 McCarty with theNew York Red Bulls in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Dax McCarty[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1987-04-30)April 30, 1987 (age 38) | ||
| Place of birth | Winter Park, Florida, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2004–2005 | North Carolina Tar Heels | 45 | (4) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2010 | FC Dallas | 93 | (5) |
| 2011 | D.C. United | 13 | (0) |
| 2011–2016 | New York Red Bulls | 169 | (14) |
| 2017–2019 | Chicago Fire | 86 | (1) |
| 2020–2023 | Nashville SC | 105 | (2) |
| 2024 | Atlanta United | 22 | (0) |
| 2025 | Des Moines Menace | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 488 | (22) | |
| International career | |||
| 2007 | United States U20 | 5 | (0) |
| 2008 | United States U23 | 6 | (0) |
| 2009–2017 | United States | 13 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Michael Dax McCarty (born April 30, 1987) is an American former professionalsoccer player who played as amidfielder. McCarty spent his entire professional career inMajor League Soccer with six different clubs.
McCarty was raised inWinter Park, Florida and attendedWinter Park High School.[3][4] During his early years, McCarty was a member of the United States Soccer Residency program and attended the Edison Soccer Academy inBradenton, Florida. He was also a member of theAjax Orlando Prospects in theUSL Premier Development League the summer after his freshman year in college.
McCarty played college soccer at theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2004 to 2005. Over that span, he appeared in 45 games, scoring 4 goals and assisting on 11 others. In 2005, he was named to the All-ACC first team.[5]
Opting to forgo his last two years at North Carolina, he was drafted in the first round, 6th overall, of the2006 MLS SuperDraft byFC Dallas. McCarty made his MLS debut in the 85th minute in a 3–0 loss againstChivas USA on July 1, 2006. Dax had his best season as a professional in 2007 making his first start against theLos Angeles Galaxy in a 2–1 victory on April 12, 2007, and scored his first career MLS goal against the Galaxy on September 23, 2007. McCarty featured in Dallas' 3–2 loss to theNew England Revolution in the2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final. He finished the 2007 campaign leading the team with seven assists in 31 appearances throughout all competitions, including appearances in the2007 North American SuperLiga. In 2008, McCarty was limited to only 17 games due to injury, but made eight starts forFC Dallas while recording two assists. In May, McCarty underwentsports hernia surgery inGermany during the middle of the season in hopes of speeding up his recovery time.[6]
McCarty played an important role in the FC Dallas 2009 season, sitting in central midfield as a deep playmaker. He recorded his best statistical season with the club scoring 3 goals and 6 assists. On November 11, head coachSchellas Hyndman made it a top priority to retain McCarty, signing him to a new deal.[7] During the 2010 season McCarty was once again a key player for FC Dallas helping the club reach theMLS Cup Playoffs. On November 6, McCarty scored the winning goal againstReal Salt Lake that clinched the series and sent Dallas to the Western Conference Finals.[8] Dallas would go on to reach theMLS Cup 2010, where they lost 2–1 to theColorado Rapids. He played the entire 120 minutes of the match in what would be his final game for Dallas.[9]
On November 24, 2010, McCarty was selected by thePortland Timbers as their first pick in the2010 MLS Expansion Draft,[10] and then immediately traded with allocation money toD.C. United forRodney Wallace and a fourth-round pick in the2011 MLS SuperDraft.[11] Then interim coach,Ben Olsen made McCarty a priority signing due to the similarities between Dax and his own style of play.[12] On March 16, 2011, after only 4 months with the club, McCarty was named as the club's captain by Ben Olsen.[13] McCarty made his first official appearance with the club in a 3–1 victory against theColumbus Crew during the season opener.[14] After failing to perform up to Olsen's expectations as a converted attacking midfielder, McCarty was traded after 13 matches to rival club,New York Red Bulls in the middle of the season.[15]
In a shock move on June 27, 2011, McCarty was traded to theNew York Red Bulls in return forDwayne De Rosario.[16] He became an instant starter for New York in central midfield upon his arrival at the club and was nicknamed the "Ginger Ninja" by teammates and supporters because of his light red hair.[17] During the 2012 season McCarty had a breakout season for New York playing as a holding midfielder and was regarded as one of the top players on the team.[18] He made 33 league appearances for the club and scored three goals and set up three others. He was regarded as the most underrated player in the league due to his silent presence in the midfield behind starsThierry Henry andTim Cahill.[19]
Before the 2013 season; sporting directorAndy Roxburgh extended McCarty's contract and praised him as the "heart and soul of the team."[20] McCarty continued his fine play for New York throughout the season as he made 30 league appearances and scored four goals in helping the club to its first major title the 2013MLS Supporters' Shield. On August 26, 2014, McCarty made hisCONCACAF Champions League debut in a 2–0 win against El Salvadorian side,C.D. FAS.[21] Throughout the 2014 season, McCarty anchored the midfield during their run to the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals where they ultimately fell to theNew England Revolution. At the end of the season, McCarty was nominated for Goal of the Year, for his chip from outside the box againstBobby Shuttleworth and the Revolution on August 2.[22] In December 2014, the Red Bulls turned down a large trade offer (multiple draft picks andallocation money) for McCarty from expansion club,Orlando City.[23]
McCarty was named captain of New York on March 8, 2015, by the club's new coach,Jesse Marsch.[24] During his first season as captain, McCarty appeared in a career-high 39 matches in all competitions and recorded another career-high with eight assists. His partnerships withSacha Kljestan andFelipe helped form one of the strongest midfield trios in the league and helped lead New York to the 2015MLS Supporters' Shield. McCarty and the front office met with season ticket holders at a town hall meeting on September 2 in a way to build an even stronger relationship with the fanbase and address concerns.[25] On November 1, 2015, McCarty scored the lone goal for New York in a 1–0 victory over former club and rivalD.C. United in the first leg of theMLS Cup Playoff Seminfinals.[26] The match also wrote McCarty's name in the record books as he tied the club record for most playoff starts with 12.[27] He would go on to break that record the following week with a start against his former club,D.C. United. Strong performances throughout the 2015 season, landed McCarty his first all-star appearance as well as his first appearance on Major League Soccer's Best XI of the season.[28][29]
