Clarence Goodson

Clarence Goodson (born May 17, 1982, in Alexandria, Virginia) is an American soccer player, who currently plays defender for IK Start in Norway.

Career

Goodson attended Annandale High School his freshman and sophomore seasons before moving to W.T. Woodson High School. He was the Annandale team MVP, setting a school record for goals and points by a sophomore in 1998. He played his club soccer with the Braddock Road Warhawks, winning the 1999 U-17 national championship. Goodson played three years of soccer at the University of Maryland, which he joined in 2000. After redshirting in 2001, Goodson helped anchor the defence of one of the best teams in college soccer. In his career at Maryland, Goodson played 66 games, registering 10 goals and 11 assists.

After his junior year, Goodson signed a Project-40 with MLS, entering the 2004 MLS SuperDraft as an underclassman, where he was drafted seventh overall by the then-Dallas Burn. In his first year with the Burn, Goodson played only 247 league minutes in five games; however, he saw extended action in Cup competitions and exhibitions. He became a starter in 2005, the year the team was renamed FC Dallas.

On November 21, 2007, he was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2007 MLS Expansion Draft, but declared that he wouldn't be signing a new contact with MLS in January 2008; instead, he signed a contract with the Norwegian team IK Start. Should he elect to return to MLS, the Earthquakes hold his rights.

International

Goodson made his international debut in a friendly against Sweden on January 19, 2008.

Personal

Goodson married on January 31, 2009 in Tacoma, Washington.

Career statistics

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v • d • e United States squad – 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup 1 Perkins • 2 Pearce • 3 Goodson • 4 Marshall • 5 Beckerman • 6 Cherundolo • 7 Rogers • 8 Pause • 9 Davies • 10 Holden • 11 Ching • 12 Conrad • 13 Clark • 14 Parkhurst • 15 Cronin • 16 Heaps • 17 Cooper • 18 Robles • 19 Adu • 20 Quaranta • 21 Evans • 22 Arnaud • 23 Busch • Coach: Bradley