Oguchi Onyewu

Former U.S. national team defender and current VP of Sporting for U.S. Soccer.

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Oguchialu Chijioke Onyewu (born May 13, 1982) is an American former soccer player who is the Vice President of Sporting for the United States Soccer Federation. He was previously the sporting director for Orlando City B and secretary-general of R.E. Virton. During his professional career, he played as a defender for clubs in France, Belgium, England, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United States. Onyewu earned over 60 caps with the United States men's national soccer team and played for the United States at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.

Quick Facts

Full name: Oguchialu Chijioke Onyewu
Born: 13 May 1982
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Position: Center back

Lore & Background

Onyewu grew up in the Washington, D.C. suburbs of Silver Spring and Olney, Maryland, where he attended St. Andrew Apostle School and Sherwood High School. He enrolled in the U.S. residency program in Bradenton, Florida, before returning to Sherwood to graduate. He then played two years of college soccer at Clemson University in South Carolina. He moved to Europe in 2002, signing with Metz of Ligue 2 in France.

In 2003, he was loaned out to La Louvière in Belgium. Onyewu was loaned to Standard Liège in 2004, and the move was made permanent for the 2004–05 season. After the season, he was named to the Belgian league's Best XI as well as Foreign Player of the Year for 2005. He completed a loan deal with Newcastle United in January 2007, covering the remainder of the 2006–07 season.

He made his debut for Newcastle against Fulham on February 3, and his home debut a week later in a 2–1 victory over Liverpool. Following the arrival of new manager Sam Allardyce, Onyewu fell out of favor, and Newcastle decided not to make the loan deal permanent. Onyewu returned to Standard, and his play continued to improve. He made his 100th Belgian First Division appearance for Standard Liège on March 14, 2008, against Germinal Beerschot, and was an integral part of the club as they went on a 29-match unbeaten streak to win the 2007–08 Belgian First Division.

After the season, he was named to the Belgian league Best XI for the second time. His strong form continued during the 2008–09 season. He led the Standard defense to a second consecutive Belgian league title. Standard was drawn with Anderlecht at season's end, and Standard won a two-legged playoff for the championship.

Onyewu dealt with racism during his time in Belgium, including an incident in the 2008–09 Championship playoff when Anderlecht defender Jelle Van Damme allegedly repeatedly called him a 'dirty ape.' Van Damme denied the accusations and said Onyewu taunted him by calling him 'dirty Flemish.' Onyewu's lawyer announced he was suing Van Damme; the case was withdrawn in February 2011 after Van Damme apologized. Onyewu signed a three-year contract with A.C. Milan in July 2009, but never played a league game in his eighteen-month spell at the club. He made his debut on September 30 as a substitute in a Champions League loss to Zürich.