The San Jose Earthquakes announced on Friday that the club has signed forward and captain Chris Wondolowski to a new multi-year contract. One of the premier goal scorers in Major League Soccer history, Wondolowski needs 29 goals to break the league’s all-time scoring record. His seven goals so far this season rank fourth in MLS and second in the Western Conference.
“Signing a new contract means the world to me. It’s a huge honor,” said Wondolowski. “I love this club and I want to be a part of it. I’m excited for the future and where we’re headed.”
Wondolowski, 33, has tallied 116 career goals, fourth most in MLS history, in 240 games since entering the league in 2005. He has won two Golden Boot Awards (2010, 2012) as the league’s top goal-scorer, been named to the MLS Best XI three times (2010, 2011, 2012) and earned the 2012 Volkswagen MLS Most Valuable Player Award after tying the league record with 27 goals and leading San Jose to the Supporters’ Shield that season. He is also a three-time MLS All-Star (2011, 2012, 2013), scoring against Chelsea FC in 2012, and is the only player in league history to tally 10 or more goals in six consecutive seasons (2010-15). He has an opportunity to extend his record to seven consecutive seasons with just three more goals this year.
“Chris has been a leader for our club and our community for a long time,” said Earthquakes general manager John Doyle. “We’re proud and excited that he will continue to represent the organization at the highest level and we’re looking forward to seeing him in a Quakes jersey for years to come.”
Among all players in MLS history, Wondolowski ranks second in road goals (58), tied for second in goals for one club (112) and third in game-winning goals (38). His 109 goals since the start of the 2010 season are 32 more than any other player over that timespan. He has also tallied the lone goal in a 1-0 victory 14 times during his Earthquakes career.
“He’s meant everything to this team,’ said Earthquakes head coach Dominic Kinnear. “I think he’s been a great leader on the field and a great citizen off of it. The accomplishments he has made as a San Jose Earthquake have been nothing short of incredible and it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.”
Wondolowski, a two-time MLS Cup champion with the Houston Dynamo (2006, 2007), has also appeared on the international stage, making 31 appearances and scoring 10 goals for the United States National Team since his first call up in 2011. He claimed a share of the Golden Boot Award at the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup and was later among the 23 players to represent the U.S. at the 2014 FIFA World Cup
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