.jpg) Nagbe with theColumbus Crew in 2023 | |||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Darlington Joephillip Nagbe[1] | ||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1990-07-19)July 19, 1990 (age 35) | ||||||||||
| Place of birth | Monrovia, Liberia | ||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||
| Position | Midfielder | ||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||
Current team | Columbus Crew | ||||||||||
| Number | 6 | ||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||
| 2001–2007 | Internationals SC | ||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Akron Zips | 73 | (19) | ||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Cleveland Internationals | 18 | (7) | ||||||||
| 2011–2017 | Portland Timbers | 214 | (27) | ||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Atlanta United | 56 | (2) | ||||||||
| 2020– | Columbus Crew | 175 | (9) | ||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||
| 2015–2018 | United States | 25 | (1) | ||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 03:36, October 19, 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of March 27, 2018 | |||||||||||
Darlington Joephillip Nagbe (born July 19, 1990) is a professionalsoccer player who plays as amidfielder for and captainsMajor League Soccer clubColumbus Crew. Born in Liberia, he played for theUnited States national team.
After fleeing Liberia due to theFirst Liberian Civil War, his family eventually settled in Lakewood, Ohio where he played club soccer for theCleveland Internationals. He played college soccer at the University of Akron, where he won an NCAA title and theHermann Trophy. Professionally, Nagbe has appeared in over 400 games, spending the first seven seasons of his career with thePortland Timbers, where he wonMLS Cup with the club in 2015. He was acquired byAtlanta United FC at the conclusion of the 2017 season, where he would go on to win a second MLS Cup, aU.S. Open Cup trophy, and theCampeones Cup. At the end of the 2019 season, he was traded to theColumbus Crew, where he would win two more MLS Cup titles, aLeagues Cup trophy, as well as an additional Campeones Cup.
Nagbe made his international debut in November 2015, appearing for the United States in a2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match. He went on to earn 25 caps for the national team, winning the2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup during his tenure.
Nagbe was born inLiberia and left the country as a five-month-old when his mother fled due to theFirst Liberian Civil War, taking him and his brother with her.[2] They joined her husbandJoe Nagbe, a professional soccer player, and his career took the family to France, Greece, and Switzerland before they eventually settled in theCleveland area in 2001 when Darlington was 11 years old.[3]
Nagbe grew up inLakewood, Ohio, where he attendedLakewood High School and thenSt. Edward High School, scoring 18 goals and adding 10 assists as a senior. He was a member of the Region II ODP team, was a 2007 adidas ESP All-Star and was member of the Ohio North ODP team, as well as winning four Ohio North state club titles with the Cleveland Internationals. Nagbe also participated in theU.S. Soccer Development Academy with the Internationals.[4]
Nagbe playedcollege soccer at theUniversity of Akron, scoring 19 goals and contributing 19 assists in 73 matches during three collegiate seasons. He was a Soccer America All-Freshman first-team honoree, and was named All-MAC Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 2008. As a sophomore in 2009, Nagbe was named to the NSCAA All-America Second Team, Soccer America MVP Second Team,Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Season Second Team, All-Great Lakes Region First Team, and All-Mid-American Conference First Team. In 2010, Nagbe helped theAkron Zips to their first national championship, a 1–0 win against Louisville; he was subsequently named to the NSCAA All-America First Team, the All-MAC First Team, the College Cup All-Tournament Team, and was honored with theHermann Trophy as the 2010 College Soccer Player of the Year.[5]
During his college years, Nagbe also played four seasons with theCleveland Internationals in theUSL Premier Development League, scoring seven goals in 18 league appearances.[6][7][8][9]
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After signing aGeneration Adidas contract to forgo his remaining year of college eligibility, Nagbe was selected byPortland Timbers in the first round (second overall) of the2011 MLS SuperDraft.[10][11][12] After missing the first few weeks of the season due to hernia surgery, Nagbe made his professional debut on April 2, 2011, in a 1–1 draw against theNew England Revolution.[13][14] Nagbe scored his first goal in Major League Soccer with a volley, which was eventually named the 2011 MLS Goal of the Year, in a 2–1 loss toSporting Kansas City on July 2, 2011.[15][16]
Nagbe would score the first brace of his career, coming againstReal Salt Lake on March 12. Nagbe's next three goals would come in successive games, as he ended the 2012 season with six total goals. He struggled to find a true role in the direct attacking system deployed by the Timbers, but was mostly deployed as an attacking midfielder.[17][18][19][20]
