Haji Wright is a 27-year-old American professional footballer who currently plays for Turkish Super Lig club Antalyaspor and the United States national team. He previously played for clubs such as the New York Cosmos, Schalke 04, VVV-Venlo, and SønderjyskE. In May 2022, he was invited to the US senior national team camp and made his international debut in June.
standing at 6 feet 3 inches (1.90m), the forward/winger is seen as the future top striker of the US national team.
Haji Wright’s Early Life And Family Background
Haji Amir Wright was born on March 27, 1998, in Los Angeles, California. His parents are of both Liberian and Ghanaian ancestry. He has three siblings; a sister and two brothers. One of his brothers, Hanif Wright (younger) is also a soccer player.
Additionally, his cousin brothers; Putu Joseph is a college footballer, Nana Addai plays for Boston FC, and Joseph Addai was a former NFL running back and winner of the 2007 Super Bowl XLI with the Indianapolis Colts.
While growing up, Wright developed an interest in the game of soccer. He would usually carry the ball on his feet from the backyard of his family’s house in Los Angeles to the dining room table and then to his bedroom, where he ends up breaking the window, says his mother, Serena Wright.
To prevent him from shattering the window, his mother bought him and his younger brother a squishy soccer ball, but that didn’t help. Even though she was angry with Haji and Hanif for always breaking things in the house because of playing soccer, she loved how attached they were to it.
By the time Wright turned 11, he became even more preoccupied with soccer. He spends most of his summer days kicking the ball in their garage and mimicking the legendary French forward, Thierry Henry, and a host of others.
At the age of 14, he joined the LA Galaxy academy where his dream started turning into reality. He caught the attention of German Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, but Schalke 04 signed the Los Angeles-born in 2016 when he was 18.
As captured he went on to play New York Cosmos, VVV-Venlo, and SønderjyskE before signing a three-year deal with Turkish Super lig side, Antalyaspor in July 2022.
While at the international level, Haji Wright represented the US at various youth levels before he was invited to the national team camp in May 2022.
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Is He Dating Anyone?
Haji Wright is discreet when it comes to details of his love life, he is yet to share any information with the public or on his social media space. Nevertheless, he has been linked with a girl named Jana.
In the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, the American soccer player who was then playing for the Danish SuperLiga club SønderjyskE was unable to travel back to the US for thanksgiving due to travel restrictions. So, he ends up spending the holiday with his girlfriend Jana.
At the moment, it is not clear whether they are still together or not.
Haji Wright Is 6 feet 3 Inches (190cm/1.90m) Tall
Haji Wright’s height is 6 feet 3 inches (190cm/1.90m). Comparing him to the average height of men in the world and the United States, the forward/winger stands tall.
According to credible sources, the average height of a male in the world is around 5 feet 9 inches (175cm/1.75m), while it is 5 feet 10 inches (177cm/1.77m) in the United States. Going by that, it means Wright is 5.1 inches and 5.9 inches taller than an average male in the world and the United States, respectively.
While on the pitch, a towering height such as Wright’s is crucial to soccer players; from goalkeepers to defenders, and midfielders to strikers. In his own case as a forward, he can bully defenders and win the ball in aerial battles and can be dangerous in set pieces.
In complement to his height, the former Schalke 04 player weighs 176 pounds (80kg). This gives him more balance on the ground.
A Look At His Career Stats
Haji Wright has been playing at the professional level for 10 years. As of November 2022, he has scored 40 goals in 133 appearances for the different clubs he has played for, including SønderjyskE, Antalyaspor, and Schalke 04.
Furthermore, he has represented various national youth teams in the United States, scoring 2 goals in 10 appearances for the under-15, 27 goals in 34 games for the under-17, and 2 goals in 5 appearances for the under-18. Since his call-up to the senior national team, Wright has scored 1 goal in 3 appearances.
At 27, Haji Wright was listed in the United States team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after his senior call-up by coach Gregg Berhalter in May 2022. He features as a forward alongside Christian Pulisic, Jesus Ferreira, Jordan Morris, Giovanni Reyna, Josh Sargent, and Tim Weah. This gives him the opportunity to show his skills and talents at the biggest soccer fiesta in the world. If he impresses, there is every possibility that bigger European clubs will come running for his signature.
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