José Burciaga, Jr.

José Luis Burciaga, Jr. (born November 16, 1981 in Oak Cliff, Texas) is a Mexican American soccer player, who last played for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

Instead of attending college, Burciaga opted to turn professional after finishing high school, signing a Project-40 contract with the MLS. Burciaga was selected 12th overall in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft by the Wizards. Although a star with United States youth national teams, he was not immediately ready for MLS. He spent much of his first year with the Project-40 team in the A-League; he finished the season with the Wizards with 3 games, 2 of them starts.

While much was expected of him in for 2002, Burciaga was unfortunately unable to fulfill these expectations; Burciaga tore his left knee's ACL in preseason, and missed the entire 2002 season rehabbing the injury. Burciaga came on strong in 2003, earning the left back starting position in preseason, and looked poised to finally come into his own; unfortunately, he tore his right knee's ACL in the fourth game of the season, and so finished the year with only those four starts. After two extremely painful years, Burciaga returned to the Wizards' lineup in 2004, and fortunately was injury-free for the entire year. Given the opportunity he seized the left back position, and kept it all year long. He finished the season with 21 starts out of 24 games played, and added one goal and one assist.

Burciaga Jr was traded by Kansas City Wizards to league rivals Colorado Rapids on January 16, 2008, in return for a 2009 second round Superdraft pick.

Colorado Rapids opted not to renew his contract for the 2009 season and is currently a free agent.

External links

Generation Adidas, 2001 draft