Michael Stephens (soccer)

Michael Stephens

Stephens in May 2010
Personal information
Full name	Michael Francis Stephens[1]
Date of birth	April 3, 1989
Place of birth	Hinsdale, Illinois, United States
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Chicago Fire
Number	26
Youth career
2004–2005	IMG Soccer Academy
2006–2009	UCLA Bruins
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2007–2008	Chicago Fire Premier	8	(1)
2010–2013	LA Galaxy	94	(2)
2014	Stabæk	30	(1)
2015–	Chicago Fire	25	(0)
National team^‡
2009	United States U20	5	(2)
2012	United States U23	2	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of April 30, 2016. † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of March 27, 2012

Michael Francis Stephens (born April 3, 1989) is an American soccer player playing for Chicago Fire.

Career

College and Amateur

Stephens grew up in Naperville, Illinois, attended Edison Academic Center, and played four years of college soccer at UCLA. He was honored as UCLA's Rookie of the Year in 2006, while also being selected to the Top Drawer Soccer All-Freshman first team and to Soccer America's All-Freshman second team, playing in all 24 games in his rookie season.

He was named to the Soccer America MVP second-team in 2008, and became only the third player in Bruin history to earn Pac-10 Player of the Year honors. As a senior, he was named to the All-Pac-10 First-team and was a NSCAA All-Far West second-team honoree. He finished his UCLA career with 81 appearances, 11 goals and 20 assists.

During his college years Stephens also played two seasons with Chicago Fire Premier in the USL Premier Development League.^[2][3]

Professional

Stephens was drafted in the first round (16th overall) of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft by Los Angeles Galaxy.^[4] He made his professional debut on March 27, 2010, in Galaxy's opening game of the 2010 MLS season against New England Revolution.^[5]

In March 2014, Stephens signed a two-year contract with Norwegian Tippeligaen side Stabæk.^[6] After one season with Stabæk, Stephens returned to MLS on 9 December 2014, signing with Chicago Fire.^[7]

International

Stephens was a member of U.S. squad at the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, having previously scored a goal in consecutive games against Costa Rica with the Under-20s in May. He was the US's starting forward in three games at the 2007 Pan American Games, and featured for the Under-18 National Team in 2006, scoring one goal with three assists. Previously, he had been a member of the U-17 National Team Residency Program from 2004–06, and played with the U-15 and U-16 National Teams.

Career statistics

As of 10 December 2014^[8]

Club	Season	League		Cup		Continental		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
LA Galaxy	2010	25	1	0	0	1	0	26	1
	2011	27	0	2	0	4	0	33	0
	2012	27	0	1	0	5	0	33	0
	2013	21	1	1	0	7	0	29	1
	Total	100	2	4	0	17	0	121	2
Stabæk	2014	30	1	4	0	-		34	1
	Total	30	1	4	0	0	0	34	1
Chicago Fire	2015	0	0	0	0	-		0	0
	Total	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career Total		130	3	8	0	17	0	155	3

Honors

Los Angeles Galaxy

• MLS Cup (2): 2011, 2012
• Major League Soccer Supporters' Shield (2): 2010, 2011
• Major League Soccer Western Conference Championship (2): 2011, 2012

References

1. "FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009 – List of Players" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). p. 22. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
2. 2007 Chicago Fire Premier
3. 2008 Chicago Fire Premier
4. 2010 MLS SuperDraft
5. http://stats.cbc.ca/mls/boxscore.asp?gamecode=2010032706&season=2010-1
6. "American Exports: Former LA Galaxy midfielder Michael Stephens signs with Bob Bradley's Stabaek". MLS Soccer. 4 March 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
7. "Chicago Fire Sign Midfielder Michael Stephens". www.chicago-fire.com. Chicago Fire. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
8. "M.Stephens". uk.soccerway.com. Soccerway. Retrieved 10 December 2014.

External links

• MLS player profile
• UCLA bio