Imad Baba
Encyclopedia
Imad Baba is a retired American soccer midfielder
. He spent seven years in Major League Soccer
(MLS) with the New England Revolution
and Colorado Rapids
. He was also a member of the American squads at the 1989 U-16 World Championships, 1993 U-20 World Cup and the 1996 Summer Olympics
. Baba earned one cap with the senior United States national team
.
. Baba was born and raised in Texas. In 1990, he was given a trial at Manchester United
, but failed to impress. He was the 1992 Texas High School Player of the Year and a four-time Parade Magazine high school All-American, the only player to earn that honor four times. After high school, he attended the Clemson University
where he played on the men's soccer team for three seasons from 1993 to 1995. A varsity starter as a freshman, Baba elected to skip his last season in order to turn professional.
selected Baba in the second round (16th overall) of the 1996 MLS College Draft
. Baba spent five seasons with the Revs. He became a free agent on December 21, 2000. The Revs traded him to the Colorado Rapids
for Matt Okoh
, the rights to Alan Woods and a second round draft pick on March 19, 2001. Baba spent the next two seasons with the Rapids before announcing his retirement on June 13, 2002.http://www.intermark.com/rapids/rp020613.html
. The U.S. easily qualified only to go 1-1-1 in group play and fail to make the second round. However, Baba scored the lone U.S. goal in its victory over Brazil, the first U.S. goal of the tournament.
Baba went on to play for the U.S. at the 1993 U-20 World Cup
in Australia
. Baba scored a goal in the 6-0 victory over Turkey in the first U.S. game of the tournament. Once again this was the first U.S. goal of the tournament. The U.S. again went 1-1-1 in group play, but this time it advanced to the second round where the team met Brazil. This time the results were not so favorable to the U.S. as it fell 3-0 to Brazil.
In 1995, Baba again played with the U.S., this time as part of the U-23 national team at the Pan American Games
. In this tournament, he started two of the three U.S. games as the U.S. crashed out with an 0-3 record.
He was a member of the U.S. soccer team
at the 1996 Summer Olympics
. The U.S. went 1-1-1 yet again, but this was not good enough to qualify for the second round.
Baba earned his only cap with the senior United States national team
on January 24, 1999, in a scoreless tie with Bolivia
when he came on for Eddie Lewis in the 75th minute.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He spent seven years in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) with the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
and Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
. He was also a member of the American squads at the 1989 U-16 World Championships, 1993 U-20 World Cup and the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. Baba earned one cap with the senior United States national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
.
Youth and college
Baba's father moved to Texas from PalestinePalestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. Baba was born and raised in Texas. In 1990, he was given a trial at Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, but failed to impress. He was the 1992 Texas High School Player of the Year and a four-time Parade Magazine high school All-American, the only player to earn that honor four times. After high school, he attended the Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
where he played on the men's soccer team for three seasons from 1993 to 1995. A varsity starter as a freshman, Baba elected to skip his last season in order to turn professional.
Major League Soccer
On March 4, 1996, the New England RevolutionNew England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
selected Baba in the second round (16th overall) of the 1996 MLS College Draft
1996 MLS College Draft
-History:As Major League Soccer prepared for its first season, the league began stocking teams with players. As the teams were being created at the same time, the league adopted a measured approach to building rosters. First, the league allocated four "big name" players to each team. Then on...
. Baba spent five seasons with the Revs. He became a free agent on December 21, 2000. The Revs traded him to the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
for Matt Okoh
Matt Okoh
Matthew Nwabueze Okoh is a former U.S.-Nigerian soccer player and currently Assistant Coach of the DSU Hornets Women. His playing career spanned eight years and took him from the United States to Brazil, Germany and Portugal...
, the rights to Alan Woods and a second round draft pick on March 19, 2001. Baba spent the next two seasons with the Rapids before announcing his retirement on June 13, 2002.http://www.intermark.com/rapids/rp020613.html
National team
Baba entered the national team program with the U-16 team as it went through qualifications for the 1989 U-16 World Championship1989 FIFA U-16 World Championship
The FIFA U-16 World Championship 1989 was held in the Scottish cities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Motherwell, Aberdeen, and Dundee between 10 June and 24 June 1989...
. The U.S. easily qualified only to go 1-1-1 in group play and fail to make the second round. However, Baba scored the lone U.S. goal in its victory over Brazil, the first U.S. goal of the tournament.
Baba went on to play for the U.S. at the 1993 U-20 World Cup
1993 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1993 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Australia for second time from 5 to 20 March 1993. The 1993 championship was the 9th contested. The tournament took place in five venues: Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide....
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Baba scored a goal in the 6-0 victory over Turkey in the first U.S. game of the tournament. Once again this was the first U.S. goal of the tournament. The U.S. again went 1-1-1 in group play, but this time it advanced to the second round where the team met Brazil. This time the results were not so favorable to the U.S. as it fell 3-0 to Brazil.
In 1995, Baba again played with the U.S., this time as part of the U-23 national team at the Pan American Games
Football at the 1995 Pan American Games
The twelfth edition of the Men's Football Tournament at the Pan American Games was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina from March 10 to March 24, 1995. Twelve teams competed, with title defender USA being eliminated in the first round...
. In this tournament, he started two of the three U.S. games as the U.S. crashed out with an 0-3 record.
He was a member of the U.S. soccer team
United States at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The United States was the host nation for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.- Gold:* Justin Huish — Archery, Men's Individual Competition* Justin Huish, Richard Johnson, and Rod White — Archery, Men's Team Competition...
at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. The U.S. went 1-1-1 yet again, but this was not good enough to qualify for the second round.
Baba earned his only cap with the senior United States national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
on January 24, 1999, in a scoreless tie with Bolivia
Bolivia national football team
The Bolivia national football team is the national team of Bolivia and is controlled by the Federación Boliviana de Fútbol. After playing in the 1930 and 1950 World Cups, they qualified just once—in 1994...
when he came on for Eddie Lewis in the 75th minute.