Andrew Farrell (soccer)

Andrew Farrell
Personal information
Full name Andrew Mikobi Farrell[1]
Date of birth (1992-04-02) April 2, 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 New England Revolution
Number 88
Youth career
2003–2007 Esther Grande
2007–2010 United 1996
2007–2010 Atherton High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2012 Louisville Cardinals 64 (6)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012 Bradenton Academics 4 (0)
2012 River City Rovers 5 (0)
2013– New England Revolution 328 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 3, 2024

Andrew Mikobi Farrell (born April 2, 1992) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for Major League Soccer club New England Revolution. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Farrell moved with his family to Peru at the age of five and played in the Esther Grande youth team. He moved back to the United States in 2007 and played for United 1996 before playing college soccer for the Louisville Cardinals. After playing three seasons with the Cardinals, Farrell signed a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer and was selected with the first overall pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft by the New England Revolution. He currently holds the record for most appearances in Revolution club history.

Early life

Farrell was born in Louisville, but was raised in Peru from ages of five to fifteen, where his adoptive parents were Presbyterian missionaries. He played there for the Esther Grande de Bentín (EGB) Academy and attended Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt, The American School of Lima. He later moved back to Louisville and finished high school at Atherton High School.[2][3][4][5]

Career

College and amateur

Farrell moved to Louisville from Peru before his sophomore year in high school. That year, he began playing for United 1996 FC (based in Louisville), as well as Atherton High School. Near the end of high school, Farrell accepted a soccer scholarship to the University of Louisville.

As a freshman at Louisville, Farrell started five games and appeared in 20 for the Cardinals being only one of two freshmen to break into the starting lineup. As a junior, he started in all 23 games for the Cardinals as a midfielder before moving back as a defender for the final nine games of the season. He was named to the NCAA Division I First-Team All-America and won the Big East Defensive Player of the Year Award after the Cardinals only allowed an average of 0.62 goals per game.

Farrell also spent the 2012 season in the USL Premier Development League with the Bradenton Academics and the River City Rovers.[6][7]

Professional

On January 3, 2013, Farrell signed a Generation Adidas contract with the MLS, making him eligible for early entry into the 2013 MLS SuperDraft.[8][9] Two weeks later, he was drafted first overall in the MLS SuperDraft by the New England Revolution, making him the first ever no. 1 pick in club history.[10][11][12]

On March 9, 2013, Farrell made his professional debut in the Revs 1–0 away victory over the Chicago Fire in the club's first game of the 2013 season.[13][14] He made 32 appearances for the Revolution during his rookie season,[15] and recorded his first assist in a Revolution jersey on June 2, 2013, setting up Kelyn Rowe's 94th minute goal in the Revolution's 5-0 win over the LA Galaxy.[16] MLS listed Farrell at no. 9 on its annual "24 under 24" list of best young players.[17]

Farrell became a fixture on the Revolution over the coming seasons, leading the club in matches started in 2017, 2021, and 2022.[15] He additionally led the team in minutes played in 2017 and 2021.[15]

Farrell was named Revolution team Defender of the Year a club-record five separate occasions (2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022).[18] In doing so, he became the first Revolution player to win the honor in back-to-back seasons since Michael Parkhurst in 2007 and 2008, and the only Revolution player to ever win the honor in back-to-back seasons on two separate occasions.[15]

In 2016, Farrell was named an MLS All-Star.[19] He was also named Revolution team Humanitarian of the Year in 2018, 2023, and 2024.[15][20][21]

Farrell's scored his first professional goal on April 6, 2018, in the Revolution's 4-0 win over the Montreal Impact.[22] That game also marked Farrell's 163rd career start, which tied him with Taylor Twellman for 7th-most in club history.[22]

On August 8, 2021, Farrell set a new club record making his 255th career start in a 2–1 win over the Philadelphia Union, passing the previous all-time starts mark set by Shalrie Joseph.[23] Farrell also holds the club record for minutes played, which was achieved on August 18, 2021, in a 3–2 win over D.C. United.[24] On September 30, 2023, Farrell made his 350th career start for the Revolution across all competitions, the most of any player in Revolution history.[25]

Following the conclusion of the 2024 season, The Revolution re-signed Farrell to a one-year contract that would also see him act in a Player Professional Development role as an assistant coach in the Revolution Academy in addition to his playing duties.[26][27]

