Santino Quaranta
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Right midfield, Second striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | D.C. United | ||
| Number | 25 | ||
| ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2007 | |||
Santino Quaranta (born October 14, 1984 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American soccer player who is currently playing for D.C. United in MLS.
Pre-MLS
Quaranta partially attended Baltimore's Archbishop Curley High School for his Freshman and Sophomore years, where he started both years, and was recognized as one of the top players in the state.
First spell at D.C. United
Quaranta was drafted eighth overall in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United, after having exceptional success with the US U-17 national team academy based in Bradenton, Florida. At 16 years, four months, Quaranta surpassed fellow D.C. player Bobby Convey as the youngest player in the history of MLS, a record which would subsequently be taken by another fellow United player, Freddy Adu.
Quaranta immediately excelled in MLS, registering five goals and one assist in just 16 games during the 2001 season. Unfortunately, in the subsequent three seasons, Quaranta was beset by injuries, and struggled to live up to his early promise. Although he started all eleven games that he played in during the 2002 season, Quaranta missed almost two-thirds of the season with injuries, and things did not improve in the following two seasons, where he played in just 13 games. With fitness restored, Quaranta returned to form in 2005, where he contributed 5 goals and 5 assists in 18 games played, and finshed third highest at the club for goals scored that season.
L.A. Galaxy
Quaranta was traded to the Los Angeles Galaxy from D.C. United for a partial allocation and a conditional draft pick on August 9, 2006.[1] In his first match with the Galaxy the next day, Quaranta entered as a substitute and scored the only goal of the match in a 1-0 win over Houston.
New York Red Bulls
On June 30, 2007 the Galaxy traded Quaranta to Red Bull New York, getting a conditional fourth round pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft in return. After featuring in just 3 games and 47 minutes for the team, he was waived by the Red Bulls on January 3, 2008.[2]
Return to D.C. United
Quaranta signed with D.C. United on March 6, 2008. He claims to have turned down larger offers from other MLS sides, but felt he still had a point to prove at D.C.[3]
His first meaningful game back with D.C. United was as a substitute in the home leg of the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup against Harbour View of Jamaica. He had two assists in the 5-0 victory.[4]
In his first regular season home game back with D.C. United on April 5, 2008, Quaranta picked up a goal and an assist.[5]
International career
Quaranta has played internationally for the Under-17 and Under-20 United States national soccer teams, but while he was dominant for the U-17's, he was not able to secure a starting place on the U-20's (although he did play in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship). After coming back from injuries in 2005, Quaranta received his first cap for the senior team July 7, 2005 in a Gold Cup match against Cuba. He converted a penalty kick in the United States' shootout victory over Panama in the Gold Cup championship game but has yet to score an international goal.
Personal Life
Quaranta is married and has a daughter, Olivia Naomi, who was born in 2003.[6]
Problems with drugs
In a June 14, 2008 interview with the Washington Post, Quaranta admitted to once having an addiction to painkillers and cocaine, but after a spells in rehab, he has stopped taking both.[7] He now has a tattoo on his arm with the date that he became sober as a constant reminder of his past struggles. [8]
Career statistics
Template:Football player statistics 1 Template:Football player statistics 2 |- |2001||rowspan="6"|D.C. United||rowspan="6"|Major League Soccer||16||5|||||||||||||||| |- |2002||11||3|||||||||||||||| |- |2003||12||1|||||||||||||||| |- |2004||1||0|||||||||||||||| |- |2005||18||5|||||||||||||||| |- |2006||4||0|||||||||||||||| |- |2006||rowspan="2"|Los Angeles Galaxy||rowspan="2"|Major League Soccer||12||3|||||||||||||||| |- |2007||6||0|||||||||||||||| |- |2007||Red Bull New York||Major League Soccer||3||0|||||||||||||||| |- |2008||D.C. United||Major League Soccer|||||||||||||||||||| Template:Football player statistics 383||17|||||||||||||||| Template:Football player statistics 583||17|||||||||||||||| |}
See also
Notes
- ^ Goff, Steven. "United Trades Quaranta To Los Angeles", Washington Post, August 9, 2006, retrieved August 9, 2006.
- ^ The Sports Network - Major League Soccer (MLS)
- ^ D.C. United: News: Article
- ^ D.C. United: News: Article
- ^ D.C. United: News: Article
- ^ Connolly, Marc. "Quaranta showcasing talent for U.S. team", MLSnet.com, August 16, 2005, retrieved December 4, 2006.
- ^ Goff, Steven. 'I Should Have Been Dead'; Drug Addiction Nearly Cost United's Quaranta His Career, and More, Washington Post, June 14, 2008, retrieved June 14, 2008
- ^ http://web.mlsnet.com/history/register.jsp?content=players_q