Tony Sanneh Biography and Wallpapers

Tony Sanneh Biography

Tony Sanneh returns for his second season in Chicago in 2006, with the hopes of bucking the nagging injuries that kept him off the field for much of the 2005 campaign. While the 34-year old Twin Cities native might be the elder statesman of the Fire, there is no doubt the "Big Cat" still carries pace and vision that few others players his size in MLS possess. Sanneh enters his sixth season in MLS - his 13th year in the professional ranks - looking to add to his totals of 16 goals and 27 assists in League play, numbers he's compiled in just 89 contests (86 starts). The MLS and German Bundesliga veteran has plenty of international experience as well, having helped the U.S. capture its third CONCACAF Gold Cup crown in 2005 in addition to his stellar performance in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, in which he played a pivotal role in helping the USA to its historic quarterfinal run.

MLS Experience

2005: Started 11 of his 12 appearances in his first year with the Fire, tallying one assist in 989 minutes … Started and played 81 min. in his Fire debut on 5-07 @ NE … Notched first assist for the Fire on 6-18 vs. KC on Curtin's 13' tally … Missed eight weeks of MLS action during Aug.-Oct. due to injury (R ankle sprain) … MLS Cup Playoffs: Played in one of the Fire's three postseason matches, entering as a substitute on 10-30 @ DC and logging 16 min. in Chicago's 4-0 win in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series … Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: Made one appearance in U.S. Open Cup play, logging 20 min. off the bench on 9-14 @ FCD in the Fire's 1-0 Semifinal loss … MLS Reserve Division: Started in all five of his appearances for the Fire Reserves, notching a pair of assists in 360 minutes of play.

2004: Appeared in six games for the Columbus Crew after returning to MLS after a six-year stint in Germany … Scored two goals and an assist in six regular season games … MLS Cup Playoffs: Played in both of the Crew's Eastern Conference Semifinal contests against NE, scoring one assist in 180 minutes of play … Registered an assist on the Crew's lone goal on 10-31 vs. NE in Leg 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, helping on Edson Buddle's tally in a 1-1 draw that ended the Crew's season … Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: DNP in Columbus's Fourth Round 2-1 loss vs. CHI on 8-6.

1998: Appeared in only 17 games due to injury (all starts), but still finished tied for fifth in scoring for D.C. United with a career-best tying five goals while adding six assists … MLS Cup Playoffs: Appeared in four of United's six postseason contests (two starts) and scored two goals on their run to MLS Cup '98 … Scored the first goal for United in its first two Eastern Conference Final matches against CLB, a 2-0 Game 1 victory on 10-11 and a 4-2 Game 2 loss on 10-18 … CONCACAF Champions Cup: DNP for United in its three Champions Cup matches due to injury … Interamerican Cup: Started both contests against Brazilian giants Vasco da Gama and scored one goal in the competition, helping United become the first American side to take home the trophy in the championship of the Western Hemisphere … Scored United's first goal in the 34' of Leg 2 vs. Vasco da Gama on 12-5, tying up the aggregate goals series and helping United capture a 2-0 victory that gave D.C. a 2-1 series win.

1997: Finished first full season with United with a career-best tying five goals and career-high 11 assists in 29 matches (28 starts) … Registered his first multi-assist game of his career, and the first of four that season, on 4-12 @ COL on goals by Raul Diaz Arce (9') and Jamie Moreno (76') in United's 5-2 victory … MLS Cup Playoffs: Scored the GWG on 10-26 vs. COL in the 68' of MLS Cup '97, pushing United to its second straight League title … Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: Started all four of United's contests and added one assist en route to a second consecutive appearance in the Open Cup title match … His spot kick on 8-6 @ Hershey (A) proved to be the clincher for United in a 3-2 shootout that settled the Third Round contest after the teams played to a scoreless draw in regulation and two overtimes.

1996: Finished fourth in scoring for D.C. United with four goals and eight assists in 25 appearances (24 starts) … Notched an assist in his first MLS match on 5-12 vs. MET, helping on John Harkes' 11' tally in a 2-1 shootout loss … Scored his first career MLS goal in his third game on 5-18 @ DAL in a 3-2 defeat … MLS Cup Playoffs: Appeared as a substitute in all six of United's MLS Cup matches, scoring one goal in 109 min. of postseason play … His leaping header in the 73' minute of the inaugural MLS Cup on 10-20 vs. LA started D.C.'s comeback in a dramatic 3-2 OT win at Foxboro Stadium … Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: Started in two of three matches played and notched three assists in the 1996 U.S. Open Cup, which United won to capture the first domestic "Double."

