| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 7, 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Richardson, Texas, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder, Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2005 | Indiana Hoosiers | ||
| 2005 | Ajax Orlando Prospects | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2006–2008 | PSV Eindhoven | 1 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | Randers | 22 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Hoàng Anh Gia Lai | 24 | (12) |
| 2010–2011 | Becamex Bình Dương | 5 | (2) |
| 2011– | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2007 | United States U23 | 3 | (0) |
| 2007 | United States | 3 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of June, 29 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Lee Nguyen (born October 7, 1986) is an American soccer midfielder who is signed to Major League Soccer club Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
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Nguyen grew up in Dallas and played for Dallas Texans, one of the nation's elite youth teams. Nguyen was coached by club founder Hassan Nazari and later David Hudgell in his senior year won several tournaments with the team, including the Dallas Cup, Disney Showcase, and Region III Championships (twice). Nguyen also won a National Championship in the U-18 age bracket and finished in third place in the Nation in his U-16 year.
A winger with creative dribbling skills, he has represented the United States national team as a member of its youth squads. He was the only high school player to be named in the U.S. squad for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship and was named the 2004–05 Gatorade National Boy Soccer Player of the Year. Nguyen turned down an offer from Major League Soccer, choosing instead to accept a scholarship to Indiana University.
Despite doubts about his size and athleticism, Nguyen showed little trouble adjusting to the more physical nature of the college game. Soccer Times and Soccer America both named him their national Freshman of the Year on the strength of his five-goal, twelve-assist campaign in autumn of 2005. He played one year at Indiana before pursuing a professional contract overseas after his freshman year.
Nguyen played for the U.S. at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands, and was noticed by famed Dutch coach Guus Hiddink, then at PSV Eindhoven. Nguyen signed for PSV (joining fellow American DaMarcus Beasley) and Hiddink groomed the youngster to play wing in his attack-minded 4-3-3 system. At PSV he put Lee (and not Nguyen) on the back of his Jersey because previously there was a Lee, future Vancouver Whitecaps FC teammate Lee Young-Pyo, from South Korea that played on PSV.
He made one appearance in the Eredivisie in 2006. Hiddink then left the club to coach the Russian national team and was replaced by Ronald Koeman, who preferred other options and demoted Nguyen to the reserve squad. Nguyen performed well for Young PSV but continued to struggle to get looks with the first team and began considering offers elsewhere.
On January 31, 2008, it was announced that the Danish Superliga club Randers FC had signed Nguyen until the summer of 2009.[1]
On January 17, 2009, Lee Nguyen signed with V-League club Hoàng Anh Gia Lai.[2] He scored a hat trick on his first competitive appearance for HAGL in a 3-2 cup win over Saigon United. On March 7, 2009, he scored his first official goal against Xi Mang Hai Phong, and proceeded to also get sent off for a second bookable offense. Lee finished his first season with nine league goals, four cup goals, and sixteen assists in twenty-four appearances. HAGL finished sixth in the league.
Through club partnership connections, Nguyen spent the summer of 2009 training with English club Arsenal in the hopes of earning another contract in Europe.[3]
On March 22, 2010, after a deal with Major League Soccer club FC Dallas fell through,[4] Nguyen signed an 18-month contract with 2009 V-League runners-up Becamex Bình Dương FC. Nguyen had his debut for the 2007-08 champions in the match against Lam Sơn Thanh Hóa on May 30, 2010. He made two assists and helped his team win 5-2.
On June 29, 2011, Becamex Bình Dương confirmed the club and Nguyen had mutually agreed to terminate his contract, making him a free agent.
On December 7, 2011, it was officially announced that Nguyen had signed a multi-year deal with Major League Soccer which could potentially extend to 2015. The league used a weighted lottery system to determine the club for which he will play.[5] Vancouver Whitecaps FC won the lottery[6] on December 15, 2011. Although at one point he was the highest paid athlete in Vietnam,[7] Nguyen will earn less than $60,000 for the 2012 Major League Soccer season.[6]
Nguyen made his debut for the senior national team on June 2, 2007 as a substitute in a 4-1 friendly match victory over China in San Jose, California.
He was named to the U.S. squad for the 2007 Copa América and made appearances against Paraguay and Colombia.
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