2013 Major League Soccer features 41 African players
Portland, Oregon – A total of 41 players of African descent will feature in the 2013 Major League Soccer (MLS), which will kick off this weekend.
Twenty of these players were born in Africa, while the remaining 21 call the USA (12), France (5), Canada (3) and the UK (1) as their birthplaces.
Ghana has the largest representation with 11 players, followed by Nigeria (7) and Gambia (5). Cameroon, Mali and Congo have 3 players each.
The Portland Timbers of the Western Conference leads the list with 5 players, followed by New England Revolution and Philadelphia Union of the Eastern Conference, with 4 each.
New York Bulls (East) and Chivas USA (West) are the only two teams without a player of African heritage.
Eastern Conference (22)ÂÂ
Chicago Fire: (3)
Jalil Anibaba (USA/Nigeria) – Defender – 10-19-1988 – Davis, California
Patrick Nyarko (Ghana) – Forward – 01-15-1986 – Kumasi, Ghana
Quincy Amarikwa (USA/Ghana) – Forward – 10-29-1987- Bakersfield, California
Columbus Crew (2)
Dominic Oduro (Ghana) – Forward – 08-13-1985- Pramso, Ghana
Tony Tchani (USA/Cameroon) – Midfielder – 04-13-1989 – Norfolk, Virginia
D.C. United (1)
John Thorrington(South Africa) –Midfielder -10/17/1979 – Johannesburg, South Africa
Houston Dynamo (1)
Kofi Sarkodie (USA/Ghana) – Defender – 3/22/1991 – Huber Heights, Ohio
New England Revolution (4)
Kalifa Cisse (France/Mali) – Midfielder – 1/9/1984 – Dreux, France
Dimitry Imbongo (Congo) – Forward – 3/28/1990 – Kinshasa, Congo
Sainey Nyassi (Gambia)- Midfielder- 1/31/1989- Bwiam, Gambia
Saer Sene (France/Senegal) – Forward – 11/4/1986 – Paris, France
Montreal Impact (2)
Hassoun Camara (France/Senegal) –Defender – 2/3/1984 – Noisy-le-Sec, France
Sanna Nyassi (Gambia) – Forward – 1/31/1989 – Bwiam, Gambia
Philadelphia Union (4)
Freddy Adu (USA/Ghana) M/F – 6/2/1989 – Tema, Ghana
Michael Lahoud (Sierra Leone) – Defender – 9/15/1986 – Annadale, Virginia
Amobi Okugo (USA/Nigeria) – Defender – 3/13/1991- Sacramento, California
Bakary Soumare (Mali) – Defender – 11/9/1985   Bamako, Mali
Sporting Kansas City (4)
Lawrence Olum (Kenya) –Defender – 7/10/1984 – Nairobi, Kenya
Ikenna “Ike” Opara (USA/Nigeria)– Defender – 2/21/1989 – Durham, North Carolina
C.J. Sapong (USA/Ghana) – Forward – 12/27/1988 – Manassas, Virginia
Yann Songo’o (France/Cameroon) – Defender – 11/19/1991 – Yaounde, Cameroon
Toronto FC (1)
Gale Agbossoumonde (USA/Togo) – Defender – 11/17/1991 – Syracuse, New York
Western Conference (19)
Colorado Rapids (2)
Andre Akpan (USA/Nigeria) – Forward – 12/9/1987 – Grand Prarie, Texas
Charles Eloundou (Cameroon) Forward – 12/4/1994 -Yaounde, Cameroon
FC Dallas (1)
Ugo Ihemelu (Nigeria) – Defender – 4/3/1983 – Enugu, Nigeria
Los Angeles Galaxy (1)
Kofi Opare (Canada/Ghana) – Defender – 10/12/1990 – Niagra Falls, Canada
Portland Timbers (5)
Khalif Alhassan (Ghana) – Midfielder – 10/15/1990 – Accra, Ghana
Mamadou Danso (Gambia) – Defender – 4/27/1983 – Serrekunda, Gambia
Bright Dike (USA/Nigeria) – Forward – 2/2/1987 – Edmond, Oklahoma
Danny Mwanga (Congo)* – Forward – 7/17/1991 – Kinshasa, DR Congo*
Darlington Nagbe (Liberia) – Midfielder – 9/23/1988 – Monrovia, Liberia
* Danny Mwanga was traded to Colorado Rapids today (02/28/2013)
Real Salt Lake (2)
Kwame Watson-Siriboe (USA/Ghana) – Defender – 11/13/1986 – Chino Hills, California
Kenny Mansally (Gambia) – Midfielder – 1/27/1989 – Banjul, Gambia
San Jose Earthquakes (2)
Nana Attakora (Canada/Ghana)- Defender – 3/27/1989 – Orangeville, Canada
Mehdi Ballouchy (Morocco) – Midfielder – 4/4/1983 – Casablanca, Morocco
Seattle Sounders (3)
Babayele Sodade (Canada/Nigeria) – Forward – 7/26/1990 – Olney, Maryland
Djimi Traore (France/Mali) – Defender – 3/1/1980 – Saint-Ouen, France
Steve Zakuani (Congo) – Midfielder – 2/9/1988   Akron, Ohio
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (3)
Gershon Koffie (Ghana) – Midfielder – 8/25/1991 – Koforidua, Ghana
Kekuta Manneh (Gambia) – Forward – 12/30/1994 -Bakau, Gambia
Nigel Reo-Coker (UK/Sierra Leone) – Midfielder – 5/14/1984 -Southwark, England
Editor’s Note: We welcome your feedback. So, let us know if the list needs any correction or update.ÂÂ
