Clarence Goodson’s biography, net worth, fact, career, awards and life story

Clarence Edgar Goodson IV (born May 17, 1982) is an American professional soccer player who currently plays defender for San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer.

Youth career

Born in Alexandria, Virginia, Goodson attended Annandale High School his freshman and sophomore seasons before moving to Wilbert Tucker Woodson High School. He was the Annandale team MVP, setting a school record for goals and points by a sophomore in 1998. He then went on to win the Virginia State High School Soccer title playing for W.T. Woodson High School in 2000. He played his club soccer with the Braddock Road Warhawks, winning the 1999 U-17 national championship. Goodson played three years of soccer at the University of Maryland, which he joined in 2000. After redshirting in 2001, Goodson helped anchor the defense of one of the best teams in college soccer. In his career at Maryland, Goodson played 66 games, registering 10 goals and 11 assists. In 2003, he spent the collegiate offseason with the Boulder Rapids Reserve.

Club career

After his junior year, Goodson signed a Project-40 with Major League Soccer (MLS), entering the 2004 MLS SuperDraft as an underclassman, where he was drafted seventh overall by the Dallas Burn. In his first year with the Burn, Goodson played only 247 league minutes in five games; however, he saw extended action in Cup competitions and exhibitions. He became a starter in 2005, the year the team was renamed FC Dallas.

On November 21, 2007, Goodson was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2007 MLS Expansion Draft but declared that he would not be signing a new contract with MLS in January 2008; instead, he signed a contract with the Norwegian team IK Start. He remained with Start through the 2010 season. In November 2010, Goodson signed with Brøndby of the Danish Superliga.

Goodson returned to MLS on June 28, 2013 when he signed with San Jose Earthquakes.

International

Goodson made his international debut in a friendly against Sweden on January 19, 2008. He was a member of the U.S. squad at the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and scored in the semifinal against Honduras on July 23, 2009. On May 26, 2010, Goodson was selected to be part of the 23 man roster for the American national team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Goodson has been used in the rotation of Centerbacks for the US Men’s National Team under Jurgen Klinsmann. Goodson was named to the United States roster for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup competition. He was included on Klinsmann’s 30-man preliminary roster for the US team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but he was not included on the final roster.

International goals

Personal

Goodson married Kelsey Dawson on January 31, 2009, in Tacoma, Washington. The couple were featured on an episode of HGTV’s House Hunters International, searching for an apartment in Copenhagen after Goodson’s transfer to Brøndby IF. He purchased an apartment valued at $900,000.

Goodson is a Christian. Goodson participates in a weekly team Bible study.

Career statistics

As of November 11, 2015.

Honors

International

United States

• CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2013; runner-up 2009, 2011