Michael Vang
| 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 | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Miami FC | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2013–2015 | Minnesota Thunder Academy | ||
| 2016–2018 | Shattuck-Saint Mary's | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2019 | S.U. 1º de Dezembro | ||
| 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) | |||
Michael Vang (born May 13, 2000) is a United States-born professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for USL Championship club Miami FC and the Laos national team.[1]
Playing career[edit]
Youth[edit]
Vang 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]
Professional[edit]
In 2018, Vang went to Portugal to play for S.U. 1º de Dezembro of the Campeonato de Portugal. Vang reached the first team in 2019 and started three league games.[4]
Vang signed with Forward Madison FC of USL League One prior to the 2020 season.[2]
On 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] He made 22 appearances for the team and scored two goals, but was released at the end of the season. Vang signed with Portland Timbers 2 of MLS Next Pro, the reserve side of the Portland Timbers, in March 2023.[6]
Personal life[edit]
Vang 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 professional soccer player in the United States.[7][8]
Honors[edit]
Columbus 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
- 2000 births
- Living people
- Laotian men's footballers
- Laos men's international footballers
- American men's soccer players
- American people of Hmong descent
- American people of Laotian descent
- Men's association football midfielders
- Forward Madison FC players
- Soccer players from Minnesota
- Sportspeople from Saint Paul, Minnesota
- USL League One players
- Campeonato de Portugal (league) players
- American expatriate men's soccer players
- American expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
- Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
- Columbus Crew 2 players
- MLS Next Pro players
- Portland Timbers 2 players
- Miami FC players