About

Outlook

Houston product who has emerged over the past two seasons as one of the best young attacking players in the United States.

Stuart Alistair Holden was born on August 1st, 1985 in Aberdeen, Scotland. He grew up in Aberdeen, playing soccer for the Aberdeen FC School of Excellence until age 10. In 1995, Stuart and his family moved to Houston, Texas, where his father, Brian, worked for Chevron Corporation in its human resources department. After playing two years at Clemson University, Stuart signed with English club Sunderland in March 2005. His time at Sunderland was plagued by injuries, which prompted him to return home to Major League Soccer in January 2006.

Stuart made his MLS debut on May 27, 2006, and scored his first professional goal on July 22, 2006, in a 1-1 home draw against New England. He appeared thirteen times in the 2006 regular season and twice as a substitute in Houston’s run to the MLS Cup 2006 championship. In the championship penalty shootout, Stuart took the Dynamo’s second shot and scored to the top right corner.

He has become an integral part of the Dynamo team that is on a quest for their 3rd championship in 4 years, playing centrally in midfield and running the offense.

YOUTH
Stuart was capped eleven times as a United States youth international at the U-20 level. Early in 2007, he was called in to the U.S. U-23 squad for a camp in California and in December for a camp and trip to China to play matches against the China U-23 team. In July 2008 Stuart was named to the U.S. squad competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. On August 7 he scored in the USA’s opening match, a 1-0 victory against Japan. He was nominated for the “USA Young Player of the Year” award at the end of 2008.

Stuart Holden was named to the United States Gold Cup squad on June 25, 2009, as nearly all of the senior regulars were rested following the Confederations Cup. Stuart scored a goal for the U.S. in his national team debut against Grenada on July 4, 2009. On July 11, 2009, he scored his second international goal against Haiti with a thirty-yard strike that tied the game in the ninety-second minute, and assisted the USA’s first goal in that match, which was scored by Davy Arnaud. Holden added two more assists in the 2-0 semi-final win against Honduras. Stuart was selected to the Gold Cup All-Tournament Team due to his superior play throughout the tournament with 2 goals and 3 assists.

He has since gone on to become a regular contributor with the USA team in their quest for qualification to the World Cup next summer in South Africa!

MLS Experience

2008: One of the league’s top young players who contributed three goals and four assists in 27 games, including 18 starts … Named Dynamo Young Player of the Year and Humanitarian of the Year … Made third start of the season on 5/10 vs. COL and assisted on opening goal in 2-1 win … Started at center midfield on 5/31 vs. NY and 6/8 vs. TFC and notched an assist in each game … Scored first MLS goal of the season to open 4-0 rout vs. CHV on 8/20 … Scored rebound goals in the 6th and 93rd minutes to give Houston dramatic win over San Jose on 10/15 … Playoffs: Came on as a substitute and assisted on tying goal in first leg at NY on 11/1 … Entered as a substitute and fired two dangerous shots on goal in second leg vs. NY on 11/9 … Champions’ Cup: Missed Champions’ Cup quarterfinals due to Olympic qualifying and semifinals due to an ankle sprain … Open Cup: Came on as a substitute and scored in the shootout at Charleston on 7/1 … SuperLiga: Scored three goals in just 135 minutes of play, missing three games entirely while competing at the 2008 Summer Olympics … Scored first two goals of the season in 4-0 win vs. Atlante on 7/12 … Added the clinching goal as a substitute at DC on 7/19 … Champions League: Started five of six Champions League games … Assisted on Craig Waibel’s opening goal in landmark tie at Pumas on 9/30 but left after only 23 minutes due to injury … Wore captain’s armband for first time and scored only Houston goal in 1-1 tie at Firpo on 10/28 … Missed 1-0 win vs. Firpo on 11/26 due to sports hernia surgery … Reserves: Scored two goals in just 123 minutes for the Dynamo Reserves.

