.jpg) Long with theUnited States in 2019 | |||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Aaron Ray Long[1] | ||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1992-10-12)October 12, 1992 (age 33)[2] | ||||||||||
| Place of birth | Oak Hills,California, United States | ||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[3] | ||||||||||
| Position | Center-back | ||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||
Current team | Los Angeles FC | ||||||||||
| Number | 33 | ||||||||||
| College career | |||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||
| 2010–2013 | UC Riverside Highlanders | 71 | (13) | ||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||
| 2012–2013 | FC Tucson | 17 | (3) | ||||||||
| 2014 | Portland Timbers | 0 | (0) | ||||||||
| 2014 | →Sacramento Republic (loan) | 2 | (0) | ||||||||
| 2014 | →Orange County Blues (loan) | 3 | (0) | ||||||||
| 2014 | Seattle Sounders FC | 0 | (0) | ||||||||
| 2015 | Seattle Sounders FC 2 | 27 | (1) | ||||||||
| 2016 | New York Red Bulls II | 22 | (2) | ||||||||
| 2016 | →New York Red Bulls (loan) | 0 | (0) | ||||||||
| 2017–2022 | New York Red Bulls | 139 | (12) | ||||||||
| 2023– | Los Angeles FC | 65 | (2) | ||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||
| 2018–2023 | United States | 35 | (3) | ||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of July 12, 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of July 12, 2023 | |||||||||||
Aaron Ray Long (born October 12, 1992) is an American professionalsoccer player who plays as acenter-back forMajor League Soccer clubLos Angeles FC.
Born inOak Hills,California, Long played four seasons ofcollege soccer for theUC Riverside Highlanders before being drafted in the second round of the2014 MLS SuperDraft by thePortland Timbers with the 36th overall pick. After loan spells withUSL Pro clubsSacramento Republic andOrange County Blues, Long was released by the Timbers and subsequently signed by rivalsSeattle Sounders FC.
Long was part of the Sounders organization for two seasons. After not making an appearance for the senior team, Long signed a contract with their reserve side,Seattle Sounders 2. He spent a season with Sounders 2 before joining theNew York Red Bulls II in2016. During his one season with Red Bulls II, Long helped the side win the USLchampionship and was named the USL Defender of the Year. Long then established himself as a starting center-back for theNew York Red Bulls in2017. In2018, Long had a career breakout season, earning a spot as aMLS All-Star, winningMLS Defender of the Year Award, and helping the Red Bulls win theSupporters' Shield. His performance that season helped earn Long his debut for theUnited States againstPeru.
Long graduated fromSerrano High School where he lettered in both football and soccer.[4] Long played four years ofcollege soccer atUC Riverside between 2010 and 2013, recording 13 goals and 5 assists during those years.[5] While at college, Long also appeared forUSL PDL clubFC Tucson during their 2012 and 2013 seasons.
Long was drafted byPortland Timbers in the second round (36th overall) of the2014 MLS SuperDraft.[6] After signing with Portland, Long was loaned to theirUSL Pro affiliateSacramento Republic, where he made his debut on March 29, 2014, in a 1–1 draw againstLA Galaxy II.[7] He also played forOrange County Blues during the 2014 season on a short-term loan.Long was released by Portland on July 2, 2014.[8]
Long joinedSeattle Sounders FC during the 2014 season, but did not make an appearance with the first team. On March 14, 2015, Long signed withSeattle Sounders FC 2.[9] On July 12, 2015, Long scored his first goal as a professional in a 4–0 victory overArizona United SC.[10] He was a regular starter for Sounders 2 playing as a midfielder before being converted to centerback, appearing in 28 matches and recording one goal and two assists.
Long went on trial withNew York Red Bulls during the 2016 pre-season, and on March 10, 2016, signed with affiliate clubNew York Red Bulls II.[11] Long made his official debut for the club appearing as a starter in a 2–2 draw againstToronto FC II.[12] On June 19, 2016, Long scored his first goal for the club helping them to a 2–2 draw atOrlando City B.[13] On June 26, 2016, Long helped New York to a 4–1 victory against theWilmington Hammerheads scoring the club's second goal of the match.[14]
On August 16, 2016, Long made his debut for the Red Bulls first team, appearing as a starter in a 1–1 draw againstAlianza F.C. in theCONCACAF Champions League.[15] On October 2, 2016, Long scored two goals to help New York Red Bulls II advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the2016 USL Playoffs in a 4–0 victory overOrlando City B.[16] On October 18, 2016, Long was named to the 2016 USL All-League First Team.[17] Days later Long helped the club to a 5–1 victory overSwope Park Rangers in the2016 USL Cup Final.[18] Long was named as the 2016 USL Defender of the Year after leading a defense that conceded the fewest goals in the league during the regular season.[19]
On September 2, 2017, Long scored his first goal withNew York Red Bulls in a 2–2 draw atFC Dallas.[20] He ended his first full season with the first team appearing in 41 matches and scoring 1 goal, establishing himself as a first choice center-back.
