Eddie Johnson

Youth career

Johnson became one of the youngest players to sign with Major League Soccer, and was drafted by Dallas Burn as a Project-40 player in the second round of the 2001 MLS SuperDraft. In his first three years in the league, he did not get much playing time, and was very inconsistent when he did get on the field. Johnson scored just seven goals for Dallas in those seasons, while missing time with U.S. youth national teams. Johnson made his league debut on May 12, 2001, as an 87th-minute substitute for Bobby Rhine in a 4-0 victory over the Columbus Crew. He scored his first professional goal on July 4, a 95th minute equalizer against the New England Revolution. He made his first professional start on August 4 in a 5-1 loss to New England. In January 2005, Benfica offered what would have been an MLS-record $5 million transfer fee for Johnson, but Johnson and the league both rejected the offer. In May 2005, Johnson suffered an injury to the toes of his right foot that sidelined him until August of that year. After returning to MLS in August – he scored only five goals during the season – Johnson re-injured his toes in mid-September and was sidelined until January 2006.

Kansas City Wizards

With Dallas in salary cap trouble, Johnson was traded to the Kansas City Wizards on February 14, 2006, for two allocations. It was announced that Johnson would be training with Premier League club Reading during the MLS offseason, but he did not sign with the club. In…

Johnson had success at the U-17 level, scoring 23 goals in 25 appearances and leading that team in scoring in both 2000 and 2001. This success continued at U-20 level, and in 2003 at the FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates he scored four goals, three from the penalty spot, and notched one assist to win the tournament's Golden Shoe as the top scorer. Johnson received his first cap and scored his first goal for the senior United States team against El Salvador on October 9, 2004, becoming one of a small group of American players to get his first international goal in a World Cup qualifier. He then scored a hat-trick in his second appearance four days later, all within a seventeen-minute spree against Panama. On March 30, 2005, Johnson scored the game-winning goal in another qualifying match against Guatemala. He totaled seven goals in his first six World Cup qualifiers which placed him third on the U.S. all-time scoring list in World Cup qualifiers.

Johnson appeared in two matches at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and also participated in the 2007 Copa América as well the 2007 Gold Cup. In the U.S.'s opening Copa América match against Argentina he earned and then converted a penalty kick to put the United States ahead 1–0 in a game they eventually lost 4–1. On May 11, 2010, Johnson was named to the United States pre-2010 FIFA World Cup roster; he was ultimately cut before the team traveled to South Africa. Johnson returned to the U.S. team for the 2014 World…

Johnson is currently working for his USSF A license and has coached younger Americans such as Christian Pulisic.

Johnson became a Christian when he was 18. Johnson has spoken about his faith saying, "I began to think positively for the first time in years, and I became more patient. ... God showed me how to make the most of my life, both on and off the field. ... Through Jesus’ example, I have learned to forgive people and not hold grudges like I used to. That's the key to the rest of my life: faithfulness, both His and mine. I encourage you to make it the key to the rest of your life as well. While growing up, Johnson considered Romário as his favorite player and watched him when he was nine-years-old and watched the 1994 FIFA World Cup in America. Johnson supports Manchester United.