On January 8, Nagbe was reunited with his coach at Akron,Caleb Porter, after Porter was officially hired by Portland.[21] Nagbe finished the 2013 season with 11 goals scored across all competitions, playing mainly on the left wing.[22] Highlights include four goals scored againstFC Dallas across four matches, as well as a goal in the postseason—Portland's first postseason appearance—in the first leg of the quarter-finals against rivalsSeattle Sounders FC.[23] After the season, Nagbe was awarded with the individualFair Play Award, after committing only eight fouls and receiving one yellow card in 2,848 minutes of regular-season play.[24]
The 2014 season saw Nagbe spend the majority of his time on the right wing and ended the year with two total goals, the first goal coming as a game-tying goal in the 93rd minute of aU.S. Open Cup match with Seattle Sounders FC,[25] and the second goal coming on the last day of the season against FC Dallas.[26] He would set a career high in assists with seven.[27][28]
Nagbe was a part of Portland's MLS Cup-winning campaign in 2015 and started the year playing as an attacking midfielder covering forDiego Valeri, who was recovering from anACL tear. After Valeri's return to fitness, Nagbe returned to the wings, before moving into a more central role permanently during the last three games of the regular season—a move that saw him score three of his five total goals.[29] He also received the Fair Play Award for the second time in his career, committing only 11 fouls and receiving no bookings.[30][31]
"It’s almost like he’s a magician on the field. When you think you’re going to win the ball from him, you have no chance.”
Before the beginning of the 2016 season, the Timbers announced they had re-signed Nagbe to a contract extension.[33] Nagbe was injured after a hard tackle fromNigel de Jong on April 11, during a game against theLA Galaxy. Nagbe was stretchered off the field and left the stadium in a wheelchair. The injury turned out to be a sprained ankle and he missed just two matches before returning to action. De Jong, who received a yellow card for the tackle, was later suspended for three matches.[34][35][36] In July 2016, he was included in the roster for theMLS All-Star Game, making the squad for the first time in his career.[37] After the season, Nagbe was close to making a £3 million move to Scottish sideCeltic, but the deal fell through and Nagbe remained with Portland for 2017.[38]
During 2017, Nagbe was moved all over the field.[22] He scored a goal from outside the box in a 3–1 win away from home on April 8,[39] and then scored a "stunning" solo goal against the Vancouver Whitecaps for a 2–1 win on April 22.[40] At the conclusion of the 2017 season, the Timbers included Nagbe in trade talks after head coach Caleb Porter stepped down, and with Nagbe having requested a new contract during the middle of the season.[41]
On December 13, 2017,Atlanta United FC finalized a trade to acquire Nagbe for $1.05 million inallocation money, with a potential addition of another $600,000 dependent on performance bonuses.[42] He joined a prolific Atlanta attack that scored the second-most goals in 2017 underTata Martino.[43]
In his first season in Atlanta, Nagbe made 17 straight starting appearances before missing nearly three months due to an adductor strain suffered on June 24, 2018, against the Portland Timbers.[44] Nagbe was once again selected to participate in theMLS All-Star Game, but would miss the game due to his injury.[45] After making his return to play on September 15 against the Colorado Rapids, Nagbe was not selected for the subsequent match on the 19th to avoid straining his body with a midweek game, due to a lack of match fitness. After his full return to fitness, Nagbe would not miss a game for the remainder of the season, starting all five of the remaining regular season games, as well as starting all five playoff games, helping Atlanta United to their firstMLS Cup, a 2–0 victory over the Portland Timbers.[46][47] Head coachGerardo "Tata" Martino commented on Nagbe's impact during the 2018 season: "He understood every moment of the match. He knew when to speed things up, when to play laterally and he was always very accurate in his passing. It was very easy to construct each of our attacks."[48]
At the outset of the 2019 preseason, Nagbe informed new head coachFrank De Boer of some self-described "personal issues" he was dealing with, mentioning his intention to arrive late for preseason training and to leave early due to those issues. Reports also suggested that Nagbe expressed interest in a move to an Ohio-based club in order to be closer to family,[49] with Felipe Cardenas ofThe Athletic reporting that "Nagbe was disheartened after the club 'dragged their feet' during contract negotiations following the 2018 season, as both parties had previously agreed to sign a multi-year deal upon Nagbe’s trade to Atlanta from Portland."[50] Nevertheless, Nagbe was an integral part of a team that won the2019 U.S. Open Cup, as well as theCampeones Cup. He would go on to start in 44 games and appear in 46 across all competitions, missing just the midweek clash atVancouver on May 15. Atlanta United offered Nagbe a multi-year extension in the middle of the season, which was rejected by Nagbe.[51] At the end of the season, Nagbe was traded to theColumbus Crew.
