Robbie Rogers

Robbie Rogers

Personal information
Full name	Robert Hampton Rogers III
Date of birth	May 12, 1987 (1987-05-12)
Place of birth	Rancho Palos Verdes, California, United States
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing position	Winger
Club information
Current club	Leeds United
Number	6
Youth career
2002	IMG Soccer Academy
2005	Maryland Terrapins
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005	Orange County Blue Star	3	(0)
2006–2007	Heerenveen	0	(0)
2007–2011	Columbus Crew	106	(13)
2012–	Leeds United	1	(0)
National team‡
2004–2007	United States U20	15	(3)
2008	United States U23	5	(0)
2009–	United States	18	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 16, 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of August 10, 2011

Robbie Rogers (born May 12, 1987 in Rancho Palos Verdes, California) is an American soccer player who plays for English team Leeds United and the United States men's national soccer team as a winger or as a second striker.

Career

Youth and college

Rogers started playing soccer at age four-and-a-half in AYSO. Starting at age 7 Rogers played club soccer in the Coast Soccer league as well as in various Hispanic leagues. Rogers attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, where he was a two-time High School All-American in soccer. He played one season of college soccer at the University of Maryland, helping lead the team to the 2005 NCAA Championship.

Professional

Heerenveen

In August 2006, Rogers signed his first professional contract with Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie. However, Rogers never made a first team appearance for Heerenveen although he played in several reserve matches. Heerenveen won the reserve league title that year.

Columbus Crew

He was acquired by the Columbus Crew prior to the beginning of the 2007 Major League Soccer season after they won a Draft Lottery for the player. He was an important part of the Columbus Crew team that won the MLS Supporters Shield and the MLS Cup in 2008, and was also named to the MLS Best XI the same year. In 2009 he was an important part of the Crew's winning the Supporter's Shield. In December 2011 Rogers became a free agent not resigning with the Crew. Rogers was then reported to be on the verge of signing a contract with English Championship side Leeds United following a successful trial at the club.

Leeds United

On January 10, 2012, it was reported that Rogers had signed for English Championship club Leeds United. Rogers revealed his national team coach Jürgen Klinsmann provided a reference to Leeds manager Simon Grayson to sign for the club. Rogers was granted a work permit to play for Leeds on January 19. He made his debut on 18 February as a substitute against Doncaster Rovers, however several minutes into his debut Rogers had to be substituted himself after suffering a clash of heads with Doncaster defender Tommy Spurr.

International

Rogers played over 20 games for the United States U-20 men's national soccer team from 2004 to 2007. He played for his country at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada. Peter Nowak, coach of the men's 2008 US Olympic Team, placed Rogers on the roster for the Beijing Games, and Rogers played in all three games for the US.

USMNT head coach Bob Bradley called Rogers in for the World Cup Qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago on October 15, but was later replaced by Chris Rolfe due to a back injury. Rogers was then included in the 25-man January camp preceding a friendly against Sweden on January 24, 2009, and made the starting eleven. He was selected for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup for the United States. Rogers impressed in with his performance versus Grenada scoring a goal and adding two assists, earning man of the match honors.

On October 1, 2009, Bradley called Rogers up to play United States' final two matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. His two crosses that game led to both goals in the 2-2 tie. Rogers was wearing the number 9 jersey, the same jersey as his teammate Charlie Davies who had gotten injured in a car crash earlier in the week.

On May 11, 2010, Bradley selected Rogers for the 30-man preliminary roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and came on as second half substitute of the May 25 friendly vs. Czech Republic. He was cut from the final World Cup roster on May 26.

On August 10, 2011, Rogers scored his second international goal off a Brek Shea cross in a friendly match against Mexico.

Career statistics

Club	Season	League		MLS Cup Playoffs		U.S. Open Cup		SuperLiga		Champions League		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Columbus Crew	2007	10	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	10	3
	2008	27	6	4	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	33	7
	2009	22	1	2	0	1	0	-	-	6	2	31	3
	2010	20	1	2	1	4	0	-	-	8	0	34	2
	2011	27	2	1	0	-	-	-	-	2	0	30	2
Leeds United	2011–12	1	0	0	0	0	0	-	-	0	0	1	0
Career total		107	13	9	2	5	0	2	0	16	2	139	17

International goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	4 Jul 2009	Qwest Field, Seattle, United States	Grenada	3-0	4-0	2009 Gold Cup
2.	10 Aug 2011	Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, United States	Mexico	1-1	1-1	Friendly

Personal

He is the son of Theresa and Robert Hampton Rogers II. He has one brother named Timothy and three sisters, Nicole Camilla, Alicia, and Katie Rose. His mother's family is originally from the Columbus area where Rogers played for the Crew.

Rogers is humorously referred to as "Robinho" by Fox Sports en Español commentator Jorge Caamaño.

Honors

Columbus Crew

• Major League Soccer MLS Cup (1): 2008
• Major League Soccer Supporter's Shield (2): 2008, 2009

Columbus Crew Hardest Working Player Award 2011

Individual

• MLS Best XI: 2008

See also

• List of current MLS players

External links

• Robbie Rogers on Twitter
• Robbie Rogers Official Website
• MLS player profile