Player Details

Name

Darlington Nagbe

Pronunciation

NAG-bee

Height

5' 9"

Weight

170 lbs

Date of Birth

7.19.1990 (34)

Birthplace

Monrovia, Liberia

Position

Midfielder
Career Summary

Atlanta acquired Nagbe from Portland Timbers on Dec. 13, 2017 in exchange for $750,000 in General Allocation Money (GAM), $300,000 in Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) and a 2018 international roster spot. Nagbe was born in Monrovia, Liberia and permanently moved to the United States when he was 11 years old. He joined Atlanta after spending his entire professional career with Portland Timbers, where he was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. He’s become known as one of the top possession players in the league and led MLS in passing accuracy (92 percent) in 2017. He also led the league in accuracy in both the opponent’s half and opponent’s final third, and finished eighth in dribbles completed per game. 

2018 (Atlanta United): Acquired during the offseason in a trade with Portland Timbers for Targeted Allocation Money and General Allocation Money. Nagbe started 23 games and had three assists. He suffered a right adductor injury on June 24 against Portland that sidelined Nagbe for two-and-a-half months, returning against Colorado Rapids on Sept. 15. MLS Cup Playoffs: He started all five matches and played all but one minute to help lead the club to MLS Cup, where it beat his former team Portland Timbers 2-0 in the final. 

2017 (Portland Timbers): Played 90 minutes, recording four shots, in the team’s 1-0 loss against Seattle on May 27 ... Returned to the starting lineup in the team’s match against Montreal on May 20, recording his ninth start of the season ... Made his eighth start of the season, playing 83 minutes in the team’s 2-2 draw against Dallas on April 29 ... Scored his second goal in the last three games, while also recording an assist in a 2-1 win against Vancouver on April 22 ... Made his sixth appearance of the season, playing 90 minutes against Sporting Kansas City on April 15 ... Scored his first goal of the season in a 3-1 win against Philadelphia on April 8 ... Made his fourth start of the season in a 1-1 draw against New England on April 2 ... Played in back-to-back 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches (March 24-28) for the U.S. Men's National Team ... Notched his second assist in a 4-2 win against Houston on March 18 ... Started and played 90 minutes in the team’s 1-0 win against LA on March 12 ... Recorded his first assist of the season in the team’s 5-1 win against Minnesota on March 3.


2016 (Portland Timbers): Appeared in 27 MLS regular-season games (27 starts) ... Scored his 24th career MLS goal in a 4-2 win against Vancouver on May 22 ... Recorded the second-most assists on the team (5) ... Earned MLS Team of the Week honors for Week 12 ... Scored the game-winning goal in the team’s 2-1 win against C.D. Dragon in CONCACAF Champions League play on Sept. 27 ... Called up to the U.S. Men’s Natioal Team March 25-29 and Sept. 2-6.

2015 (Portland Timbers): Played every minute during the 2015 MLS Cup playoffs (570 minutes) ... Tallied an assist in a 2-1 win over Columbus Crew SC in MLS Cup on Dec. 6 ... Registered an assist in a 3-1 win against FC Dallas in the first leg of the conference championship on Nov. 22 ... Called into the U.S. Men's National Team for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers on Nov. 13 and Nov. 17 ... Earned his first international cap for the United States, playing 26 minutes as a substitute in a 6-1 win against St. Vincent and Grenadines on Nov. 13 ... Earned the MLS Individual Fair Play Award from the league ... Started 33 of the team's 34 matches, missing game against Philadelphia on July 11 with a shoulder injury ... Played 120 minutes in a 2-2 draw (7-6 win on PKs) against Sporting KC in the Western Conference Knockout Round on Oct. 29 ... Was named MLS Player of the Week for Week 34 ... Registered three goals in the last two regular-season games ... Netted a brace and an assist in a 4-1 win against Colorado on Oct. 25 ... Tallied a goal, his third of the season, in a 5-2 win against the LA Galaxy on Oct. 18 ... Recorded an assist in a 2-1 win against Columbus on Sept. 26 ... Registered a goal in a 2-2 draw against Houston on Aug. 21 ... Tallied a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over Seattle on June 28 ... Named to the MLS Team of the Week three times (Week 2, Week 7, Week 17) ... Registered an assist in a 3-1 win over FC Dallas on April 4 ... Recorded a late-game assist in a 2-2 draw against the LA Galaxy on March 15 ... Played 120 minutes in a 3-1 win over Seattle in the U.S. Open Cup on June 16. 

2014: Tallied one goal and an MLS career-high seven assists in 32 appearances (30 starts) during the 2014 season ... Moved into a tie for sixth place on the Timbers all-time appearances list across all eras by the final match of the regular season, making his 127th career appearance for Portland ... Is the Timbers MLS career leader in appearances (127) ... Earned MLS Team of the Week honors twice during the year (Week 9, Week 33) ... Became the first Timbers MLS player to play in 100 games for the club on April 5 against Seattle, and had a shot in the first half rattle off the post ... Scored a goal in 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play, forcing the team's match against Seattle Sounders FC into extra time on July 9 ... Made his CONCACAF Champions League debut on Sept. 16 as a second-half substitute for midfielder Michael Nanchoff in a 4-2 win over C.D. Olimpia at Providence Park ... Appeared in two CCL group games, both against C.D. Olimpia (Sept. 16, Oct. 21).

