It’s official. Portland Timbers midfielder Darlington Nagbe is Major League Soccer’s best player under 24 years of age for 2013. Nagbe becomes the fourth player to be recognized, joining previous winners Darren Mattocks, Brek Shea, and Fredy Montero.
Timbers fans know what Nagbe can do on the field, but here are 24 things they might not know about the MLS' best player under 24:
- Born: July 19, 1990 – Monrovia, Liberia
- Has lived in: France, Greece, Switzerland, Ohio, Oregon
- Father: Joe Nagbe was former professional soccer player
- Nickname: “D” – because “Darlington” is too long to say on the field
- Youth career: Won four Ohio state club titles with the Cleveland Internationals
- College: University of Akron under head coach Caleb Porter
- College teammates (Univ. of Akron) in MLS: 8 – Teal Bunbury (SKC), Blair Gavin (SEA), Perry Kitchen (DCU), Chris Korb (DCU), Darren Mattocks (VAN), Michael Nanchoff (POR) Kofie Sarkodie (HOU), Steve Zakuani (SEA), Ben Zemanski (POR)
- Championships: 2010 NCAA National Championship with Akron
- Drafted: 2011 MLS SuperDraft (2nd overall). Timbers first MLS pick in team history
- First MLS goal: July 2, 2011 against Sporting Kansas City. Goal won MLS Goal of the Year honors for 2011
- Married: December 2012 to wife Felicia.
- Expecting: Birth of their first child in January
- Pets: Two puppies
- Favorite soccer team (other than the Timbers): Barcelona
- Favorite non-soccer team: Miami Heat (whatever team LeBron James is on)
- Guilty pleasure TV show: Beverly Hills, 90210
- Favorite place to hang out in Portland: 23rd Avenue
- Other sports growing up: None. All soccer, all the time.
- Afraid of: Airplanes
- Favorite movie: Twilight series
- Favorite actor: Denzel Washington
- Other talent he wishes he had: Ability to sing
- Favorite home cooked meal: Rice & chicken
- Favorite artists on his iPod: Macklemore, Ne-Yo, and Drake
