Maurice Edu - TheSportsDB.com

Home / Sport / Soccer / _No League Soccer / _Retired Soccer / Maurice Edu

Name
Maurice Edu

Thumb

Image Source: Unknown report

User Rating

(0 users)

Complete

50%

Born
1986 (38 years old)

Birth Place

Fontana, California, USA

Position
Defensive Midfield

Status

Ethnicity

Team Number

Height
183 cm

Weight
77 kg

Outfitter

Kit

Side

Agent

Wage Year

Player Cutout

Player Action Render

Sport

Soccer

Team
_Retired Soccer

2nd Team

League
_No League Soccer

Creative Commons Artwork
No

Description
Available in:

Maurice Edu (born April 18, 1986) is an American former professional soccer player and current commentator.

Edu was the first overall pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft and won the MLS Rookie of the Year Award with Toronto. His performances for Toronto earned him international call ups to the United States national team and the attention of clubs in Europe.

He signed with Rangers, winning the Scottish Premier League three times. Following Rangers' financial problems, he joined Stoke City; however, failing to make an impact, he spent time on loan with Turkey's Bursaspor before returning to MLS with Philadelphia Union.

He currently commentates for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, as well as Fox Sports' coverage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He also has worked on Atlanta United's local TV broadcasts.

Edu was born and raised in Fontana, California. Edu played college soccer at the University of Maryland, College Park from 2004 until 2006 and played three years for the Maryland Terrapins, including a role on the 2005 squad that won the NCAA College Cup national championship. He forfeited his final year of NCAA eligibility to enter the 2007 MLS SuperDraft as a Generation Adidas player. He was named a first-team All-American in 2006.

Edu made his international debut for the United States against Switzerland on October 17, 2007, and won his second cap a month later against South Africa, where he registered an assist on Steve Cherundolo's winning goal. Edu was included in the U.S. team for the 2008 Summer Olympics. He played in all three of the group matches and deputized as a center back. Edu drew a penalty in the final game of the group stage against Nigeria which Sacha Kljestan took and finished. However, the U.S. were knocked out of the group stage after that loss. Edu scored his first international goal for the U.S. during a friendly against Czech Republic on May 25, 2010.

Edu made only one brief appearance for the national team in 2009, as a stoppage-time substitute in a World Cup qualifier against El Salvador. That was his solitary game in the final stage of qualifying for South Africa. Despite this, he was selected as a member of the 23-man roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. On June 18, against Slovenia, he volleyed in a free kick from Landon Donovan in the 85th minute with the game tied at 2–2, but referee Koman Coulibaly disallowed the goal. Coulibaly's decision was heavily criticized by commentators and columnists who believed the United States committed no fouls on the play and were the ones being fouled for the most part.

Edu continued to make appearances under Jürgen Klinsmann during 2011 and 2012. His appearances with the national team then diminished.

Edu is the son of Nigerian immigrant parents. His father, Maurice Sr., was a mathematics teacher, and his mother is a chemistry teacher. He has a younger brother Reggie Edu, who is a teacher, coach and director of coaching for the southern Californian youth soccer club Newcastle United FC out of Upland, California, and three older sisters.

Edu featured alongside Guillermo Ochoa and Ronaldinho as one of the FIFA 09 cover stars in North America.