2013: Established career numbers in his third MLS season, starting all 34 games during the regular season and recording nine goals and four assists ... Become the first Timbers MLS player to start all 34 games in a single season ... Finished tied for second on the club with nine goals, six of which were scored on the road ... Listed at No. 1 on the 2013 24 Under 24, MLSsoccer.com's annual series that lists the top players in MLS under the age of 24 ... Voted the 2013 Timbers Players' Player of the Year by his teammates for his efforts during the regular season ... Was the recipient of the 2013 MLS Individual Fair Play Award ... One of six Portland players on the fan ballot for the 2013 AT&T MLS All-Star Game ... Was a five-time selection to the MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week, receiving honors in Weeks 1, 6, 16, 32 and 33 ... Scored a goal in all four matches against FC Dallas across all competitions during the campaign, including game-winners in regular-season matches June 15 and Aug. 17 ... His turnaround, game-winning goal June 15 vs. FC Dallas at JELD-WEN Field was named the 2013 Timbers Play of the Year and voted MLS Goal of the Week for Week 16 ... Scored his 10th career MLS goal April 27, aiding in a 3-2 road win over Sporting KC ... Became the first Timbers MLS player to make 90 appearances for the club Sept. 20 in a 1-0 win against Colorado at JELD-WEN Field ... Started all four of the club's matches during the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs ... Tallied the game-winning goal in a 2-1 road win at Seattle Sounders FC on Nov. 2 in Leg 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals ... Played in all four matches during the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, helping the club reach the semifinals – its deepest run in the U.S. Open Cup in club history ... Scored the equalizing goal and assisted on the go-ahead goal by Diego Valeri to help the Timbers earn a 3-2 road win against FC Dallas in the quarterfinal ... Was named the Player of the Round for the quarterfinal by website TheCup.us.

2012: Played in 33 games (31 starts) during the regular season, logging 2,777 minutes played ans six goals ... Finished second on the team in goals scored ... Scored his first goal of the season, a game-tying strike, in a 1-1 draw at FC Dallas on March 17, becoming just the third Timbers MLS player to score as a substitute ... Notched the first multiple-goal performance in a 3-2 loss to Real Salt Lake March 31 at JELD-WEN Field ... His second goal against RSL in the 65th minute was a finalist (top four) for the 2012 MLS AT&T Goal of the Year ... Won MLS Goal of the Week for Week 4 ... Named to the MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week for Week 4 ... Scored three of his six goals on the season on the road ... Tallied the equalizer in the 82nd minute of a 2-2 draw at Toronto FC on Aug. 15 ... Became the first player in the club’s MLS history to score in three straight matches - Aug. 15 at Toronto FC, Aug. 19 at New York and Aug. 25 vs. Vancouver ... Had a four-game point streak (3g, 1a), the longest by a Timbers player in 2012, from Aug. 15-31 ... Assisted on the game-winning goal by Bright Dike in a 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids on Sept. 5 ... Earned honorable mention on the MLSsoccer.com Team of the Week in Weeks 24 and 25 ... Became the youngest player to appear in 50 games for the MLS Timbers on Aug. 15 at 22 years, 27 days ... Was featured in an episode of MLS 36 on NBC Sports Network during the season. 

2011: Made his professional and MLS debut April 2, coming on as a second-half sub in a 1-1 draw at New England ... In total, made 28 appearances (21 starts) in his rookie campaign ... Scored his first professional goal July 2 against Sporting Kansas City, driving a shot into the top left corner after juggling twice off a deflected free kick ... His first career strike was voted the 2011 AT&T MLS Goal of the Year at season’s end, won MLSsoccer.com Goal of the Week honors (Week 16), was named one of the Top Plays on ESPN’s SportsCenter that night and within days surpassed one million views on YouTube.com ... It was also named the Timbers’ Play of the Year ... Was listed at No. 10 on MLSsoccer.com’s 24-Under-24, identifying the league’s top players under the age of 24 ... Recorded points in back-to-back matches for the first time with a goal Sept. 16 against New England and an assist Sept. 21 against San Jose ... Played in four matches for the Timbers Reserves, recording two goals and an assist in MLS Reserve League play ... Recorded a brace, including the equalizer in second-half stoppage time, in a 3-3 draw against the LA Galaxy Reserves Sept. 1.

COLLEGE: Compiled 19 goals and 19 assists in 73 matches during three collegiate seasons at the University of Akron ... Led Akron to the school’s first team national champion­ship in any sport in 2010, defeating the University of Lou­isville 1-0 in the NCAA Men’s College Cup final ... Recorded seven goals and 13 assists in 25 games during his junior season of 2010 and won the Hermann Trophy, considered the most prestigious honor in intercollegiate soccer and the official National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Player of the Year award for Division I ... Was a two-time NSCAA All-American, including first-team honors in 2010 ... Was a three-time Mid-American Conference first-team selection ... Named the MAC Player of the Year and honored on the NCAA College Cup All-Tournament team following his junior season ... Helped the Zips win three straight MAC Tournament titles (2008-10) ... Tallied a career-high 10 goals in 25 games as a sophomore in 2009, leading the Zips to the College Cup finals ... Selected to the Soccer America MVP Second Team and named to the All-Great Lakes Region First Team in 2009 ... Voted the All-MAC Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 2008 ... Appeared in all 23 games during his freshman season ... During his time on campus, aided in a 39-game unbeaten streak at home for the Zips (38-0-1) from 2008-10.

PERSONAL: Father, Joe, is a for­mer captain of the Liberian National Team ... Was rated the No. 21 recruit in the nation out of St. Edwards High School (Ohio) by Rise Magazine prior to arriving at Akron ... Was a member of the Region II ODP team, a 2007 adidas ESP All-Star and a member of the Ohio North ODP team during his prep career ... A member of the U.S. U-15 National Team pool in 2004.