Danny Califf

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Danny Califf
Danny Califf at Union at Earthquakes 2010-09-15.JPG
Califf with Philadelphia Union in 2010
Personal information
Full name Daniel Benjamin Califf
Date of birth (1980-03-17) March 17, 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth Montclair, California, United States
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Defender
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1998–1999 Maryland Terrapins
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2000–2004 Los Angeles Galaxy 103 (5)
2000MLS Pro-40 (loan) 2 (0)
2005 San Jose Earthquakes 20 (2)
2006–2008 AaB 69 (2)
2008–2009 Midtjylland 31 (1)
2010–2012 Philadelphia Union 65 (1)
2012 Chivas USA 19 (1)
2013 Toronto FC 4 (0)
Total313(12)
International career
1997 United States U17 3 (0)
1999 United States U20 4 (1)
2000 United States U23 6 (1)
2002–2010 United States 26 (1)
Medal record
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
FIFA Confederations Cup
Runner-up 2009 South Africa Team
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Winner CONCACAF Gold Cup 2002
Bronze medal icon.svg CONCACAF Gold Cup 2003
Men's Soccer
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Daniel Benjamin Califf (born March 17, 1980) is an American retired professional soccer player who played as a defender.

Contents

Youth and college career

Califf (pronounced kāl'ĭ-f) was born in Orange, California. He started his youth career in soccer for Canyon Hills Soccer Association, playing on the Canyon Classic team coached by his father. He played college soccer at the University of Maryland from 1998 to 2000. As a freshman, he started all 24 of the team's games, and was named to the Soccer America All-Freshman team for helping to lead the Terrapins to the Final Four. In his second year of college, he started 20 games, and was named an NSCAA third-team All-American.

Club career

After his sophomore season, Califf signed a Project-40 contract with MLS and entered the 2000 MLS SuperDraft, where he was selected sixth overall by the Los Angeles Galaxy. Califf was immediately slotted into the Galaxy's starting line up, appearing in 18 games, 16 of them starts, as a rookie. Over the next three years, Califf would establish himself as one of the best central defenders in the league, starting 69 games for the Galaxy while helping the team to win a U.S. Open Cup in 2001 and a MLS Cup in 2002. Califf struggled with injuries in 2004, and was able to make only 10 starts, playing 855 minutes.

Califf was traded to the San Jose Earthquakes for an allocation prior to the 2005 season. [1] He then regained his old form and even improved, being named to the MLS Best XI for the first time. Califf has scored seven league goals and four assists in six years in MLS.

He left the Quakes after just one season to sign with Aalborg in the Danish Superliga. [2] In his first full season at Aalborg, Califf played 30 of 33 games, and helped the team win bronze medals in the 2006–07 Superliga season. Califf scored his first Aalborg goal on the last match day of the season, as bronze medal contenders Odense BK were defeated 3–1. After the season, during AaB's Intertoto Cup campaign, Califf was named club captain. In the 2007–08 Superliga season he helped Aalborg to a gold medal but after the season he could not agree with Aalborg on a new contract. He eventually signed with Danish Superliga rivals Midtjylland.

On December 3, 2009, the Philadelphia Union announced that they had acquired Califf's MLS rights from Houston Dynamo and that he would join the team for their inaugural 2010 season. [3] Before the Union's first game against Seattle Sounders FC he was announced as the team's captain. Califf scored his first goal for the Union in the 2011 MLS season opener win against Houston Dynamo on March 19, 2011. [4] He was named to the MLS Team of the week for this performance that match also. [5] On June 8, Califf was named a nominee for the MLS All-Star Game. [6] It was announced that he was fifth in defender voting for the All-Star Game. [7]

On May 17, 2012, Califf was traded to Chivas USA for Michael Lahoud and allocation money. [8] At the end of the 2012 season, Chivas USA declined Califf's contract option and he entered the 2012 MLS Re-Entry Draft. On December 14, 2012, Califf was selected by Toronto FC with the first pick of stage two of the draft and that day signed a contract with Toronto for the 2013 season. [9]

Retirement

Califf announced his retirement from soccer on July 12, 2013. [10]

In 2014, Califf became an assistant coach under Charlie Dodds, President of YSC Sports, home of the Philadelphia Union Academy. After one year of coaching at YSC Sports, he returned to Toronto FC as a scout through 2016.

Califf has settled back in his hometown of Orange, CA with his family. Currently, he is the Founder and President of his own personal training company, Professional Soccer Resource (PSR) and holds the title of Technical Director for the youth soccer club Boca O.C.

International career

Califf has played for the United States national team at every level from the U-17's to the senior team. He has appeared in the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship, the 1999 World Youth Championship in Egypt, and the 2000 Sydney Olympics . Additionally, he has appeared in 26 games for the full national team, getting his first cap against South Korea on January 19, 2002.

Califf played in the 2003 & 2009 Confederations Cup, the 2002, 2003, & 2009 Gold Cups and the 2007 Copa America.

He served as captain twice for the team on July 5, 2007, when the United States lost 1–0 to Colombia during their final group game in Venezuela (2007 Copa America) and again in 2009 With a win against Sweden in Carson, CA.

Career statistics

Club

As of July 12, 2013
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup [a] League cup [b] ContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Los Angeles Galaxy 2000 MLS 181402100242
2001 MLS2435061354
2002 MLS2513061342
2003 MLS2303020280
2004 MLS1300030162
Total1035150193001378
San Jose Earthquakes
2005 MLS2022010232
Aalborg BK 2005–06 [11] Danish Superliga 90
2006–07 [11] Danish Superliga301
2007–08 [11] Danish Superliga301111412
Total69250100111953
FC Midtjylland 2008–09 [11] Danish Superliga2610030291
2009–10 [11] Danish Superliga50000050
Total311000030341
Philadelphia Union 2010 MLS280100000290
2011 MLS331102000361
2012 MLS4000000040
Total651202000691
Chivas USA 2012 MLS1913000221
Toronto FC
2013 MLS402060
Career otal3111229032314138616

International

He scored his only international goal against Haiti on March 16, 2004.

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.March 16, 2004 Miami, Florida Flag of Haiti.svg  Haiti 0–11–1 Friendly match

Honors

Los Angeles Galaxy

San Jose Earthquakes

Aalborg

United States

Individual

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References

  1. Jones, Grahame L. (24 March 2005). "Galaxy Trades Califf to San Jose" via LA Times.
  2. "Danish soccer club AaB signs Danny Califf". ESPNFC.com.
  3. "Philadelphia Union : Union News & Features". Archived from the original on December 8, 2009. Retrieved December 3, 2009.
  4. Levine, Judah (March 19, 2011). "Recap: Union Take Opener in Houston 1–0". Philadelphia Union. Archived from the original on March 22, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  5. "Team of the Week debuts on". MLSsoccer.com. March 22, 2011. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
  6. "2011". Philadelphia Union. Archived from the original on 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2011-07-03.
  7. "With a week left in All-Star fan voting, see latest results". 28 June 2011. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  8. "Union complete Califf trade, get Lahoud from Chivas USA". 17 May 2012. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  9. "Toronto Claims Califf". 14 December 2012. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  10. "Califf Announces Retirement". 12 July 2013. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 "Danny Califf » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 21 January 2025.