Alejandro Bedoya
Bedoya from the Philadelphia Union in 2017
Personal information
Full name Alejandro Bedoya[1]
Date of birth (1987-04-29) April 29, 1987 (age 36)
Place of birth Englewood, New Jersey, United States
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Philadelphia Union
Number 11
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Fairleigh Dickinson Knights 35 (13)
2007–2008 Boston College Eagles 37 (14)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2011 Örebro SK 65 (8)
2011–2012 Rangers 12 (1)
2012–2013 Helsingborgs IF 21 (6)
2013–2016 Nantes 87 (11)
2016– Philadelphia Union 214 (22)
International career‡
2010–2017 United States 66 (2)
Medal record
Representing  United States
Winner CONCACAF Gold Cup 2013
Runner-up CONCACAF Gold Cup 2011
Men's Soccer
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of July 15, 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of November 14, 2017

Alejandro Bedoya (born April 29, 1987) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder. He is a free agent and most recently played for the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer, as their captain.[3]

Early life

Bedoya, of Colombian descent, was born in New Jersey and raised in Weston, Florida,[4] where he played youth soccer for local clubs; the AYSO club: Weston Fury,[5] and FUTSOC USA ENIGMA Elite.[6] In high school he won a state championship while playing for St. Thomas Aquinas High School in 2005.[7] His father, Adriano, played professional soccer in Colombia with Millonarios, and his grandfather, Fabio, played for Deportes Quindío.[8]


Club career

Bedoya in 2013

Örebro SK

Although college seniors often enter the MLS SuperDraft, Bedoya explored options abroad. In late 2008, he signed a contract with Swedish club Örebro SK and joined the club on January 7, 2009. On April 6, he made his debut for Örebro SK coming on as a substitute in the 73rd minute. He scored his first goal for Örebro SK when he gave the team a 1–0 lead against Assyriska FF in the Svenska Cupen. Over the course of the season, Bedoya worked his way into the starting line-up and became a mainstay at central midfield in Örebro SK 4–3–3 formation. In February 2011, Bedoya was given a trial at English Premier League side Birmingham City, but was not signed.[9]

Rangers

On July 21, 2011, it was announced that Bedoya had agreed to personal terms with Scottish club Rangers, pending the approval of a work permit,[10] with a view to joining in January 2012, once the Allsvenskan season was finished. However, Örebro SK and Rangers agreed an undisclosed fee on August 17, 2011, allowing him to join Rangers immediately.[11]

Bedoya made his debut as a second-half substitute in a Scottish Premier League match against Aberdeen on August 28, 2011.[12] He scored his first Rangers goal in a 5–0 victory over Dundee United on May 2, 2012, to help secure second place for the Glasgow club.[13]

Helsingborgs IF

When Rangers entered administration, Bedoya signed a short-term contract with Allsvenskan champions Helsingborgs IF on August 10, 2012.[14] On August 18, 2012, in his debut with the club, Bedoya scored an overhead kick goal in his team's 2–1 loss to Elfsborg. He started both games for Helsingborg in the home-and-away series against Celtic in the UEFA Champions League; the Swedish champions were eliminated on a 4–0 aggregate. Helsingborg were sent into the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League group stage where they finished in third place and Bedoya scored two goals against Hannover 96 and FC Twente.[15] Bedoya received a number of offers after his contract expired with Helsingborg but decided to stay for at least another six months.[16]

Nantes

On August 7, 2013, Bedoya joined newly promoted Ligue 1 side Nantes.[17] He went on to make his first Ligue 1 appearance for Nantes against reigning champions PSG on August 25, 2013.[18] Bedoya's first goal for the club came in Nantes' 1–0 victory over AC Ajaccio on October 19, 2013, when he scored the only goal three minutes from time to extend the club's winning run to four games in a row.[19] Following the match, his manager, Michel Der Zakarian, praised Bedoya for his intelligent play and technical excellence.[20] Bedoya scored his second goal for the club, and first at Nantes' home ground the Stade de la Beaujoire, on December 3, 2013, notching Nantes' equalizing goal in an eventual 2–1 victory over struggling Valenciennes.[21] Bedoya continued his scoring run on December 6, 2013, netting the game's only goal in Nantes' defeat of Marseille, a result which lifted Nantes into fourth place and caused the sacking of Marseille manager Élie Baup.[22][23] On February 10, 2016, Bedoya scored the winning goal with a header in the 118th minute for FC Nantes in a Coupe de France match against FC Girondins de Bordeaux.[24]

Philadelphia Union

On August 3, 2016, Bedoya joined Philadelphia Union from Nantes for a reported $1 million transfer fee as a designated player.[25][3] He started all ten appearances for the Union during the remainder of the 2016 and scored two goals, including the lone playoff goal against Toronto FC.[26]

For the 2017 season, Bedoya became the Union's captain, taking over for Brian Carroll.[27][28] Becoming a mainstay of the Union's midfield, Bedoya was early on deployed as a center attacking "number 10" as the team continued to search of a dedicated player for that position. Bedoya would settle into a more familiar role on the right wing and as a midfield shuttler as the Union's tactics transitioned through the next few seasons.[29][30][31]

On August 4, 2019, Bedoya scored in the third minute of a 5–1 victory for the Union over D.C. United at Audi Field and celebrated by taking an on-field microphone to say "Congress, do something now. End gun violence," in response to recent mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton.[32] His statement, which was aired live on Fox Sports 1, resulted in national attention but no punishment or fine from the league. Bedoya also won the MLS Player of the Week for his performance during the match.[33]