On November 13, 2019, the Columbus Crew acquired Nagbe in exchange for $1.05 million in total allocation money, as well as an international roster spot.[52] Nagbe was once again reunited with his coach at Akron and Portland,Caleb Porter.
During theCOVID-shorted season, Nagbe would appear in 15 of a possible 23 regular season games, missing eight games due to an injury suffered in a match against thePhiladelphia Union.[53][54] On August 20, Nagbe scored his first goal for Columbus in a 3–0 win against theChicago Fire, a goal that would be named the 2020 MLS goal of the year, Nagbe's second time winning the award.[55] After leading the Crew through the regular season and playoffs, he would miss theMLS Cup Final due to testing positive forCOVID-19.[56] Columbus would end up winning the game, giving Nagbe his third MLS Cup.[57]
Starting in Columbus' first match of the2021 CONCACAF Champions League, Nagbe suffered an injury in that game and would go on to miss the following two matches: the home leg of the Champions League fixture and the opening match of the MLS season.[58] After returning from his injury, Nagbe would not miss a game for the rest of the season, starting in all of the remaining games, including the 2–0 victory against Cruz Azul in theCampeones Cup.[59][60]
During the2022 season, Nagbe started every single league match for Columbus, scoring three goals—the most he had scored in a season since 2017. These goals included a 95th-minute equalizer in a 1–1 road draw against theNew York Red Bulls on March 20, the third goal in a 3–0 home win againstD.C. United on April 30, and the game-winner in the Crew's 2–1 road victory overToronto FC on June 29.[61] Nagbe was again named to theMLS All-Star Game, playing the first half of a 2–1 victory against the Liga MX All-Stars.[62]
The 2023 season began with the departure of head coach Caleb Porter as well as clubcaptain Jonathan Mensah, resulting in Nagbe assuming the role of the new club captain. While captaining his side, Nagbe played in all 34 regular season matches and led Columbus to win the MLS Cup overLAFC 2–1.[63] It was Nagbe's fourth MLS Cup, making him the tenth player in MLS history to win four titles.[64] At the end of the2023 regular season, Nagbe was re-signed by Columbus to a contract extension through the 2025 campaign, with an option for another year.[65]
In the 2024 season, Nagbe was selected by MLS commissionerDon Garber to compete in the2024 MLS All-Star Game inColumbus on July 24.[66] On August 28, Nagbe helped win the2024 Leagues Cup by defeatingLos Angeles FC 3–1 in the final.[67][68]
On October 7, 2025, Nagbe announced he would be retiring following the end of the2025 MLS Cup playoffs.[69]
Nagbe obtainedAmerican citizenship[70] in September 2015, and shortly after, he was included in theU.S. National Team roster on November 6, 2015, for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches againstSt. Vincent and the Grenadines andTrinidad and Tobago.[71] Making his international debut on November 13, 2015, Nagbe entered the match as a substitute in the 64th minute.[72]
Nagbe scored his first goal for the U.S. National Team on May 25, 2016, in the 90th minute via a volley to secure a 1–0 victory in a friendly match against Ecuador.[73] He was added to the squad for the knockout stage of the2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which the United States won. Nagbe started all three games in the knockout stage and was named to the tournament's Best XI.[74] He also took part in the United States' unsuccessfulWorld Cup qualifying campaign, starting seven of 10 matches in thehexagonal as the United States did not qualify for the tournament for the first time since 1986. Nagbe has since declined any further call-ups, citing wanting to spend more time with his family.[75]
“Selfishness doesn't fit into team sports. The ball must be shared. However, Darlington Nagbe could very well keep it at his feet for an entire match, and I bet no one would take it away. The captain of Columbus is a humble soul and an outstanding football player.”
