Miguel Berry

Miguel Berry

Personal information
Full name	Miguel Berry
Date of birth	(1997-09-16) 16 September 1997 (age 26)
Place of birth	Barcelona, Spain
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) [1]
Position(s)	Striker
Team information
Current team	LA Galaxy
Number	27
Youth career
	San Diego SC [2]
0000–2016	San Diego Surf SC
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2019	San Diego Toreros	72	(38)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017	Seattle Sounders U-23	9	(2)
2018–2019	Orange County SC U-23	16	(7)
2020–2022	Columbus Crew	34	(10)
2020	→ San Diego Loyal (loan)	7	(3)
2021	→ San Diego Loyal (loan)	7	(3)
2022	D.C. United	14	(0)
2023	Atlanta United	27	(1)
2024–	LA Galaxy	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 06:28, 18 March 2024 (UTC)

Miguel Berry (born 16 September 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a striker for LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer.

Youth and amateur career

Berry was born in Barcelona, Spain to American parents. They moved back to the United States when Berry was eight-years old and Berry grew up in Poway, California, attending Poway High School. ^{[3] [4]} Berry also played with Development Academy side San Diego Surf until 2016, having also previously played for San Diego SC. ^[5]

In 2016, Berry went to play college soccer at the University of San Diego. He played with the Toreros for four years, making 72 appearances, scoring 38 goals and tallying 16 assists. In his senior year, Berry was named the WCC Co-Player of the Year and he was a semifinalist for the MAC National Player of the Year award. He'd previously been named WCC All-Freshman Team in his freshman year, was named to the All-WCC First Team and All-Far West Region Second Team in his sophomore year and earned All-WCC First Team and USC All-Far West Region Second Team honors in his junior season. ^[6]

While at college, Berry also played in the USL League Two for both Seattle Sounders U-23 ^[7] and Orange County SC U-23. ^{[8] [9]}

Professional career

Columbus Crew

On 9 January 2020, Berry was selected 7th overall in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft by Columbus Crew. ^[10] He officially joined the club on 27 February 2020. ^[11] After having made no appearances for the team during the first half of the season, and with a lack of future opportunities due to the cancellation of the U.S. Open Cup, ^[12] Berry was loaned to San Diego Loyal of the USL Championship. ^[13] Though Berry failed to make any appearances in his first season with the Crew, he was part of the squad that won the 2020 MLS Cup. ^[14]

On 14 December 2020, the Crew announced that they had exercised the option to retain Berry for the 2021 season. ^[15]

During the beginning of the 2021 season, Berry appeared in just one league game, playing only one minute. Seeing no opportunity on the horizon, Berry asked to be loaned back to the San Diego Loyal to get some playing time. ^[16] The Columbus Crew recalled Berry in early July, due to starting striker Gyasi Zardes being called up to the Gold Cup. Berry went on to make 18 appearances, scoring 8 goals at a rate of 1 goal every 105 minutes. ^[17]

Loan to San Diego Loyal

On 28 August 2020, Berry was loaned to USL Championship side San Diego Loyal for the remainder of the 2020 season. ^[18] He made his debut the following day, starting in a 0–0 draw with Orange County SC. ^[19] Berry played in all seven matches that he was available for the Loyal, scoring three goals. ^[20] Notably, Berry was a part of the team that both forfeited and walked off the field for matches against Los Angeles Galaxy II and Phoenix Rising respectively, due to unpunished racist and homophobic slurs directed at teammates. ^[21] These moves were widely applauded, however, they cost the team a spot in the 2020 playoffs. ^[21]

On 28 May 2021, Berry re-joined the club on loan for the 2021 season. ^[22] However, he was recalled early in July by Columbus. ^[23]

D.C. United

On July 18, 2022 Berry was traded to D.C. United for $225,000 in General Allocation Money spread across 2 years; with an additional $100,000 able to be earned if Berry meets certain performance-based incentives. ^{[24] [25]}