Bedoya signed a contract extension with the Union ahead of the 2020 season through 2021, with a club option for 2022, however he would no longer be a designated player.[28][34][35] The 2020 season proved to be the most successful to date. Despite the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bedoya captained the Union through to the semi-finals of the MLS is Back tournament and finished with the best league record of the season earning the team's first trophy, the 2020 Supporters' Shield.[36][37]

In September 2022 the Union announced they had signed Bedoya to a new one-year deal through the 2023 MLS season.[38]

International career

Alejandro Bedoya representing the U.S. soccer team at the 2011 Gold Cup semi-final match

Bedoya was part of the United States U-23 national team preparing for the 2008 Summer Olympics; however, he was not selected for the squad that traveled to China.[39]

On December 22, 2009, Bedoya received his first call up to train with the senior United States national team. Training in Carson, California began for Bedoya and the other players called up on January 4, 2010, leading up to a friendly match in Carson against the Honduras national team on January 23. In the 61st minute of this match, when the U.S. was down 3–0 and was playing with ten men, Bedoya earned his first senior cap.[40] Bedoya was named to the preliminary 30-man roster for the 2010 World Cup and played against the Czech Republic in a tune-up friendly, but was cut from the final 23-man roster.[41] He earned his first international start in a friendly against Brazil in August 2010. He was added to the 23-man roster for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup when Benny Feilhaber was unable to play due to an injury sustained while playing for his club team, the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer.[42]

On July 5, 2013, Bedoya scored his first international goal in a friendly match against Guatemala at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California.[43] He was included in the United States roster for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup,[44] helping the national side to its first Gold Cup championship in six years.[45][46] He was part of the United States squad at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and played in all four of the U.S. games.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played November 25, 2023[47][48][49][50][51]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Örebro SK 2009 Allsvenskan 25 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 28 3
2010 Allsvenskan 26 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 28 2
2011 Allsvenskan 14 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 16 4
Total 65 8 7 1 0 0 0 0 72 9
Rangers 2011–12 Scottish Premier League 12 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 13 1
Helsingborgs IF 2012 Allsvenskan 9 1 0 0 0 0 8[a] 2 17 3
2013 Allsvenskan 12 5 3 2 0 0 0 0 15 7
Total 21 6 3 2 0 0 8 2 32 10
Nantes 2013–14 Ligue 1 31 5 0 0 1 1 0 0 32 6
2014–15 Ligue 1 28 3 3 0 2 0 0 0 33 3
2015–16 Ligue 1 28 3 3 2 0 0 0 0 31 5
Total 87 11 6 2 3 1 0 0 96 14
Philadelphia Union 2016 MLS 10 1 0 0 1[b] 1 0 0 11 2
2017 MLS 28 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 28 2
2018 MLS 33 3 4 1 1[b] 0 0 0 38 4
2019 MLS 32 4 1 0 2[b] 1 0 0 35 5
2020 MLS 21[c] 3 0 0 4[d] 0 0 0 25 3
2021 MLS 32 3 0 0 2[b] 0 6[e] 0 40 3
2022 MLS 30 6 0 0 1[b] 0 0 0 31 6
2023 MLS 28 0 0 0 3[b] 0 6[e] 0 37 0
Total 214 22 5 1 14 2 12 0 245 25
Career total 399 48 21 6 18 3 20 2 458 59
  1. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ a b c d e f Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs
  3. ^ Includes three appearances and one goal in MLS is Back Tournament group stage
  4. ^ Three appearances in MLS is Back Tournament knockout stage, one appearance in MLS Cup Playoffs
  5. ^ a b Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions League

International

As of match played June 29, 2019[52]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
United States 2010 6 0
2011 7 0
2013 12 1
2014 12 1
2015 7 0
2016 11 0
2017 11 0
Total 66 2
Scores and results list the United States' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bedoya goal.
List of international goals scored by Alejandro Bedoya
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 July 5, 2013 Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, United States  Guatemala 6–0 6–0 Friendly[53]
2 September 3, 2014 Generali Arena, Prague, Czech Republic  Czech Republic 1–0 1–0 Friendly[54]

Honors

Philadelphia Union

United States

Individual

References

  1. ^ "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. June 11, 2014. p. 32. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 30, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
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  3. ^ a b "Alejandro Bedoya | Philadelphia Union Player Profile". philadelphiaunion.com. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  4. ^ Bondy, Stefan. "Englewood native Alejandro Bedoya vies for U.S. spot", The Record (Bergen County), May 25, 2010. Accessed February 16, 2011.
  5. ^ Rusnak, Jeff (May 24, 2010). "Weston's Bedoya can thank dad if he makes final U.S. World Cup roster". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  6. ^ "Miami Herald Archive Search Results". nl.newsbank.com. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  7. ^ Tenorio, Paul. "U.S. soccer leader Alejandro Bedoya set for sweet South Florida homecoming". Sun-Sentinel.com. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  8. ^ Brian Sciaretta (May 14, 2014). "Alejandro Bedoya Believes That the U.S. Will Win". American Soccer Now. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
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  12. ^ "Rangers 2–0 Aberdeen". BBC Sport. August 28, 2011.
  13. ^ "Rangers vs. Dundee United - Football Match Report - May 2, 2012 - ESPN". ESPNFC.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012.
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  54. ^ "Czech Republic vs. United States 0–1". Soccerway. September 3, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2013.
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  56. ^ Sigal, Jonathan (November 5, 2022). "Hollywood ending! LAFC win legendary MLS Cup 2022 over Philadelphia Union". Major League Soccer. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
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  59. ^ "2007 NSCAA/adidas NCAA Men's Division I All-America Team". Soccer America. December 17, 2007. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  60. ^ "Alejandro Bedoya Named Semifinalist For Hermann Trophy Award". Boston College Eagles. November 29, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2019.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alejandro Bedoya.
United States squads
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Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Soccer Player of the Year
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