Darlington Nagbe

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Lore & Background

Nagbe's time in Portland began with immediate impact: his first MLS goal, a left-footed strike from outside the box against Sporting Kansas City on July 2, 2011, was voted the league's Goal of the Year. Under former Akron coach Caleb Porter, who joined the Timbers in 2013, Nagbe flourished, scoring 5 goals across all competitions that season (all in MLS regular season) and helping Portland reach the playoffs for the first time since 2011. His discipline was remarkable — he committed only nine fouls and received one yellow card in 2,848 regular-season minutes, earning his first Fair Play Award. The 2015 season brought the ultimate prize. Nagbe started the year covering for an injured Diego Valeri, then moved into a central role, scoring 5 goals in the regular season. He earned a second Fair Play Award, committing just 11 fouls with no bookings, and was a key part of Portland's MLS Cup-winning campaign. After the 2017 season, with head coach Caleb Porter stepping down and Nagbe having requested a new contract, the Timbers included him in trade talks, ending his seven-year tenure in Portland.

In Their Own Story

On April 11, 2016, Providence Park fell silent. Nagbe had been taken down by a hard tackle from LA Galaxy's Nigel de Jong, leaving him stretchered off the field and departing the stadium in a wheelchair. The injury was diagnosed as a sprained ankle, and Nagbe missed just two matches before returning. De Jong received a yellow card for the tackle and was later suspended for three games. The incident became a defining moment of resilience for Nagbe, who would go on to be named to his first MLS All-Star Game later that July.

Reader's Guide

Nagbe's Portland career spanned seven seasons, from 2011 to 2017. After missing the first few weeks of his rookie season due to hernia surgery, he debuted on April 2, 2011, in a 1–1 draw against the New England Revolution. His first goal, a volley against Sporting Kansas City on July 2, 2011, was named MLS Goal of the Year. In 2012, he scored his first professional brace against Real Salt Lake on March 12 and finished the season with six goals. Under Caleb Porter in 2013, Nagbe scored 11 goals across all competitions, playing mainly on the left wing, and earned the MLS Fair Play Award. The 2014 season saw him primarily on the right wing, scoring two goals and setting a career high in assists with seven. The 2015 MLS Cup-winning season saw Nagbe start as an attacking midfielder covering for Diego Valeri, then move to the wings before settling into a central role for the final three regular-season games, scoring three of his five goals. He earned his second Fair Play Award that year. In 2016, he signed a contract extension, was named to his first MLS All-Star Game, and was close to a £3 million move to Celtic that fell through. In 2017, he scored a goal from outside the box in a 3–1 win on April 8 and a "stunning" solo goal against the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 22. At the conclusion of the 2017 season, the Timbers included Nagbe in trade talks after Porter stepped down and Nagbe had requested a new contract.

Did You Know?

• Nagbe's first MLS goal, a left-footed strike from outside the box against Sporting Kansas City on July 2, 2011, was named the 2011 MLS Goal of the Year.
• He won the MLS Fair Play Award twice (2013 and 2015), committing only nine fouls in 2,848 minutes in 2013 and 11 fouls with no bookings in 2015.
• Nagbe walked off with assistance after a tackle by Nigel de Jong on April 11, 2016, and missed only two matches with a sprained ankle.
• He was close to a £2.5 million move to Scottish side Celtic in 2016, but Nagbe himself turned down the move.
• Nagbe was reunited with his college coach Caleb Porter at both the Portland Timbers (2013) and the Columbus Crew (2020).

Early Life and Immigration

Nagbe was born in Liberia on July 19, 1990. He left the country as a five-month-old when his mother fled the First Liberian Civil War, taking him and his brother with her. They joined his father, Joe Nagbe, a professional soccer player, whose career took the family to France, Greece, and Switzerland before they settled in the Cleveland area in 2001 when Darlington was 11. He grew up in Lakewood, Ohio, attending Lakewood High School and then St. Edward High School, where he scored 18 goals and added 10 assists as a senior. He was a member of the Region II ODP team, a 2007 adidas ESP All-Star, and a member of the Ohio North ODP team. He won four Ohio North state club titles with the Cleveland Internationals and participated in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy with the Internationals.

