Player Details

Name

Ricardo Clark

Height

5' 10"

Weight

161 lbs

Date of Birth

2.10.1983 (41)

Birthplace

Atlanta, GA USA

Position

Midfielder
Career Summary

Dynamo original and 2010 World Cup veteran won Dynamo MVP and Players' Player of the Year in 2015. 2006 MLS Best XI, 2007 MLS All-Star First XI, United States international (34 caps). Spent over two years playing abroad in Germany and Norway from 2010-12.

2017 MLS: Returned to a playoffs series for the first time since three years in a 1-0 win vs. Sporting Kansas City during the Knockout Round of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs​ ... Dished his second assist of the year on a 5-1 win vs. Real Salt Lake on May 31... Made his professional debut in his hometown of Atlanta when he came on as a substitute in the 76th minute at Atlanta United on May 20 ... Returned after being out with tightness in his left adductor on a 4-0 win vs. Orlando City SC on May 6; injury in which he missed two games (2-0 win vs. San Jose Earthquakes on 4/22 and 2-0 loss at Toronto FC on 4/28) ... Started in eight games this season, serving as captain in each game ... Tailed his first assist of the season in FW Mauro Manotas' first goal of the season in a 2-2 tie vs. Minnesota United FC ... Currently ranks in second on Dynamo's all-time regular-season games played (253), starts (242) and minutes played (22,180) 

2016 MLS: Led Dynamo with 32 appearances and 29 starts and finished second on the club with 2,551 minutes (his fifth MLS season with 30+ appearances) … Matched career high with fourth assist of season vs. Colorado on 10/8 … Passed Corey Ashe for second on the club list with 267th career appearance in all competitions on 8/27 vs. FC Dallas … Surpassed 2,000 minutes for fourth consecutive season and eighth season overall … Made 300th career MLS regular season appearance 8/19 at San Jose Earthquakes and tallied fourth goal of the season … Passed 25,000 career MLS regular season minutes on 7/31 vs. San Jose Earthquakes … Scored vs. FC Dallas on 3/12 and 6/2, his fifth and sixth goals in the Texas Derby which is the most in series history … Made 275th career MLS regular season start and 200th regular season start with the Dynamo on 4/23 at Columbus Crew SC … Member of first MLS free agency class in December 2015, but re-signed with Dynamo

2015 MLS: Named 2015 Dynamo Most Valuable Player, Players' Player of the Year, and Humanitarian of the Year ... Started in all 30 appearances tallying eight goals and one assist in 2,573 minutes played ... Scored first goal of the season in the 72nd minute in 3-0 win vs. Montreal Impact on 4/11 ... Recorded game-winning goal and assist in 4-2 win vs. New York on 6/5 ... Started 39 consecutive MLS games, dating to 7/4/14 (last 17 games in 2014 and first 22 in 2015) before missing game with left hamstring strain vs. San Jose on 8/8 ... Extended career high with eighth goal of the season in 1-1 draw vs. Seattle Sounders FC on 10/18

2014 MLS: Appeared in 25 MLS regular-season games ... Missed nine conseutive MLS games (4/27 - 6/6) after suffering concussion at New York on 4/23 ... Scored in consecutive games, 3-1 win at Sporting Kansas City on 8/29 and 3-2 win vs. Montreal Impact on 9/6 ... Registered fourth assist of year in 2-0 win over Chicago Fire on 9/28 ... Recorded third assist of the season on Giles Barnes' goal on 7/19 vs. Toronto ... Recorded second assist on the year on Giles Barnes' goal on 7/4 vs. New York ... Returned to action on 6/29 at Montreal after missing 11 games with a concussion ... Assisted on Omar Cumming's goal vs. New England Revolution on 3/8 ... U.S. Open Cup: Did not feature. 

2013 MLS: Named 2013 Dynamo Players' Player of the Year after overcoming injury to appear in 38 games accross all competitions and set career highs with four regular-season goals and assists and three game-winning goals ... Added goal and assist in MLS Cup Playoffs ... MLS Team of the Week (Weeks 1, 29) ... Scored winning goal of 1-0 win over Montreal Impact on 10/4 with a curling effort from 25 yards ... Scored game-winning goal from a Brad Davis free kick at Philadelphia on 9/14 ... Missed three games due to illness after exiting 8/17 match vs. Seattle in the 39th minute; returned as a sub on 9/8 vs. New York Red Bulls ... Assisted on Adam Moffat’s second goal in 2-1 win at New England on 7/13 ... Scored only goal in 1-0 win vs. the Philadelphia Union on 7/6 ... Assisted on Giles Barnes' goal vs. Vancouver on 3/23 ... Scored final goal in 2-0 win vs. D.C. United on 3/2 … Playoffs: Scored the first goal for the Dynamo in their 2-2 tie vs. New York on 11/3 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals first leg ... Assisted on Will Bruin’s opening goal vs. Montreal on 10/31 in Eastern Conference Knockout Round with clever back heel pass ... 12-13 Champions League: Played 83 minutes in 1-0 first leg win over Santos Laguna on 3/5 … Played 90 minutes in 3-0 second leg loss at Santos Laguna on 3/13 U.S. Open Cup: Played 90 minutes in 3-0 U.S. Open Cup loss at FC Dallas on 6/12. 

2012 MLS: Signed with the Dynamo on 8/8 after two-and-a-half years in Germany and Norway with Eintracht Frankfurst and Stabaek Fotball ... 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: Started five playoff games to help guide the Dynamo to a return to the MLS Cup final. 2012-13 CCL: 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 substitute in 84th minute of 1-1 draw vs. Mexico at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia ... 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.