Ricardo Clark

 CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• Started two games for United States at 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa
• Started four games at 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, including starts in 2-0 semifinal win over Spain and 3-2 defeat to Brazil in Final
• 2006 MLS Best XI
• 2007 MLS All-Star First XI
• 2006, 2007 MLS Cup champion
• United States international (34 caps)

OUTLOOK: An original Dynamo player and key player in central midfield who returned to Houston after a two-year stint in Europe. Tenacious tackler and talented long-range shooter.

2012 MLS: Scored first goal since returning to Dynamo on Sept. 29 vs. New England, a game-winner in 77th minute assisted by other original Dynamo players Brian Ching and Brad Davis ... Played center back in 1-0 win over RSL on Sept. 6, earning MLS Team of the Week honors ... Came on as second-half sub and played final 15 minutes in 2-0 loss to NY on 8/10 ... 2012 Playoffs: Starteed five playoff games to help guide the Dynamo to a return to the MLS Cup final. 2012-13 CCLeague: Did not appear ... U.S. Open Cup: Did not appear ... Reserve League: Started and played 80 minutes in 2-0 win over Sporting KC Reserves on 8/14

2009 MLS: Started and played 22 games for the Dynamo ... Scored only goal of season in 3-2 win vs. Chicago on 8/9 ... Recorded his lone assist of the season in a 3-0 home win over Toronto FC on 5/30 ... Playoffs: Started and played full-time in all three of Houston's playoff matches ... Champions League: Started seven of eight matches for Dynamo in 2008-09 tournament ... Started and played full time in two of Houston's six matches in the 2009-10 Champions League group stage ... Open Cup: Did not appear

2008 MLS: Consistent defensive midfielder who was substituted only once in 25 MLS games … Notched two goals and one assist in league play … Missed first two MLS games due to suspension that carried over from 2007 … Took long-range shot that deflected off of Dwayne De Rosario and went in for first goal of 2-1 win at CHI on 5/17 … Wore captain's armband for first time vs. NE on 6/12 ... Scored MLS Goal of the Week nominee on 8/16 vs. RSL with a long-range strike … Scored again on 10/4 at COL with a low shot from 25 yards … Playoffs: Played every minutes of both legs of the playoff series vs. NY … Was whistled for a handball that led to a penalty kick in second leg vs. NY on 11/9 … Champions' Cup: Played every minute of the Dynamo's four Champions' Cup games … SuperLiga: Played every minute of all five games … Scored first goal since 9/16/07 with header at DC on 7/19 … Scored in championship game shootout at NE on 8/5 … Champions League: Started five of six games … Was removed at halftime at Pumas on 9/30 to rest, ending string of 30 consecutive Dynamo starts without being substituted. Open Cup: Did not appear.

2007 MLS: A regular starter when available, Clark started 19 games in 2007 despite missing almost a month while competing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and CONMEBOL Copa America with the U.S. national team … Named to MLS all-star squad that faced Celtic F.C. … Finished season with two goals and three assists … Missed final two regular season and all playoff games due to suspension … Assisted on a Dwayne De Rosario goal at COL on 5/5 … Made major offensive contributions in 2-1 win vs. FCD on 6/3, scoring the tying goal with a rising blast from just inside the penalty area and setting up Joseph Ngwenya for the game-winning score … Missed six games due to Copa America … Made first start in more than a month at CHI on 7/12 and helped set up a goal in a 4-0 Houston win … Scored second goal of the season to clinch a 3-1 win at LA on 9/16 … Ejected in the 89th minute on 9/30 for kicking FC Dallas’ Carlos Ruiz … Suspended for nine games, including playoff games, and fined $10,000 for the incident, the most severe suspension in league history …  Playoffs: Did not play due to suspension … Champions’ Cup: Played all 90 minutes of both legs of the quarterfinal series against Puntarenas and the semifinal series against Pachuca … SuperLiga: Missed first two group games due to injury … Entered as a substitute in final group game vs. DC on 8/1 … Did not play in semifinal … Open Cup: Did not appear … Reserves: Made only appearance in season-ending 5-2 win vs. LA on 10/7.

2006 MLS: Started 31 of 32 games for the Dynamo … Had two goals and three assists … Scored unassisted goal on 5/6 vs. FCD and another goal on 6/10 in a 1-1 draw at NY … Ejected with a red card on 8/26 against CHV in a 3-2 loss … Playoffs: Earned yellow card on 10/29 vs. CHV … Received second yellow card on 11/5 in a 3-1 victory vs. COL … the yellow-card accumulation made him ineligible for the MLS Cup … Open Cup: Started and played 85 minutes in 4-2 win vs. Carolina on 8/2 … Played all 90 minutes in 3-1 quarterfinal loss at LA on 9/6.

2005 MLS: Started 28 of 30 games for the Earthquakes … Formed potent combination with Dwayne De Rosario in central midfield … Scored career-high three goals and registered career-high two assists … Earned first call-up to U.S. national team … Trained with Spanish Second Division Club Real Valladolid in December … Started in Quakes debut and received yellow card on 4/2 vs. NE … Scored first goal of season and recorded first assist of season on 7/2 at FCD, first assist since 6/23/04, goal named MLS Goal of the Week … Registered assist in second straight game on 7/9 at CLB and received a yellow card … Named Player Of The Month for July … Named Earthquakes Player Of The Month for July … Scored goal on 8/13 vs. COL … Scored goal 9/10 vs. CHV, received yellow card … Playoffs: Played 90 minutes 10/23 at LA, scored first career playoff goal in 68th minute, received yellow card … Played 90 minutes 10/30 vs. LA, received yellow card … Open Cup: Did not appear … Reserves: Appeared in one reserve league match, played 36 minutes on 4/24 vs. KC.