Deployed as either a winger or an attacking midfielder at Akron and early in his pro career in Portland, Nagbe moved to a "withdrawn,box-to-box role" in the middle of the 2015 season[77] and then further settled into adeeper role later in his career.[78][79][80] A calming influence in the midfield, Nagbe has been described as a "facilitator" and an "orchestrator" due to his composure, tempo-setting, and skill in maintaining possession under pressure. His ability to create and draw fouls while under pressure has made him the most fouled player in Major League Soccer history.[81] He is frequently praised as being a player with superb technical ability and high soccer IQ, with former coachFrank De Boer describing him as "the cement between the bricks."[82] Thanks to his deft first touch, ability to glide past defenders, and fluid comfort on the ball, he is able to help his team transition from defense to attack in the blink of an eye. Nagbe is also an intricate and precise passer, and is adept at working in tight spaces. Additionally, he possesses the capability to score the occasional goal of the season. Nagbe has commented on his style of play: "I feel like as a player, the more I get on the ball, the more comfortable I get and the easier it is to make plays."[83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92][93][94]
Nagbe is the son of Somah Nagbe andJoe Nagbe, the former captain of theLiberian national team. He has two younger sisters, Martha and Seta, and one older brother, Joe Jr. In 2012, he married Felicia Houtz, and the couple have a daughter named Mila and sons Kingston and Isaiah.[95]
Nagbe received hisU.S. green card in 2012, thus making him a domestic player for MLS roster purposes,[2][96] and became a United States citizen in September 2015.[97]
He has stated that his sporting idol is Thierry Henry.[98]
| Club | Season | League | U.S. Open Cup | Playoffs | CONCACAF | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Portland Timbers | 2011 | Major League Soccer | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 28 | 2 | |||
| 2012 | 33 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 6 | |||||
| 2013 | 34 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 42 | 11 | ||||
| 2014 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 2[a] | 0 | — | 35 | 2 | ||||
| 2015 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 40 | 5 | ||||
| 2016 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[a] | 1 | — | 31 | 2 | ||||
| 2017 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 214 | 27 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 1 | — | 239 | 31 | |||
| Atlanta United FC | 2018 | Major League Soccer | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 0 | ||
| 2019 | 33 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 46 | 2 | ||
| Total | 56 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 74 | 2 | ||
| Columbus Crew | 2020 | Major League Soccer | 15[c] | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 19 | 2 | ||
| 2021 | 33 | 2 | — | — | 3[a] | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 37 | 2 | ||||
| 2022 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 3 | |||||
| 2023 | 34 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 3[e] | 0 | 44 | 4 | |||
| 2024 | 29 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 7[a] | 0 | 6[f] | 0 | 44 | 0 | |||
| 2025 | 30 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 3[e] | 0 | 35 | 0 | |||
| Total | 175 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 213 | 11 | ||
| Career total | 445 | 38 | 14 | 2 | 31 | 3 | 21 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 526 | 44 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2015 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 25 | 1 | |
Scores and results list the United States' goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 25, 2016 | Toyota Stadium,Frisco, United States |  Ecuador | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
Akron Zips
Portland Timbers
Atlanta United
Columbus Crew
United States
Individual
Awards | |
|---|---|
United States squads | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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