Biography

BIOGRAPHY

Christopher Elliott Wondolowski was born January 28, 1983 in Danville, California, United States. He is a forward in Major League Soccer.

Nicknamed Wondo, he was MLS's top scorer in the 2010 and 2012 seasons, also being named the 2012 Most Valuable Player, and has become one of the top strikers in Major League Soccer.

A college soccer player for the Chico State Wildcats, he played in 2004 for the Chico Rooks and was drafted to the San Jose Earthquakes in 2005. The team became the Houston Dynamo the following season, and he played a part in their MLS Cup wins in 2006 and 2007 before returning to the re-established Earthquakes in 2009. With 161 goals in Major League Soccer, he is the highest scorer in the competition's history, as well as the only player in league history to score 150 or more regular-season goals. As of September 28, 2019, Wondolowski is also the only player in league history to have scored ten or more goals in ten consecutive seasons. He also holds the record for most MLS goals on the road and MLS game winning goals (both home and away).

A full international since 2011, Wondolowski represented the United States at three CONCACAF Gold Cups – winning the 2013 edition – and also played at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Wondolowski played high school soccer at De La Salle High School in Concord, California, where he earned All-Bay Valley Athletic League first team and all-East Bay first-team honors in 2000 and 2001. He was awarded two area "Player of the Year" awards in 2001 by local media. Wondolowski played club soccer for the Diablo Valley Soccer Club (DVSC) and Danville Mustang Soccer Association.

He enjoyed a standout college soccer career at Chico State University, finishing with 39 goals in 84 games. He led the Chico Rooks of the then Men's Premier Soccer League with 17 goals in the 2004 season.

Wondolowski was drafted in the fourth round of the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft with the 41st overall pick by the San Jose Earthquakes. Although he made only two MLS appearances for San Jose in 2005, he led the Earthquakes reserve team in scoring with eight goals in 12 games.

Along with the rest of his Earthquakes teammates, he moved to Houston for the 2006 season and once again led the reserve team in scoring, tallying 13 goals in 11 games. He scored his first MLS goal on August 30, 2006 against the Chicago Fire.

In 2007, Wondolowski scored against Pachuca in the semifinal round of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup, although Houston was eliminated in the second leg. Wondolowski scored his first US Open Cup goal in a 3–0 victory against FC Dallas on August 23 of that same year. He scored his second career MLS goal – a tap-in against Chicago – on July 12, 2007.

In 2008 Wondolowski continued to make appearances for the reserve squad as well as the first team in various competitions. He captained the team in its US Open Cup loss against Charleston Battery, converting his shot in the penalty shootout as well.

He scored his fourth career goal for Houston against the New York Red Bulls on May 16, 2009.

Wondolowski was traded to the San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for Cam Weaver in June 2009. With the move to San Jose, Wondolowski began to receive more playing time and appeared in 14 games in which he scored 3 goals for San Jose. Wondolowski had a break-out season in 2010 in which he led Major League Soccer in scoring with 18 goals in 26 matches, leading San Jose into the MLS Playoffs. San Jose signed Wondolowski to a new contract in February 2012. Terms were undisclosed. Wondolowski was elected to the 2012 MLS All-Star Game versus Chelsea. The conclusion of the regular season also saw Wondolowski become the first and only MLS player so far to win the Player of the Month award four times in a single season, for his performances during the months of April, June, September, and October.

Following his successful stint with the Earthquakes during the 2010 season which included winning the 2010 MLS Golden Boot, Wondolowski was called up to Winter Training Camp with the United States men's national soccer team. At the conclusion of the three-week camp, his first cap with the national team came in a January 22, 2011 friendly against Chile at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

On May 23, 2011, Wondolowski was named to the United States roster for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cupcompetition.

In 2012, Wondolowski was called into the United States' initial 27-man roster for a series of three friendlies and the first two World Cup qualifiers for the U.S. Wondolowski made the 23-man roster but only appeared once as a sub in a friendly 0–0 draw against Canada.

On July 5, 2013, Wondolowski scored his first international goal in a match against Guatemala at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, and four days later, wearing a jersey on which his name was spelled "Wondowlowski", he scored a hat-trick in the first half against Belize at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Oregon. He continued his scoring run with a brace against Cuba at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. On February 1, 2014, Wondolowski added two more goals to his tally, by scoring a brace against South Korea at StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Since the Gold Cup, Wondolowski plays with an extra 'W' on the inside of his shirt when on National Team duty. This happened after scoring a hat-trick against Belize while having an extra W on his shirt by mistake.

In 2017, he was named to the preliminary 40-man roster for the Gold Cup, but was not called up during the tournament. On August 27, 2017, he was called up to the 26-man roster for the World Cup qualifiers taking place on September 2, against Costa Rica, and September 5, against Honduras.

Wondolowski was selected as one of the final 23 players chosen for the 2014 FIFA World Cup to represent the United States. On June 22, 2014, Wondolowski came in as a substitute for Clint Dempsey in the 87th minute during the Group G game against Portugal. On July 1 he came in as a substitute for Graham Zusi in the 72nd minute in the Group of 16 elimination game against Belgium. In the final minutes of normal time in what was then a 0–0 game, Wondolowski failed to direct his shot on the net from just yards out and Belgium won in extra time. "I'm gutted to have let down everyone but especially my teammates," said Wondolowski about the missed opportunity. In extra time Wondolowski nearly set up the game tying goal, but the chance was missed by teammate Clint Dempsey.

Chris Wondolowski was selected as one of the final 23 players chosen for the Copa América Centenario to represent the United States.