2004 MLS: Played in 26 games for the MetroStars, starting 19 while scoring one goal and registering one assist … Made first start of season 4/25 vs. NE, played 67 minutes … Played 90 minutes 5/5 vs. FCD for first time of season … Started and played 90 minutes for nine straight games from 6/5 to 7/17 … Registered assist 6/23 at LA … Scored goal 10/17 at DC … Playoffs: Played 90 minutes against DC 10/23 and 10/30.

2003 MLS: Drafted by the MetroStars in the first round (second overall) of the 2003 MLS SuperDraft … Started in 28 games, scoring three goals and registering one assist … Was a finalist for the MLS Rookie of the Year award … Made MLS debut 4/12 vs. CLB, playing 90 minutes … Set MetroStars rookie record by starting 27 straight games … Scored first career MLS goal 6/28 vs. CHI … Playoffs: Played 90 minutes against New England on 11/1 and 11/9 … Open Cup: Helped the MetroStars win four games en route to the first final in club history … MetroStars were defeated 1-0 by CHI in Open Cup final on 10/15.

INTERNATIONAL: United States international (34 caps, 3 goal) … 2012: Came on as 64th-minute substitute and scored stoppage-time goal to defeat Venezuela 1-0 on January 21 ... Started and played 67 minutes in 1-0 win over Panama on January 25 ... 2011: Came on as substiute in 84th minute of 1-1 draw vs. Mexico at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadlephia ... 2010: Started in the 1-1 draw against England on June 12 (group stage) and the 2-1 overtime loss to Ghana on June 26 (round of 16) in the 2010 FIFA World Cup … Making four starts total for the year, he appeared in the final two tune-up matches for the World Cup on May 29 against Turkey and June 5 against Australia …2009: Made a career-high 11 appearances, including 10 starts … After playing in the first two matches of the year, including the 2-0 win against Mexico on Feb. 11 in Columbus, injuries hampered his availability until the summer … Part of the U.S. squad that reached the final of the Confederations Cup … His long-range blast in the 62nd minute handed the U.S. a 1-0 win on Sept. 9 in Port of Spain and a critical three points in qualifying … Clark’s Trinidadian-born father was in the stands to witness the goal … Earned ussoccer.com Man of the Match honors in the USA’s final match of 2009, a 3-1 loss to Denmark … 2008: Played in six matches, including five starts … Started vs. Sweden, Mexico, Guatemala and at Poland, England and played as a sub vs. Trinidad & Tobago … 2007: Played in nine games, including six starts for the U.S. and scored his first international goal … Played 90 minutes in friendlies against Denmark on 1/20 and Mexico on 2/7 … One of seven players named to the roster for both the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the CONMEBOL Copa America … Made four appearances in the Gold Cup, including his only start vs. Trinidad & Tobago on 6/ 9 … Entered as a substitute in the final in Chicago against Mexico, where he helped the U.S. rally from a 1-0 deficit to win the continental title, 2-1 … One of two players, along with Eddie Johnson, to start all three Copa America games for a young U.S. squad … Scored first international goal on a low shot from the top of the penalty area in the 40th minute against Paraguay on 7/2, tying the game before the U.S. lost 3-1 … 2005: Made first appearance for full national team on October 12 in World Cup Qualifying match vs. Panama … Entered as a substitute in 68th minute as U.S. won 2-0 … Youth: Played five games for U-20 team at 2003 FIFA World Youth Championships, helping team to quarterfinals … Member of U-23 national team in 2004.

COLLEGE: Played two years at Furman University in Greenville, S.C. … Scored three goals and registered four assists in two seasons … First Team NSCAA All-American, First Team College Soccer News All-American and All-Southern Conference First Team in 2002 … Helped lead Furman to 19-3-1 record and Southern Conference regular season and tournament championships in 2002 … Started 14 games in 2001 despite a foot injury.

AMATEUR: As a senior at St. Pius X Catholic High School in 2001, selected as Georgia State Player of the Year … 2001 Parade Magazine All-American … Led St. Pius to 22-1 record and state title in 2001 … 2000 Georgia State Player of the Year … MVP of Adidas ESP Camp in 2000 … Won state title at St. Pius in 1999 … Helped lead AFC Lightning to two state titles and a third place finish in 1999.

YOUTH SOCCER: AFC Lightning, Atlanta

PERSONAL: Married to Martha and they have one son, Mateo … Parents are Lancelot and Norma … Father played soccer at Polytechnic University (NY) in 1977-78 … Atlanta sports enthusiast (Braves, Falcons, Thrashers) … Played basketball growing up … Lists England as favorite country to play in … Lists Pele as his favorite player … Admires golfer Tiger Woods … Favorite musical artists include Outkast, TI, and Bob Marley … Brother Richonne played at Clayton State … Enjoys hip hop and reggae music.