Lee Nguyen

American soccer player

Lee Nguyen (, born October 7, 1986) is an American professional soccer coach and former player who works as an assistant coach for Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League. Nguyen's 15 year playing career spanned the Netherlands, Denmark, Vietnam, and the United States, where he appeared in over 250 league matches in Major League Soccer. After winning two Eredivisie titles and a Johan Cruijff Shield with PSV Eindhoven, Nguyen spent two seasons in Vietnam before moving to Major League soccer, where he led the New England Revolution to the 2014 MLS Cup final and won the 2019 Supporters' Shield title with Los Angeles FC. Nguyen returned to Vietnam to sign for Ho Chi Minh City in 2021.

Nguyen graduated from Plano East Senior High School in his native Texas and was named National Gatorade Boys Soccer High School Player of the Year in 2005. He played one season for Indiana University in 2005, producing five goals and 12 assists in 22 games and was selected as 2005 National Freshman of the Year by Soccer America and Soccer Times. Nguyen was also a first team All Big Ten selection and Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Nguyen began his professional career by signing a three and half year deal with Dutch Eredivisie team PSV Eindhoven in February 2006, but after making just two appearances with the club's senior team, he moved on to get more first team time somewhere else.

On January 31, 2008, Nguyen signed with the Danish Superliga club Randers FC until the summer of 2009. He made 23 appearances with the club in parts of two seasons. Nguyen became the Vietnamese league's first American player when he signed with Hoàng Anh Gia Lai on January 17, 2009. He scored 13 goals and 16 assists in 24 appearances in all competitions for the club in 2009.

In January 2010, Nguyen signed with another V. League 1 club, Becamex Binh Duong F. C. in Thủ Dầu Một. Injuries limited his impact as he scored just one goal in five appearances for the club in one and a half years. On March 2, 2012, he was selected by the New England Revolution with the second overall pick in the MLS Waiver Draft. Nguyen made 30 regular season appearances for the Revolution in 2012, including 27 starts. He finished second on the team with five goals and was voted the Midnight Riders Man of Year by the fans. In 2013, Nguyen appeared in 33 league matches, scoring four goals and recording seven assists. and was again voted the Midnight Riders Man of the Year. For his contributions to the team—including 9 game winning goals in the regular season—Nguyen was named as a finalist for the 2014 version of the Major League Soccer MVP Award along with Seattle Sounders FC forward Obafemi Martins and Los Angeles Galaxy forward Robbie Keane. Nguyen's goal against the Houston Dynamo also made it to the final round of voting for the 2014 version of the MLS Goal of the Year Award. Nguyen led the team in assists and finished second in scoring during the 2015 season. During the 2016 season, Nguyen became the Revolution's team captain. He led the team in assists, with 10, and finished 3rd in goals scored, with 6. In August 2017, The Revolution reportedly rejected a $1 million bid for Nguyen from Israeli Premier League side Maccabi Haifa. He would finish the 2017 season first in assists, and second in goals scored, with 15 and 11 respectively. Citing frustration over his contract (he was at the time the seventh highest paid player on the team, making $500,000, despite ranking fifth in the league in over all goals over the previous four seasons), Nguyen reportedly demanded a trade at the end of the 2017 season on three separate occasions. The dispute would ultimately lead to his sitting out the team's pre season training camp.

On May 1, 2018, New England traded Nguyen to Los Angeles FC in exchange for $350,000 in General Allocation Money and $350,000 in Targeted Allocation Money. On July 26, 2018, Nguyen scored on a free kick leading Los Angeles FC to a 2–0 lead over LA Galaxy. The match ultimately ended 2 2 after a second half comeback by their crosstown rival.

On November 19, 2019, Nguyen was selected by MLS expansion side Inter Miami CF in the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft.

Nguyen was traded back to the Revolution on September 8, 2020 for a fourth round selection in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft and up to $50,000 in General Allocation Money. Nguyen made 12 appearances for the Revolution in 2020, starting 8 matches and scoring one goal, an 80th minute penalty against NYCFC on October 11.

On December 25, 2020, Ho Chi Minh City announced the signing of Lee Nguyen. On August 8, 2021, Nguyen left Ho Chi Minh City to return back in Texas as the 2021 V. League 1 season ended early due to the COVID 19 pandemic in Vietnam.

After retiring from playing and becoming the assistant coach of the Washington Spirit in early 2022, on August 6, 2022, Nguyen came out of retirement and return to play for Ho Chi Minh City.

In 2023, Nguyen played in The Soccer Tournament with ZALA FFF.

After playing for several United States junior level squads, namely the under 18s, under 20s, and under 23s, including being the only high school player named to the under 20 roster for the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship, Nguyen made his debut for the senior United States Men's National Team in a friendly against China on June 2, 2007. He made two other appearances with the team in 2007 as part of the Copa América roster. and again on January 9, 2015, for the training camp ahead of the friendlies against Chile and Panama. Nguyen made his reappearance with the USMNT as a substitute in a friendly match against Costa Rica on October 13, 2015.

On February 4, 2022, Nguyen announced his retirement from professional soccer and re signed with the Washington Spirit as an assistant coach. On June 14, 2023, the Kansas City Current announced the hiring of Nguyen as an assistant coach under interim head coach Caroline Sjöblom. On January 9, 2024, Angel City FC announced they had hired Nguyen as an assistant coach to work under head coach Becki Tweed.

Nguyen holds dual citizenship of the United States and Vietnam. Lee Nguyen's father, Pham Nguyen, fled to the United States a few years before the fall of Saigon, in 1973, and they were later resettled in Richardson, Texas, where Lee was born. His father was an avid soccer fan but he was forced to quit playing due to ongoing Vietnam War. In 2012, Nguyen was named one of The Boston Globe's 25 Most Stylish Bostonians.

+Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsPSV Eindhoven2005–06Eredivisie100000102006–07Eredivisie00001010Total10001020Randers2007–08Danish Superliga13000—1302008–09Danish Superliga9000—90Total2200000220Hoang Anh Gia Lai2009V. League 122924—24132010V. League 11000—10Total23924002513Becamex Binh Duong2010V. League 110000—1002011V. League 15200—52Total1520000152New England Revolution2012MLS30500—3052013MLS33400203542014MLS3218005237192015MLS32700103372016MLS33650—3862017MLS311120—3311Total19151708220652Los Angeles FC2018MLS25340103032019MLS2302120271Total4836130574Inter Miami CF2020MLS5000—50New England Revolution2020MLS1210020141Ho Chi Minh City2021V. League 19500—95Ho Chi Minh City2022V. League 114200—142Career total3407315514236979