Thomas Liam McNamara (born February 6, 1991) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder.

Thomas McNamara
Personal information
Full name Thomas Liam McNamara[1]
Date of birth (1991-02-06) February 6, 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth West Nyack, New York, United States
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2009–2012 Brown Bears 42 (9)
2013 Clemson Tigers 21 (7)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011 Western Mass Pioneers 9 (2)
2012 Worcester Hydra 1 (0)
2013 Jersey Express 4 (4)
2014 Chivas USA 6 (1)
2015–2018 New York City FC 86 (13)
2015Wilmington Hammerheads (loan) 3 (0)
2019–2020 Houston Dynamo 37 (2)
2020–2024 New England Revolution 90 (6)
2023 New England Revolution II 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of November 25, 2024

Career

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Early career

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Thomas McNamara was born in West Nyack, NY. McNamara played high school soccer at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, NJ, and played club soccer for FC Westchester. McNamara played college soccer at Brown University for four years before spending a fifth year playing college soccer for Clemson University in 2013. He was a First Team All-Ivy selection as a senior and finished his career at Brown with 12 goals and 10 assists.[3] He scored seven goals while recording eight assists in his final season of college soccer at Clemson.[4] He is only the second Clemson soccer player to be named an All-American both on and off the field in the same season.[5] In 2013, he was named Second Team All-American by the NSCAA and a First Team Academic All-American. McNamara is the first Clemson soccer player selected to the Capital One Academic First Team since 1987 when Jamey Rootes was selected. Rootes is currently the President of the NFL's Houston Texans.He also played in the USL PDL with the Jersey Express in 2013.[6]

Chivas USA

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McNamara was drafted first in the second round of the 2014 MLS SuperDraft by Chivas USA,[3] and was officially signed on February 14, 2014.[4] He made his professional debut for the team on March 9, 2014, against the Chicago Fire in which he also scored his first professional goal in the 60th minute on the way to a 3–2 opening day victory.[7] On April 12, McNamara tore the ACL in his right knee, requiring him to undergo surgery to repair his ACL.[8]

New York City FC

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After the contraction of Chivas USA following the 2014 Major League Soccer season, McNamara was selected by D.C. United in the 2014 MLS Dispersal Draft.[9] Leading up to the 2015 Expansion of Major League Soccer Draft, McNamara was left unprotected by D.C. United.[10] New York City FC selected him with their eighth pick in the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft.[11]

McNamara scored his first goal for New York City FC on June 6, 2015, against the Philadelphia Union. The goal, scored from about 25 yards out, was awarded MLS goal of the week honors.[12] This right-footed curling shot into the top corner has become a signature of McNamara's, as he has scored near identical goals from similar areas of the pitch against Chicago Fire,[13] Portland Timbers[14] New York Red Bulls,[15] and Colorado Rapids.

Houston Dynamo

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McNamara was selected by Houston Dynamo in the second-round of the 2018 MLS Re-Entry Draft on December 20, 2018.[16] He signed with the Dynamo on January 11, 2019[17] He made his Dynamo debut on February 19, coming on as a substitute in a 1–0 win over C.D. Guastatoya in a CONCACAF Champions League match.[18] McNamara scored his first goal for Houston on May 18 in a 2–1 win over D.C. United. On July 20, he scored a goal and had an assist as the Dynamo defeated Toronto FC 3–1. McNamara would return to NYCFC on August 8 and would mark the occasion by picking up his second assist of the season. However, the Dynamo would lose by a score of 3–2.[19] McNamara would lead the team with 39 appearances across all competitions, and finished the year with 2 goals and 3 assists. It was a poor season for Houston as a team, finishing 10th in the Western Conference and missing out on the playoffs.[20]

McNamara started the first two games of the 2020 season before the season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The league returned to play in July with the MLS is Back Tournament, where McNamara made a substitute appearance in 2 of Houston's 3 games.[21]

New England Revolution

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On August 17, 2020, McNamara acquired by New England via trade with Houston on Aug. 17, 2020. He re-signed with the Revolution on December 22.[22] New England declined McNamara's contract option following their 2024 season.[23]

