Michael Vang (born May 13, 2000) is a professional footballer who most recently played as a midfielder for USL Championship club Miami FC. Born in the United States, he represented the Laos national team.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Vang | ||
| Date of birth | May 13, 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2013–2015 | Minnesota Thunder Academy | ||
| 2016–2018 | Shattuck-Saint Mary's | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2019 | 1º de Dezembro | 3 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Forward Madison | 24 | (4) |
| 2022 | Columbus Crew 2 | 22 | (2) |
| 2023 | Portland Timbers 2 | 19 | (2) |
| 2024 | Miami FC | 4 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2023 | Laos | 5 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:18, 12 April 2024 (UTC) | |||
Playing career
editYouth
editVang played in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy through Shattuck-Saint Mary's in high school.[2]
Vang was committed to play soccer for the University of the Pacific, but decided instead to pursue playing professionally.[3]
1º Dezembro
editIn July 2018, Vang joined Portuguese third tier league club 1º de Dezembro that plays in the Campeonato de Portuga. Vang was promoted to the first team in 2019 and started three league games.[4]
Forward Madison
editOn 14 January 2020, Vang signed with Forward Madison of the USL League One prior to the 2020 season.[2] He scored on his debut for the club in a 4–0 league win over Tormenta on 15 August 2020.
Columbus Crew 2
editOn February 18, 2022, Vang joined Columbus Crew 2, the reserve side of Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew, ahead of their inaugural MLS Next Pro season.[5] On 26 March, He make his debut in a 2–0 lost against Inter Miami II. On 24 July, he scored a brace in a 4–1 win over New England Revolution II. He made 22 appearances for the team and scored two goals, but was released at the end of the season
Portland Timbers 2
editOn 2 March 2023, Vang signed with Portland Timbers 2 of MLS Next Pro, the reserve side of the Portland Timbers.[6] He make his debut on 10 April in a match against Colorado Rapids 2.
Miami FC
editIn January 2024, Vang joined USL Championship club Miami FC, making his debut in a 1–0 loss to Sacramento Republic on 17 March.
International career
editVang was called up to the Laos national team in March 2023 for their upcoming international friendly in March. He make his debut for Laos in a 2–0 defeat to Nepal on 22 March.
Personal life
editVang was born to a Hmong family originally hailing from Laos, making him eligible to represent the country at international level. He is the first Hmong to play professional soccer in the United States.[7][8]
Honours
editColumbus Crew 2
References
edit- ^ "Forward Madison FC 2020 Roster". ForwardMadisonFC.com. Forward Madison FC. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ a b Klein, Jason (January 16, 2020). "Forward Madison Adds 'Diamond in the Rough' in Michael Vang". ForwardMadisonFC.com. Forward Madison FC. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ Milewski, Todd D. (January 16, 2020). "Combine tryout gets midfielder Michael Vang 2020 roster spot with Forward Madison FC". Madison.com. Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ Klein, Jason (January 16, 2020). "This Is How Michael Vang Got His Soccer Education in Portugal". ForwardMadisonFC.com. Forward Madison FC. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "Columbus Crew 2 signs four players ahead of 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Season | Columbus Crew". ColumbusCrew.com.
- ^ "Timbers2 announce 14 player signings ahead of 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season". Portland Timbers 2. March 2, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- ^ Greder, Andy (August 19, 2020). "Meet St. Paul's Michael Vang, the first Hmong pro soccer player in U.S." Pioneer Press. St. Paul: Northwest Publications. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
- ^ "The Vang Brothers". Lao American Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
External links
edit- Michael Vang at Soccerway
- Michael Vang at USL League One