Frank Myrland


It seems that the number of Americans who are considered worthy of playing in Europe can be counted on one hand. Rangers midfielder Maurice Edu is part of this prestigious club and is battling to become the face of American soccer even as the country slowly begins to re-emerge as a player on the world stage.

Edu looked to be destined for the top tiers of European football from very early in his development. He scored 35 goals and added 33 assists over the course of three seasons at his California high school. This earned him high school athlete of the year distinctions, along with the award for league MVP in his final year. Edu kept the ball rolling in college by winning a championship with his University of Maryland squad in 2005, and helping the team to impressive finishes in every season that he was with the side. 

Eager to start his professional soccer career, Edu opted out of his last year of college in order to make himself eligible for the Major League Soccer draft for the 2007 season. To nobody’s surprise he went first overall to the newest franchise to the league, Toronto FC.

Impressive rapid progress came to a crashing halt when Edu was injured during pre-season and had to sit out the first couple games of the MLS season. He got his chance in late April of 2007 and it took only half a month for him to find the back of the net. The new boy scored the third goal in a 3-1 win over Chicago, the fifth game of the season, but only the first game that the new franchise had managed to score in. Part of a dismal Toronto squad which won only six of 30 games with a less than impressive -24 goal difference, Edu finished his first year with four goals in 25 appearances. Players, coaches, general managers and reporters of the MLS recognised Edu’s work and rewarded him with the 2007 MLS Rookie of the Year award.

But Edu was already looking overseas to the top flights of the game in Europe. He jumped at the opportunity to leave North America and the lowly Toronto FC when Rangers came knocking at his door. In August of 2008, Edu transferred to Rangers for a fee of £2.6M, signing a five-year contract with the Scottish giants.

It turned out that breaking into the first eleven wasn’t quite so easy in Scotland, and Edu toiled in the reserves for the better part of his first season with Rangers. His opportunity came when team-mate Pedro Mendes was injured and he took advantage, impressing the coaching staff with his performance. Edu began to see more time on the pitch, including a role in a 1-0 win over bitter rivals Celtic later in the season. Rangers finished their season not only by clinching the Scottish Premier League, but also by winning the 2009 Scottish Cup to complete the domestic double.

Edu watched the celebration from the sidelines on both occasions, having suffered a knee injury in the title-clinching Premier League game. The same injury deprived him of the chance to represent the United States in the Confederations Cup. The American should be back in time to play for Rangers in the 2009 Champions League however.

The youngster has also become a regular part of the American national squad. He was part of the 2008 Summer Olympics team and is currently working to get the United States to the World Cup in South Africa. Edu has used his international career as an opportunity to show off his versatility, moving from his midfield role to central defence with success.

Maurice Edu may have to fight his way back in to the Rangers starting eleven in the upcoming season of the Scottish Premier League. Despite his impressive performances last season, the starting job doesn’t come easy. Always looking forward, the midfielder has said that he already has his eye on the English Premier League. Not many Americans manage to break into the top teams of Europe, but if he can follow up on his early performances, Edu might be another in a growing list of internationally known American footballers.

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