
United States | 2001 | 1 | 0 |
2002 | 4 | 0 | |
2003 | 3 | 0 | |
2004 | 0 | 0 | |
2005 | 2 | 0 | |
2006 | 0 | 0 | |
2007 | 0 | 0 | |
2008 | 0 | 0 | |
2009 | 2 | 1 | |
2010 | 2 | 0 | |
Total | 14 | 1 |
- Scores and results list the United States' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cunningham goal.
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | November 18, 2009 | NRGi Park, Aarhus , Denmark
|
Denmark | 1–0 | 1–3 | Friendly
|
Honors
Columbus Crew
- 2002
- MLS Supporters' Shield: 2004
FC Dallas
- Major League Soccer Western Conference Championship: 2010
Individual
- MLS Golden Boot: 2006, 2009
- MLS Best XI: 2002, 2006, 2009
- MLS 100 goals club
- MLS 50/50 Club[18]
References
- ^ "Rapids Acquire Veteran Striker Jeff Cunningham in Trade With Crew". June 27, 2010.
- ^ a b "Real Salt Lake acquires All-Star forward Jeff Cunningham from the Colorado Rapids for midfielder Clint Mathis | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
- ^ Polishuk, Mark (May 22, 2007). "TFC get their man in Cunningham". MLSnet.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2008. Retrieved May 23, 2007.
- ^ Sandor, Steven (May 30, 2007). "Strike force shows signs of life". Canoe.ca. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved May 30, 2007.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Johnston, Ryan (July 23, 2008). "Carver calls out Cunningham after tie". Sportsnet.ca. Archived from the original on August 1, 2008. Retrieved July 30, 2008.
- ^ "FCD sign Sikora, acquire Cunningham". FC Dallas. August 8, 2008. Archived from the original on April 15, 2009. Retrieved August 8, 2008.
- ^ "Seattle 2–1 Dallas: Hoops' playoff hopes dashed". ESPN. October 25, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
- ^ "Latest News". MLSsoccer.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ "Cunningham working out with IK Start". www.mlssoccer.com. January 11, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
- ^ Craig Merz (February 22, 2011). "Crew, RSL finish scoreless in testy CCL opener". Mlssoccer.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ "July 7, 2011 Jeff ties the goal record". Mlssoccer.com. July 6, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ Mitchell, Shawn (August 28, 2011). "Sounders 6, Crew 2: Cunningham sets scoring record in blowout". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- ^ "Gringo Report: Cunningham signs deal in Guatemala". January 23, 2012.
- ^ "Scorpions Add MLS All-Time Leading Goal Scorer Jeff Cunningham". Archived from the original on July 26, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
- ^ "MLS record goalscorer on trial in Vietnam - Goal.com". www.goal.com.
- ^ "Denmark 3–1 U.S.: Second-half surge for Danes". ESPN. November 18, 2009. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
- ^ "Players | FC Dallas". Fc.dallas.mlsnet.com. October 27, 2011. Archived from the original on April 22, 2009. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
- ^ "MLS' 50-50 club set to welcome its 19th member | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
External links
- Jeff Cunningham at Major League Soccer
- Jeff Cunningham at National-Football-Teams.com
- Jeff Cunningham at ESPN FC