2007: Had a breakout year by appearing in 22 games, starting 10, and notching five goals and five assists despite missing time due to injury … Five assists tied for team lead … Won Sierra Mist Goal of the Week award for goal vs. NY on 7/5, beginning a streak of three consecutive Dynamo goals of the week … In four games televised on ESPN2 in June and July, notched three goals and three assists … Appeared as substitute in nine of team’s first 11 games … Scored game-winning goal with his first touch as a substitute in MLS PrimeTime Thursday game vs. COL on 6/7, televised on ESPN2 … Made first start of the season two weeks later vs. CHV on 6/21, another ESPN2 telecast, and assisted on one of Brad Davis’ three goals … Assisted Patrick Ianni’s game-winning goal with a corner kick at KC on 8/24 … Stepped into the starting lineup and the ESPN2 limelight vs. NY on 7/5 due to an injury to Brad Davis and had a goal and two assists in 4-0 win … Set up two Joseph Ngwenya goals on set pieces, then scored the fourth goal, which later earned Goal of the Week honors … Two games later, again on ESPN2, scored in 4-0 win at Chi on 7/12 … Assisted on a Brian Ching goal from a free kick in 3-3 tie at NE on 7/22 … Missed six games with ankle contusion … Returned as a substitute on 9/30 at FCD and scored late clinching goal in 3-0 win … Returned to the starting lineup in 1-0 win at RSL on 10/15 and scored game-winning goal on a long blast from the right sideline … Playoffs: Appeared in all four playoff games, starting one … Started and played 63 minutes in playoff opener at FCD on 10/27 … Scored opening goal in second leg of Western Conference semifinal vs. FCD on 11/2, volleying a pass from Brian Ching to begin a Houston comeback … Entered as a substitute in Western Conference final vs. KC on 11/10 and in the MLS Cup final vs. NE on 11/18 … Champions’ Cup: Made international debut as a substitute in second leg of semifinal at Pachuca on 4/5 … SuperLiga: Assisted on game-winning goal in SuperLiga opener vs. Club América on 7/25 … Also played 90 minutes in other two group matches … Missed semifinal due to injury … Open Cup: Played 29 minutes as a substitute in 1-0 loss at Charleston on 7/10 … Reserves: Played in seven reserve games, including six starts, and scored two goals.

2006: Played in 13 games and started three … Made professional debut on 5/27 at NE … Scored first goal on 7/22 vs. NE, with his first touch of the game, after coming on for Brad Davis … First start came vs. LA on 8/9 in front of more than 70,000 at Reliant Stadium … Playoffs: Played in two games, including the final, as a substitute … Converted a penalty kick in the championship shootout against New England … Open Cup: Played vs. Carolina Dynamo on 8/2, vs. FCD on 8/23 and at LA on 9/6 … Had two assists in the Carolina game, a 4-2 victory … Reserves: Started 10 of 11 games played for 910 minutes … Scored two goals and had one assist.

International

2009: Called into U.S. senior national team camp in January prior to match against Sweden on 1/24 but missed the match due to injury … 2008: Started all three games and scored a game-winning goal for the U.S. team that competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China … Also started four of the United States’ five matches and notched an assist in qualifying in March … 2007: Started both games on U-23 national team trip to China in December … Assisted on Dynamo teammate Patrick Ianni’s goal in 3-3 tie at China on 12/16 … Called into camp for the U-23 team in February but did not play due to injury … 2004: Earned 11 caps with the U-20 team in 2004 and scored against Brazil and Denmark.

College

Played three semesters at Clemson, started both freshman and sophomore seasons, and left after signing with Sunderland in England … Second-team All-ACC sophomore year … Scored five goals and six assists in two soccer campaigns … Clemson made the NCAA Tournament both years … On athletes’ honor roll freshman spring semester.

Youth Club

Aberdeen (Scotland) Football Club School of Excellence, Eclipse, Texans FC Soccer Club (Houston).

Amateur

State runners-up in Class 5A TAPPS in 2002 and 2004 while playing for Awty International in Houston … Three-time MVP of Awty team and first-team All-State all three years.

Personal

Grew up in Scotland and still visits frequently … Lists greatest accomplishment outside of soccer as winning the 2008 USSF Dynamo Humanitarian of the Year award … Close with his family, based in the Houston area … Brother Euan plays soccer at New Mexico, and sister Rachel runs track at Awty … Favorite soccer team is Manchester United … Has been to Old Trafford five times … If not playing soccer, would play poker … Favorite soccer memory was making a penalty kick in the 2006 MLS Cup final … Studied business management at Clemson … Nicknamed “the chameleon,” as his teammates say that he can easily adapt to his surroundings … Enjoys visiting children’s hospitals to give back to the community … Has been playing soccer since he could walk, since his father was a rugby player who always enjoyed soccer … Talks with a Texas accent in Houston, but his Scottish accent comes back when he returns to his birthland.