Other Pro Experience

International: Enjoyed a successful stint in the German Bundesliga from 1999-2004 for clubs Hertha Berlin (1999-2001) and FC Nürnberg (2001-2004).

2003-04: Was a consistent starter for FC Nürnberg on either the right side or central defense when healthy, scoring one goal across seven games.

2002-03: Started 15 of 17 matches during the first half of the season … Scored in consecutive games vs. Wolfsburg (9-21-02) and Kaiserslauten (9-28-02).

2001-02: Transferred to FC Nürnberg in 2001 after three seasons with Hertha Berlin, scoring twice in 30 games on the season while regularly occupying the right side in midfield or defense in their 4-4-2 formation.

2000-01: Played several positions for Hertha Berlin in 12 league matches … Also appeared in two UEFA Cup contests.

1999-2000: Played his first full season with Hertha Berlin, appearing in 14 games … Scored first Bundesliga goal against Schalke 04 on 10-30-99 … Saw Champions League action in 6 matches, notching 263 minutes in Europe's premier club competition.

1998-99: Signed with Hertha Berlin from MLS club D.C. United in February of 1999 … Played in five of Hertha Berlin's last six games of the season to help the German side qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

Domestic: Began his professional career with two clubs in the old United Systems of Independent Soccer League (USISL), the Milwaukee Rampage in 1994 and his hometown Minnesota Thunder in 1995-96 before jumping to the ranks of Major League Soccer.

1996: Scored one goal in six contests for the Minnesota Thunder before finishing the season with MLS's D.C. United … Returned to Blaine, MN for the USL All-Star Game on 7-17, in which he notched a pair of assists.

1995: Finished first season with the Minnesota Thunder as the D3 Pro League's second leading scorer with 18 goals and 22 assists.

1994: Scored 14 goals and 14 assists for the Milwaukee Rampage in his debut season as a professional … Helped the Rampage to a 16-2 record in the regular season and the finals of the Midwest Division playoffs.

Indoor: Played for the National Professional Soccer League's (NPSL) Chicago Power in during the 1994/95 season … Finished runner-up for NPSL Rookie of the Year honors after recording 27 goals and 35 assists for the Power in his first and only season with the team.

International

Has scored three goals in 43 career appearances with the U.S. Men's National Team since making his debut in 1997.

2005: Started in each of his two appearances for the U.S. National Team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July, helping the U.S. capture a third title in the regional championship.

2004: Returned to the National Team fold to register four caps for the U.S.A. in 2004, including an appearance in the team's final match in CONCACAF semifinal round qualifying on 11-17 vs. Jamaica in Columbus.

2003: A persistent back problem sidelined the defender for all of 2003.

2002: Had a standout performance for the U.S. in Japan/Korea during the 2002 World Cup, drawing acclaim as one of the top right backs in the competition … One of only three players to log every minute for the Red, White & Blue in Korea… Assisted Brian McBride on the GWG in the U.S.'s historic 3-2 win vs. Portugal in the first game of World Cup play … Made 11 appearances for the U.S. and scored his second career international goal against Uruguay on May 12 in Washington, D.C .… Won Man of the Match honors against Holland on 5-19, in Foxboro, MA.

2001: Played in nine of ten games of the final round of the CONCACAF Qualifying Hexagonal … Tied for second in appearances for the U.S. in 2002 World Cup qualifying with 14.

2000: Played in all three Nike U.S. Cup games for the National Team, along with four of six World Cup qualifying semifinal matches.

1999: Injuries and club commitments kept Sanneh out of the U.S. lineup for most of the year … Scored first international goal in a convincing 3-0 win over Germany on 2-6.

1998: Did not make any appearances for the U.S. during the World Cup year.

1997: Had two assists in three appearances in 1997, which included a World Cup qualifier in Costa Rica on 3-23 … Made his first appearance for the Senior National Team on 1-9 vs. China.

Personal

Nicknamed the "Big Cat"… Favorite moment was the start of the 2002 FIFA World Cup… Patterned his game after Dutch player Ruud Guillet and French star Jean Tigana and enjoys watching South American legends Diego Maradona and Ronaldo … Founded the Tony Sanneh Foundation, which helps provide inner-city kids in his native Minneapolis area the chance to play soccer … Also donates time to the National Youth Sports Program in the Twin Cities … Elected to the Milwaukee Rampage Hall of Fame in 2002… Enjoys playing basketball, chess and card games in his spare time … TV favorites include Law & Order and CSI … Is a fan of R&B music … Movie favorite is The Shawshank Redemption.

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