LA Galaxy

On January 16, 2024, Berry was signed by LA Galaxy on a two-year contract with a club option for 2026. ^[26]

Career statistics

Clubs	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Columbus Crew	2020	Major League Soccer	0	0	— [lower-alpha 1]		—		0	0
	2021		18	8	— [lower-alpha 2]		3 [lower-alpha 3]	0	21	8
	2022		16	2	1	0	0	0	16	2
	Totals		34	10	1	0	3	0	38	10
San Diego Loyal (loan)	2020	USL Championship	7	3	—		—		7	3
	2021		7	3	—		—		7	3
	Totals		14	6	0	0	0	0	14	6
Career totals			48	16	1	0	3	0	52	16

1. The 2020 U.S. Open Cup was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2. The 2021 U.S. Open Cup was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic
3. Includes 2 appearances in the CONCACAF Champions League and 1 appearance in 2021 Campeones Cup

Honours

Columbus Crew

• MLS Cup: 2020
• Campeones Cup: 2021

References

1. "Miguel Berry". D.C. United. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
2. Zeigler, Mark (10 October 2019). "Miguel Berry's Barcelona roots help power USD to 8-1-1 record in men's soccer". The San Diego Union-Tribune . Retrieved 23 August 2023.
3. "Miguel Berry | Columbus Crew". ColumbusCrew.com. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
4. "Miguel Berry's Barcelona roots help power USD to 8-1-1 record in men's soccer". San Diego Union-Tribune. 10 October 2019.
5. "San Diego Surf". surf.ussoccerda.com.
6. "Miguel Berry - Men's Soccer". University of San Diego Athletics.
7. "Eastside FC - 2017 Regular Season - Roster - # - Miguel Berry -". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
8. "Orange County SC U23 - 2018 Regular Season - Roster - # - Miguel Berry - F". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
9. "Orange County SC U23 | uslleaguetwo.com". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
10. "Berry Drafted 7th Overall by Columbus Crew". University of San Diego Athletics.
11. "SIGNED | Columbus Crew SC signs 2020 MLS SuperDraft selection, forward Miguel Berry | Columbus Crew". ColumbusCrew.com. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
12. "2020 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Cancelled Due to COVID-19". www.ussoccer.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
13. Murphy, Pat (28 August 2020). "Crew sending rookie Miguel Berry on loan". Massive Report. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
14. "Americans at home: from saved to MLS Cup Champions - the Crew kept beating the odds". www.msn.com. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
15. "RELEASE | Core of 2020 MLS Cup-winning Columbus Crew SC roster to return in 2021 | Columbus Crew". ColumbusCrew.com. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
16. "The Columbus Dispatch". www.dispatch.com. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
17. Myers, Jacob. "No longer just trying to survive in MLS, Miguel Berry looks ahead to an encore 2022 season". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
18. Loyal, San Diego (28 August 2020). "SD Loyal Acquires Berry on Loan from MLS side, Columbus Crew". San Diego Loyal SC.
19. "Orange County SC vs. San Diego Loyal SC - August 29, 2020 | USLChampionship.com". www.uslchampionship.com.
20. "Spain - Miguel Berry - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
21. "Collin Martin, Landon Donovan and San Diego Loyal take a stand after anti-gay slur. Will soccer follow suit?". ESPN.com. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
22. "SD LOYAL SIGNS MLS MIDFIELDER MIGUEL IBARRA AND TWO MLS PLAYERS ON LOAN". sdloyal.com. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
23. Myers, Jacob (1 July 2021). "Columbus Crew: Gyasi Zardes called up to U.S. men's national team for CONCACAF Gold Cup". The Columbus Dispatch .
24. mlssoccer. "Official: DC United acquire Miguel Berry from Columbus Crew | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
25. "D.C. United set to acquire forward Miguel Berry from Columbus Crew". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 3 August 2022.
26. "LA Galaxy Sign Forward Miguel Berry". LAGalaxy.com. LA Galaxy . Retrieved 16 January 2024.

External links

• Columbus profile
• Miguel Berry at Major League Soccer