During the 2016 preseason, McCarty signed a new multi-year deal with the club on January 8. The terms of the deal were not disclosed as per MLS' league policy.[30] McCarty was named alongsideDarlington Nagbe asESPN's most underrated player in MLS, even after earning MLS All-Star recognition during the previous season.[31] On May 21, McCarty scored two goals in the Red Bulls7–0 victory againstNew York City FC in theHudson River Derby. It was the first two-goal game in his career.[32] The following week againstToronto FC, McCarty became the second player inclub history to make 150 league starts.[33] McCarty fractured his tibia on July 31 against theChicago Fire.[34] After being forced out of play for a month, McCarty returned to the field on September 3 againstVancouver.[35] After being eliminated from the playoffs by theMontreal Impact; McCarty appeared in his 198th game for the club and became the club's all-time appearance leader.[36]
On January 16, 2017, McCarty was traded to theChicago Fire in exchange for $400,000 in allocation money.[37] The trade took McCarty completely by surprise, with the move being announced just days after the 29-year-old was married and while he was attending his first U.S. national team camp in years.[38] Since joining Chicago Fire in 2017, the club has had their most successful season in years and he has enjoyed acclaim as the "unsung hero" of the club with which he passed 250 starts in MLS.[39]
On November 12, 2019, it was officially announced that McCarty had been traded to new MLS sideNashville SC ahead of their inaugural season in 2020. Chicago received $50,000 in 2020 General Allocation Money, $50,000 in 2020 Targeted Allocation Money and a second round pick in the 2021MLS SuperDraft.[40]
On January 9, 2024, McCarty signed as a free agent forAtlanta United.[41]
On August 19, 2024, McCarty announced that he would be retiring from professional football after the 2024 season.[42]
In 2025, McCarty joined several other retired MLS players including fellow Apple TV MLS AnalystsSacha Kljestan,Bradley Wright-Phillips, andOzzie Alonso on the roster ofUSL League Two sideDes Moines Menace for their matches in the2025 U.S. Open Cup.[43] McCarty played the full 90 minutes in both the 2-1 win overSporting Kansas City II and the 2-1 loss toUnion Omaha.[44][45]
McCarty was named to theUnited States U-20 men's national soccer team for the2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[46]
He was named to the roster of theUnited States U-23 men's national soccer team for the2008 CONCACAF Men Pre-Olympic Tournament in March 2008. He played in every match for the U-23 squad and was named to the All Tournament Team with teammatesMaurice Edu andFreddy Adu. He was also voted to the "2008 Best XI" as a midfielder by the CONCACAF Technical Study Group.[47]
McCarty received his first internationalcap with theUnited States national team as a late substitute forMichael Bradley during the internationalfriendly betweenSlovakia and the United States on November 14, 2009. He earned his second cap four days later in a match againstDenmark. In 2010, McCarty played the last 13 minutes in a friendly againstHonduras.
2011 looked to be the beginning of a more consistent McCarty role with the national team as he was called up by CoachBob Bradley to participate in the January Camp[48] and then led the team as captain in their match againstChile, which resulted in a draw.[49]
After a long absence from the national team, McCarty was called into the January 2017 training camp byBruce Arena.[50]
McCarty's middle name, and now nickname came from the main character in his father's favorite book;The Adventurers.[51] He was listed as one of the top American soccer players to follow on Twitter because of his funny remarks, critiques of referees, and banter with rival fans. His French Bulldogs, Koji and Bali, also have their own Instagram page.[52] In June 2016, McCarty appeared in a cartoon advertisement for Affinity Federal Credit Union, along with teammates,Luis Robles,Connor Lade andFelipe.[53]
| Club | Season | League | U.S. Open Cup | Playoffs | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Dallas | 2006 | MLS | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2007 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | — | 28 | 1 | |||
| 2008 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 0 | ||||
| 2009 | 28 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 3 | ||||
| 2010 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 26 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 93 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 101 | 7 | ||
| D.C. United | 2011 | MLS | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||
| New York Red Bulls | 2011 | MLS | 16 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | |||
| 2012 | 33 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 3 | ||||
| 2013 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 4 | ||||
| 2014 | 31 | 3 | — | 5 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | — | 38 | 3 | ||||
| 2015 | 32 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 39 | 2 | ||||
| 2016 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 169 | 14 | 9 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 198 | 15 | ||
| Chicago Fire | 2017 | MLS | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 | ||
| 2018 | 26 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 | ||||
| 2019 | 32 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 86 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 93 | 1 | ||
| Nashville SC | 2020 | MLS | 21 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | 24 | 2 | |||
| 2021 | 28 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 | |||||
| 2022 | 29 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 0 | ||||
| 2023 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 6[c] | 0 | 34 | 1 | |||
| Total | 105 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 121 | 3 | ||
| Atlanta United FC | 2024 | MLS | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 32 | 0 | |
| Des Moines Menace | 2025 | USL2 | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 488 | 22 | 25 | 1 | 35 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 560 | 26 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2009 | 2 | 0 |
| 2010 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 13 | 0 | |
FC Dallas
New York Red Bulls
United States
Individual
Media related toDax McCarty at Wikimedia Commons| Preceded by | New York Red Bulls captain 2015–2016 | Succeeded by |
United States squads | |||||||||||||
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