Career statistics

Club

As of November 17, 2021[28]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Bradenton Academics 2012[29] PDL 4 0 — — 4 0
River City Rovers 2012[29] PDL 5 0 — — 5 0
New England Revolution 2013 MLS 32 0 1 0 2[a] 0 35 0
2014 32 0 1 0 4[a] 0 37 0
2015 32 0 0 0 1[a] 0 33 0
2016 33 0 4 0 — 37 0
2017 30 0 3 0 — 33 0
2018 31 2 1 0 — 32 2
2019 29 0 2 0 1[a] 0 32 0
2020 20 0 — 4[a] 0 24 0
2021 33 0 0 0 0 0 33 0
Total 272 2 12 0 12 0 296 2
Career total 281 2 12 0 12 0 305 2
  1. ^ a b c d e Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs

Honors

New England Revolution

Louisville Cardinals

Individual

References

  1. ^ "2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup – Club roster: New England Revolution (USA)" (PDF). CONCACAF. January 30, 2024. p. 18. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  2. ^ Steve Jones, "Louisville soccer's Andrew Farrell could be first pick of MLS draft: Atherton grad is a defensive standout", The Courier-Journal, January 16, 2013.
  3. ^ David Woods, "Louisville defender selected No. 1 in MLS draft", USA Today, January 17, 2013.
  4. ^ Mike Woitalla, "Louisville pipeline delivers 'Peruvian product'", Soccer America Daily, January 17, 2013.
  5. ^ C. Ray Hall, "Louisville soccer's Andrew Farrell has more than his share of storylines", The Courier-Journal, October 19, 2010 (pay site).
  6. ^ "2012 Bradenton Academics stats". USLsoccer.com. United Soccer Leagues. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  7. ^ "2012 River City Rovers stats". USLsoccer.com. United Soccer Leagues. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  8. ^ "Around Kentuckiana: Soccer", The Courier-Journal, January 3, 2013.
  9. ^ Diego Pinzón, "Andrew Farrell, un humilde e intimidador guerrero" Archived February 6, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, FutbolMLS.com, January 13, 2013 (in Spanish).
  10. ^ "Revs draft Andrew Farrell with #1 pick in MLS SuperDraft". New England Revolution. January 17, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  11. ^ Giesta, Mike (January 17, 2014). "Revolution go with Farrell at No. 1". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  12. ^ "Andrew Farrell Highlights Three Cardinals Selected in the MLS Super Draft". GoCards.com. University of Louisville. January 17, 2013. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  13. ^ Ives, Tanner (March 10, 2013). "Andrew Farrell and the Revs Take Down Austin Berry and the Fire". Big Red Louie. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  14. ^ Davis, Steve (March 9, 2013). "Top rookie report: New England's Andrew Farrell impresses". NBC Sports. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  15. ^ a b c d e 2024 Media Guide. New England Revolution. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  16. ^ Lemieux, Jeff (June 2, 2013). "Final: Revolution 5, LA Galaxy 0". Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  17. ^ "24 Under 24: 2013 Rankings". Archived from the original on October 10, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  18. ^ "New England Revolution announce 2022 team award winners". October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  19. ^ "2016 AT&T MLS All-Star Roster". July 28, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  20. ^ "Andrew Farrell named 2023 Revolution Humanitarian of the Year". October 21, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  21. ^ "New England Revolution Captain Carles Gil Voted 2024 Team MVP". October 5, 2024. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Recap: Revs stretch unbeaten run to four games with 4-0 win over Impact". April 7, 2018. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
  23. ^ "Andrew Farrell Sets Revolution Club Record With 255th Career Start". August 9, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  24. ^ "Center back Andrew Farrell making history with the Revolution". Boston Herald. August 20, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  25. ^ "Recap : Revs stay unbeaten at home (11-0-4), climb to third in East with 2-1 win over Charlotte FC". www.revolutionsoccer.net. September 30, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  26. ^ "Revolution: Veteran defender Andrew Farrell to also work as Academy coach". New England Soccer Journal. November 25, 2024. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  27. ^ "New England Revolution re-sign Andrew Farrell". mlssoccer. November 25, 2024. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  28. ^ Andrew Farrell at Soccerway. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  29. ^ a b "Andrew Farrell | SoccerStats.us". soccerstats.us. Retrieved February 5, 2021.