Name: Charlie Davies
Born: June 25, 1986 in Manchester, New Hampshire
Position: Forward
Pro club: New England Revolution
Why is he in the news?
On Sunday, Davies’ New England Revolution will square off against the LA Galaxy in the MLS Cup final. The 28-year-old is a huge reason why the Revolution have reached the big stage, having taken his game to another level since the playoffs began.
In New England’s first post-season match versus the Columbus Crew, Davies bagged two goals to spur his team to a 4-2 victory. Then, in the contest that clinched New England’s place in the final, Davies scored two more against the New York Red Bulls. Now he’s hoping to guide the Revolution to a win over the Galaxy, a team that beat them for both the 2002 and 2005 MLS Cup.
He’s special because
Considering what he’s come back from, special doesn’t even begin to describe Davies’ character. Just over five years ago, Davies was involved in a car accident that nearly claimed his life. Long before he could even think about headers and free kicks, Davies had to retrain his body to walk, talk and eat again.
Slowly, surely, Davies put his life and career back together. The New Hampshire native has been very open about the difficulties he’s faced and how the accident has shaped him as a person, and remains determined to reach the heights he was destined for before the crash took him off course.
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Club career
After spending the early part of his career in Sweden (with Hammarby) and France (Sochaux), Davies made the jump to MLS in 2011 with D.C. United. He had a strong showing, netting 11 goals in 26 appearances. After spending more time in Europe with Danish club Randers FC, Davies joined the Revolution for four games in 2013. This season, Davies made 22 appearances for New England, scoring seven times.
International career
Davies’ most notable international showings came in the months leading up to his accident. As a promising player in his early 20s, Davies appeared in six 2010 World Cup qualifiers for the United States, scoring a pair of goals. His final appearance came in a 3-2 U.S. win over Honduras just two days before his car crash. Though he made a gallant push to heal in time for the event South Africa, his injuries were simply too much to overcome.
His most famous moment
It may well have been the most recent time he was on the pitch. Having won the first of their two-game semi-final set with the New York Red Bulls on the road, New England was in prime position to secure a spot in the MLS final. The Red Bulls, however, jumped out to a 1-0 in the 26th minute. But before halftime, Davies struck back to tie the affair. New York regained the lead early in the second half, and all of a sudden a road victory seemed within reach. Davies, though, wouldn’t be denied, scoring his second goal in the 70th minute to put his team on even terms and earn a berth in the league final.
Here’s an interesting fact
As a junior at Boston College, Davies established school single-season records for goals (15) and points (36).
He said it
On his recovery from the accident:
“The peaks and valleys were like Mt. Everest and then you have the Grand Canyon. It was crazy the amount of ups and downs that I’ve had in the past five years. You think you’ve achieved something, you’re happy, and the next day you’re down in the dirt.”
