Eric Wynalda is a former soccer player who is regarded as one of the first Americans to play in Europe. With a playing career that spanned from 1987 to 2010 when he retired, he is now a soccer coach as well as a TV commentator who provides analysis on the sports on various stations including ESPN and Fox Sports 1.
Eric Wynalda Biography
The American soccer coach was born Eric Boswell Wynalda on June 9, 1969, in Fullerton, California, the United States to his parents, Sue and Dave Wynalda, and was brought up alongside his two siblings, Brandt and Heather.
Soccer is something that has always been a part of him as his father also played the sport in his high school days as well as when he was a freshman at Princeton. Later, he coached his two sons while Brandt and Eric when they were still growing up and that became the motivation for Eric who decided to pursue it as a career. His older brother and father, on the other hand, went on to enjoy fishing together.
When he was still a child, Eric played for the Westlake Wolves which was coached by his father and which went on to win the AYSO state championship. Interestingly enough, he recorded more goals that year than the entire division, scoring 58 goals in only 16 games. From then on, it was obvious that he was going far in the sport.
For his education, Eric Wynalda went to Westlake High School where he played for the school team making the All-State selection three times. From there, he moved to San Diego State University in 1987 and was there until 1989 when he started playing professional football. While in college, he recorded 34 goals and made 25 assists over his three seasons there.
Career
He began his club carer in 1988 when he signed for the San Diego Nomads for which he made 6 appearances before leaving in 1992. While he was still with the team, he was sent on loan to the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks where he netted 5 goals in 17 appearances. From 1992 to ’94, he played for 1. FC Saarbrücken and then from 1994 to 1996, he played for VfL Bochum.
In 1996, he was back to the United States where he signed to play for the newly formed Major League Soccer for the San Jose Clash. He made history by becoming the first player to ever score in the MLS. Other teams he would later play for include the Miami Fusion, New England Revolution, Chicago Fire, Charleston Battery, and then Bakersfield Brigade from 2007 to 2008.
As regards his International career, he played for the United States men’s national soccer team from 1990 to 2000. His first game was against Costa Rica. He would go on to play in three FIFA World Cups for the United States. In his very first World Cup game, he was red carded.
In his career of a decade, he appeared in 106 games for the US team in which he recorded 34 goals in the process.
After his footballing career, Eric Wynalda began his managerial career with Bakersfield when he was hired its technical director. In 2012, he was made head coach of Cal FC. In the same year, North American Soccer League’s Atlanta Silverbacks made him its interim head coach and team adviser, and then in 2018, he was made the Head Coach and Technical Director of Las Vegas Lights FC.
Married, Wife, Divorce, and Children
Eric Wynalda has been married twice in his life thus far. Although there is no information as regards when he got married the first time, it is known that the union which produced three children came to an end in 2003. The reason for the divorce is not revealed to the public.
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He remained unmarried until 2014 when he got married again for a second time to Amanda Fletcher. His second marriage just like the first, is blessed with three children and he now lives with his wife and six children.
Net Worth of Eric Wynalda
Wynalda has enjoyed great success as a football player and has made much money from it. However, he has not been in the best place financially-wise. In 2009, the former football star filed for personal bankruptcy. According to him, his financial problems began in 2003 when he separated from his wife.
When he filed for bankruptcy, he was owed over $90,000 in mortgage and tax payments and he was only making anything from $14,000 to $135,000 from his business annually.
Height and Weight
Eric Wynalda has a height of 5 feet 11 inches. He is a well-built and athletic man.
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