1. Steve Ralston was born on June 14,1974 and is an American former soccer player and manager who played as a midfielder.
36 Facts About Steve Ralston
1. 2.
Steve Ralston spent most of his playing career in Major League Soccer with the Tampa Bay Mutiny and the New England Revolution, retiring in 2010 as the league's all-time career leader in assists, appearances, starts, and minutes played.
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Steve Ralston held the US record for professional appearances in 2010.
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Steve Ralston served as assistant manager at several teams, including the Houston Dynamo and San Jose Earthquakes, including a brief stint as the interim head coach at the Earthquakes in 2018.
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Steve Ralston was drafted 18th overall in the 1996 MLS College Draft by the Tampa Bay Mutiny out of Florida International University, and quickly established himself as one of the best players in the league, starting 31 matches in the club's inaugural campaign, scoring seven goals and notching two assists, and concluding the year as the first player in MLS history to win the Rookie of the Year Award.
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Steve Ralston helped the club lift the first-ever Supporters' Shield.
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Steve Ralston was named to the 1997 MLS All-Star team.
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Steve Ralston started 29 matches in 1998, again scoring five goals, and recording eight assists.
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In 1999, Steve Ralston was voted Mutiny Team MVP, MLS Best XI, and won the MLS Fair Play Award.
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Steve Ralston started all 32 matches for the club, scoring five goals and recording a league-leading eighteen assists.
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In 2000, Steve Ralston was named an MLS All-Star for the second time, won the MLS Fair Play Award for the second time, and finished second in the league in assists, with 17.
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In total, Steve Ralston played for the Mutiny for six years, leaving only after the team was contracted in 2002.
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Steve Ralston departed as the Mutiny as the club's all-time leader in games played and points.
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On January 11,2002, Steve Ralston was selected by the New England Revolution in the 2002 Allocation Draft.
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Steve Ralston was named MLS Best XI for the second time, and an MLS All-Star for the third time.
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Steve Ralston helped the team reach the MLS Cup final for the first time, ultimately losing to the LA Galaxy on a Golden Goal in extra time.
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Steve Ralston was named an MLS All-Star in 2004, and won goal of the week twice - in week 15 and 19.
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Steve Ralston was a finalist for MLS Goal of the Year, and was named Revolution Team MVP.
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In 2006, Steve Ralston was a finalist for the MLS Fair Play Award.
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Steve Ralston was again named an MLS All-Star in 2007, and led the league in assists, with 14.
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On July 14,2007 against the New York Red Bulls, Steve Ralston surpassed his former teammate Carlos Valderrama to become the MLS all-time leader in assists, with 115.
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In 2007 Steve Ralston helped the club win its first-ever silverware in the form of the 2007 US Open Cup.
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In 2008, Steve Ralston was named MLS Player of the Week twice - in matchweeks four and five.
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Steve Ralston was named an MLS All-Star for the sixth time.
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Steve Ralston won the Revolution team Golden Boot award, scoring eight goals and recording seven assists.
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In 2009 Steve Ralston won the MLS Fair Play Award, and was named Revolution Humanitarian of the Year.
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Steve Ralston suffered a season-ending knee injury in September of the 2009 season.
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Steve Ralston was one of the team's starting midfielders, and an assistant coach to head coach Claude Anelka.
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Steve Ralston ended his Major League Soccer career as the league's leader in minutes played, games started, appearances, and assists.
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Steve Ralston appeared for the United States national team 36 times over an 11-year span and scored 4 international goals.
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Steve Ralston's last was for the squad that won the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
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Steve Ralston was never selected to a World Cup roster.
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Steve Ralston had a break out year for the United States national team in 2005 by earning 15 caps.
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Steve Ralston scored the game-winning goal in a World Cup qualifying match against Mexico on September 3,2005.
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In July 2010, Steve Ralston took an assistant coaching job at the Houston Dynamo with his former Mutiny teammate Dominic Kinnear.
36.
On January 6,2015, the San Jose Earthquakes announced Steve Ralston would join Kinnear in San Jose and serve as his assistant coach.