International career

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McNamara is an American and Irish passport holder, as his paternal grandfather was born in Ireland. He has expressed interest in playing for either national team.[24]

Career statistics

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As of November 18, 2021[25][26][27]
Club Season League Playoffs National cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Chivas USA 2014 MLS 6 1 0 0 6 1
Totals 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 1
Wilmington Hammerheads (Loan) 2015 USL 3 0 3 0
Totals 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
New York City FC 2015 MLS 19 5 0 0 19 5
2016 30 5 1 0 0 0 31 5
2017 27 3 0 0 1 0 28 3
2018 10 0 0 0 1 0 11 0
Totals 86 13 1 0 2 0 0 0 89 14
Houston Dynamo 2019 MLS 33 2 2 0 4[a] 0 39 2
2020 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Totals 37 2 0 0 2 0 4 0 43 2
New England Revolution 2020 MLS 14 0 4 0 18 0
2021 32 2 0 0 32 2
Totals 46 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 50 2
Career total 178 18 5 0 4 0 4 0 191 19
  1. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League

Honors

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New England Revolution

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup – Club roster: New England Revolution (USA)" (PDF). CONCACAF. January 30, 2024. p. 18. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  2. ^ "Tommy McNamara". New England Revolution. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Ratterree, Alicia (January 16, 2014). "2014 MLS Draft: Chivas USA select Thomas McNamara from Clemson University". The Goat Parade. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  4. ^ a b Ratterree, Alicia (February 14, 2014). "Chivas USA sign midfielder Thomas McNamara". The Goat Parade. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  5. ^ "Thomas McNamara Named All-American".
  6. ^ "Caringi Takes National Honor". United Soccer Leagues. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  7. ^ "Chivas USA — Chicago Fire March 9". Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  8. ^ "Chivas USA confirm torn ACL, surgery for rookie Tommy McNamara". Major League Soccer. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  9. ^ "Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy selected first as MLS holds Chivas USA Dispersal Draft". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. November 19, 2014. Archived from the original on March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  10. ^ "MLS clubs release 2014 Expansion Draft protected lists: Here's who's available for selection Dec. 10". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. December 10, 2014. Archived from the original on March 3, 2015. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  11. ^ "Two-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Donovan Ricketts selected first overall in MLS Expansion Draft". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. December 10, 2014. Archived from the original on April 22, 2015. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  12. ^ "Watch: NYCFC's McNamara wins MLS Goal of the Week". Empire of Soccer. June 2003. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  13. ^ "GOAL: Tommy McNamara scores the first MLS goal of 2016 in spectacular fashion". mlssoccer.com. MLS. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  14. ^ "GOAL: Tommy McNamara curls a looper past Gleeson". mlssoccer.com. MLS. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  15. ^ Boehm, Charles. "Must-see goal: NYCFC's Tommy McNamara blasts long-range golazo in NY Derby". Mlssoccer. MLS. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  16. ^ "Tommy McNamara selected by Houston Dynamo in 2018 Re-Entry Draft Stage 2". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. December 20, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  17. ^ "Houston Dynamo sign midfielder Tommy McNamara". Houston Dynamo. January 11, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  18. ^ "USA - T. McNamara - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  19. ^ "Thomas McNamara 2019 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
  20. ^ "2019 Major League Soccer Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  21. ^ "Thomas McNamara 2020 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  22. ^ Bogert, Tom (December 22, 2020). "New England Revolution re-sign midfielder Tommy McNamara". Major League Soccer. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  23. ^ "New England Revolution announce year-end roster moves | New England Revolution". revolutionsoccer.net.
  24. ^ "NYCFC's Tommy McNamara: Irish national team has shown interest in me". MLSsoccer.com. March 31, 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  25. ^ Tommy McNamara at Soccerway
  26. ^ "Thomas McNamara". mlssoccer.com. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  27. ^ "Thomas McNamara Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  28. ^ "Tommy McNamara's Strike Named Major League Soccer Goal of the Week". nycfc.com. New York City FC. June 12, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  29. ^ Murray, Caitlin (April 1, 2016). "Tommy McNamara header earns AT&T MLS Goal of the Week". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
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