Gabriel Ferrari

A promising U.S. youth international, New York-born Gabriel Ferrari joins the Fire in 2011 from Swiss club FC Wohlen and will be looking to provide a technical and physical presence up top as the club looks to improve on its 2010 goal total which was only 10th best in Major League Soccer.

2007-2010: Signed to the Sampdoria first team but never appeared in a league match…Made his club debut in a Coppa Italia match against Inter Milan on February 1, 2007… Was loaned out to Serie C1 side Perugia for the 2008-09 season, appearing in 14 matches and scoring one goal…Loaned again to Serie C1 side Foggia for the 2009-10 season where he appeared in 14 matches…Joined Swiss Super League side AC Bellinzona in September 2010 where he appeared in five matches and scored one goal before being loaned to FC Wohlen to close out 2010, playing in three matches and tallying one goal.

International: Was a member of the U.S. U20 side that went to the quarterfinals of the 2007 FIFA World Youth Championships in Canada, appearing in knockout matches vs. Uruguay and Austria…Scored the game winning goal in his youth international debut for the United States in a 2-1 victory over Haiti in Frisco, TX on March 28, 2007.

Youth: Came up through the MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) youth system, helping the U16 side to the 2005 USL North American Championship…Verbally committed to the University of Connecticut but elected to move and play with Italiian side Sampdoria’s reserves in 2007.

Personal: Speaks four languages: English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese.