Ante Razov

Personal information
Full name	Ante Razov
Date of birth	March 2, 1974 (1974-03-02) (age 35)
Place of birth	Whittier, California, United States
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position	Forward
Club information
Current club	Chivas USA
Number	9
Youth career
1995–1995	UCLA Bruins
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1996–1997	Los Angeles Galaxy	6	(1)
	→ Sacramento Scorpions (loan)
1998–2004	Chicago Fire	151	(76)
2000–2001	→ Racing Ferrol (loan)	19	(6)
2005	Columbus Crew	7	(1)
2005	MetroStars	18	(6)
2006–	Chivas USA	76	(30)
National team‡
1995–2007	United States	26	(6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 02:13, 27 October 2009 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 02:13, 27 October 2009 (UTC)

Ante Razov (born March 2, 1974 in Whittier, California) is an American soccer player of Croatian descent who currently plays for Chivas USA in Major League Soccer.

[edit] Career

[edit] Club

Razov, who was born in a family of Croatian immigrants, spent his childhood in Fontana, California, attended Fontana High School, and went on to play college soccer at UCLA, before being drafted by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the third round of the 1996 MLS College Draft. He played two seasons in LA, but did not get much playing time, scoring just one goal, and signed with the expansion Chicago Fire prior to the 1998 season. During his time with the Galaxy, he went on loan with the Sacramento Scorpions of USISL.^[1]

Razov spent the next seven years with Chicago, save a brief period in 2001 that he spent with Spanish second division club Racing de Ferrol. In his seven years with the Fire he led the club in goals and points five times (including club record 18 goals and 42 points in 2000). He is the club's all-time leader with 76 goals and 190 points. Razov was named to the MLS Best XI in 2003. With Chicago, he won the MLS Cup in 1998 and the US Open Cup in 1998, 2000, and 2003. Following a disappointing 2004 season and clashes with head coach Dave Sarachan, Razov was traded to the Columbus Crew in exchange for Tony Sanneh. However, one blemish in Razov's career was being stopped from the penalty spot in the 2003 MLS Cup. The Fire went on to lose the game 4-2.

But Razov did not last long in Columbus. Even though he scored in the 2005 season opener, his tenure with the club lasted all of five games. Disagreement with head coach Greg Andrulis led to Razov's reuniting with his ex-coach with the Fire, Bob Bradley, at the MetroStars. He was acquired in exchanged for John Wolyniec and a partial allocation. After the season, Bradley, now in charge at Chivas USA, acquired Razov again, for Thiago Martins and another partial allocation. Razov's 104 league goals stands third in MLS history through July 2007.

On April 21, 2007, Ante scored his 100th career regular season MLS goal. At 33 years old, he is the third player in MLS history to reach 100 goals. He trails only D.C. United's Jaime Moreno having passed Jason Kreis last season. All three joined MLS at its inception in 1996 and Jaime Moreno is still actively playing.

[edit] International

Razov received his first cap with the U.S. national team on March 25, 1995 against Uruguay. Although he never played in the World Cup, he has scored a couple of key goals in qualifiers, including one against Guatemala in 2000 and Trinidad and Tobago in 2001. Overall, Razov has scored six goals in 25 caps for the US. Razov holds the distinction of being the last American soccer player to receive his first cap for the national team while still in college.

[edit] See also

• List of current MLS players

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• MLS player profile