Collegiate Dominance at Akron

Nagbe played college soccer at the University of Akron, scoring 19 goals and contributing 19 assists in 73 matches over three seasons. He was a Soccer America All-Freshman first-team honoree and named All-MAC Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 2008. As a sophomore in 2009, he was named to the NSCAA All-America Second Team, Soccer America MVP Second Team, Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Season Second Team, All-Great Lakes Region First Team, and All-Mid-American Conference First Team. In 2010, he helped the Akron Zips to their first national championship, a 1–0 win against Louisville. He was named to the NSCAA All-America First Team, the All-MAC First Team, the College Cup All-Tournament Team, and received the Hermann Trophy as the 2010 College Soccer Player of the Year. During his college years, he also played four seasons with the Cleveland Internationals in the USL Premier Development League, scoring seven goals in 18 league appearances.

Portland Timbers Era and Breakthrough

Nagbe signed a Generation Adidas contract to forgo his remaining year of college eligibility and was selected by the Portland Timbers second overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. After missing the first few weeks due to hernia surgery, he made his professional debut on April 2, 2011, in a 1–1 draw against the New England Revolution. His first MLS goal, a volley against Sporting Kansas City on July 2, 2011, was named the 2011 MLS Goal of the Year. In 2012, he scored his first brace against Real Salt Lake on March 12 and finished with six goals. On January 8, 2013, he was reunited with his Akron coach Caleb Porter, who was hired by Portland. Nagbe finished 2013 with 11 goals across all competitions, playing mainly on the left wing, and earned the MLS Fair Play Award after committing only eight fouls and receiving one yellow card in 2,848 minutes. In 2014, he spent most of his time on the right wing, scoring two goals and setting a career high in assists with seven. In 2015, he was part of Portland's MLS Cup-winning campaign, starting the year as an attacking midfielder covering for Diego Valeri before moving to the wings and then into a central role for the final three regular-season games, scoring three of his five goals. He earned his second Fair Play Award, committing only 11 fouls and receiving no bookings. In 2016, he re-signed with Portland, was injured by a Nigel de Jong tackle on April 11 (a sprained ankle that caused him to miss two matches), was named to his first MLS All-Star Game in July, and was close to a £3 million move to Celtic that fell through. In 2017, he scored a goal from outside the box in a 3–1 win on April 8 and a "stunning" solo goal against the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 22. At the conclusion of the 2017 season, the Timbers included Nagbe in trade talks after Porter stepped down and Nagbe had requested a new contract.

Championship Legacy with Atlanta and Columbus

On December 13, 2017, Atlanta United FC acquired Nagbe for $1.05 million in allocation money, with a potential additional $600,000 dependent on performance bonuses. In 2018, he made 17 straight starting appearances before missing nearly three months due to an adductor strain suffered on June 24 against the Portland Timbers. He was selected for the MLS All-Star Game but missed due to injury. After returning on September 15, he started all five remaining regular-season games and all five playoff games, helping Atlanta United win their first MLS Cup, a 2–0 victory over the Portland Timbers. In 2019, he informed new head coach Frank De Boer of personal issues, arriving late to preseason and leaving early. Reports suggested interest in a move to an Ohio-based club to be closer to family. He was an integral part of the team that won the 2019 U.S. Open Cup and the Campeones Cup, starting 44 games and appearing in 46 across all competitions. Atlanta United offered him a multi-year extension mid-season, which he rejected. On November 13, 2019, the Columbus Crew acquired Nagbe in exchange for $1.05 million in total allocation money and an international roster spot, reuniting him with Caleb Porter. In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, he appeared in 15 of 23 regular-season games, missing eight due to injury, and scored his first goal for Columbus in a 3–0 win against the Chicago Fire on August 20. He would go on to win two more MLS Cup titles, a Leagues Cup trophy, and an additional Campeones Cup with Columbus. Nagbe made his international debut for the United States in November 2015 in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match. He earned 25 caps and won the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

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