On March 31, 2018, Long scored his first goal of the 2018 season for theNew York Red Bulls in a 4–3 loss toOrlando City SC.[21] On June 6, 2018, Long scored the second goal of the match in New York's 4–0 derby win overNew York City FC in the fourth round of the2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.[22] On June 23, 2018, Long scored another goal in a 3–0 victory overFC Dallas.[23] On July 29, 2018, Long was named to the MLS All-Star Team for their2018 friendly againstJuventus FC[24] Long was named 2018 MLS defender of the year after leading the Red Bull's defense in conceding only 33 goals all season long as the club captured the 2018MLS Supporters' Shield.[25]
In May during the 2021 MLS season, Long ruptured hisAchilles tendon, which ruled him out for the remainder of the season.[26] On February 26, 2022, after a long absence due to injury, Long appeared as a starter in a 3–1 victory overSan Jose Earthquakes in the opening match of the 2022 season.[27] On March 5, 2022, Long scored his first goal of the season in a 4–1 victory overToronto FC.[28] On July 12, 2022, Long was named to the MLS All-Star Team for the second time in his career, this time for their2022 friendly against theLiga MX All-Stars.[29]
On January 4, 2023, Long signed a two-year contract withLos Angeles FC.[30] He was afree agent and attracted offers fromSeattle Sounders FC,Inter Miami CF,[31]Monterrey,Cruz Azul, and two unnamed English clubs.[32]
On September 2, 2018, Long received his first call-up to theUnited States national team. He made his first international appearance in a 1–1 draw againstPeru. The following year, he captained the national team in a 3–0friendly victory againstPanama on January 27, 2019.[33] In June 2019, he was called up to his first international tournament whenGregg Berhalter named him to the final roster for the2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[34] On June 22, 2019, Long scored his first two international goals in aGold Cup victory overTrinidad and Tobago.[35]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Portland Timbers | 2014 | MLS | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Sacramento Republic (loan) | 2014 | USL | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Orange County Blues (loan) | 2014 | USL | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Seattle Sounders FC | 2014 | MLS | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Seattle Sounders FC 2 | 2015 | USL | 27 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 30 | 1 | |
| New York Red Bulls II | 2016 | USL | 22 | 2 | — | — | 4[a] | 2 | 26 | 4 | ||
| New York Red Bulls | 2016[37] | MLS | 0 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2017 | 31 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 41 | 1 | ||
| 2018 | 34 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6[b] | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | 45 | 4 | ||
| 2019 | 24 | 2 | — | 4[b] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 29 | 2 | |||
| 2020 | 16 | 2 | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 17 | 2 | ||||
| 2021 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||||
| 2022 | 29 | 4 | 5 | 1 | — | 1[c] | 0 | 35 | 5 | |||
| Total | 139 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 175 | 14 | ||
| Los Angeles FC | 2023 | MLS | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7[b] | 0 | 7[d] | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| 2024 | 29 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 11[e] | 0 | 43 | 1 | |||
| 2025 | 15 | 1 | — | 6[b] | 2 | 4[f] | 0 | 25 | 3 | |||
| Total | 65 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 103 | 4 | ||
| Career total | 258 | 17 | 16 | 2 | 28 | 2 | 37 | 2 | 339 | 23 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2018 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 | 14 | 3 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 35 | 3 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 22, 2019 | FirstEnergy Stadium,Cleveland, United States |  Trinidad and Tobago | 1–0 | 6–0 | 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 2 | 6–0 | |||||
| 3 | November 15, 2019 | Exploria Stadium,Orlando, United States |  Canada | 3–0 | 4–1 | 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League A |
New York Red Bulls II
New York Red Bulls
Los Angeles FC
Individual
United States squads | |||||||||||||
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