Darlington Nagbe

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Nagbe's journey began in Liberia before his family fled the First Liberian Civil War when he was just five months old. They traveled through France, Greece, and Switzerland before settling in Lakewood, Ohio, in 2001. At St. Edward High School, he scored 18 goals and added 10 assists as a senior. His collegiate career at the University of Akron defined his early legacy; scoring 19 goals with 19 assists in 73 matches over three seasons. In 2010, Nagbe helped the Akron Zips secure their first national championship with a 1–0 victory against Louisville, earning him the prestigious Hermann Trophy as College Soccer Player of the Year. During his college years, he also played two seasons (2009 and 2010) for the Cleveland Internationals in the USL Premier Development League.

In Their Own Story

Selected second overall by the Portland Timbers in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, Nagbe made an immediate impact despite missing time for hernia surgery. He scored his first MLS goal with a volley against Sporting Kansas City on July 2, 2011, a strike named the 2011 MLS Goal of the Year. Under coach Caleb Porter, whom he had known at Akron, Nagbe evolved from an attacking midfielder to a winger and central playmaker. In 2015, he was instrumental in Portland's first MLS Cup victory. After a near-miss transfer to Celtic in 2016, he remained with the Timbers until late 2017. On December 13, 2017, Atlanta United acquired him for $1.05 million in allocation money. There, he won a second MLS Cup in 2018 against his former club, plus the U.S. Open Cup and Campeones Cup in 2019. Head coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino praised his understanding of the game, noting Nagbe knew exactly when to speed play up or move laterally.

Reader's Guide

Nagbe's career was marked by consistent excellence and specific turning points. In 2013, he led Portland with 11 goals across all competitions and received an individual Fair Play Award for committing only eight fouls in nearly 3,000 minutes of play. His versatility allowed him to adapt to different roles, from covering for injured teammates like Diego Valeri to operating on the wings. In 2018, he suffered an adductor strain against Portland that sidelined him for three months, yet he returned to start all five playoff games as Atlanta won their first MLS Cup. Despite contract friction with Atlanta regarding a multi-year extension in 2019, he remained integral to their U.S. Open Cup and Campeones Cup victories before being traded to the Columbus Crew on November 13, 2019. At Columbus, reunited with Caleb Porter once more, he scored his first goal for the club on August 20, 2020, in a 3–0 win against Philadelphia.

Did You Know?

• Nagbe scored his first MLS goal in 2011, but his MLS Goal of the Year winner was a different goal against the Seattle Sounders.
• He won the Hermann Trophy in 2010 after leading the University of Akron to their first NCAA national championship.
• In 2013, Nagbe received an individual Fair Play Award for committing only eight fouls and receiving one yellow card in 2,848 minutes of play.
• Nagbe was acquired by Atlanta United for $1.05 million in allocation money with potential performance bonuses totaling another $600,000.
• He earned his first international cap for the United States in November 2015 during a World Cup qualifying match.